Words of Institution
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The Words of Institution (also called the Words of Consecration) are words echoing those of Jesus himself at his Last Supper that, when consecrating bread and wine, Christian Eucharistic liturgies include in a narrative of that event. Eucharistic scholars sometimes refer to them simply as the verba (Latin for "words").
Almost all existing ancient Christian Churches explicitly include the Words of Institution in their Eucharistic celebrations, and consider them necessary for the validity of the sacrament. This is the practice of the
No formula of Words of Institution in any liturgy is claimed to be an exact reproduction of words that Jesus used, presumably in the
Early liturgies
There is no consensus among scholars if the Words of Institution were used in the celebrations of the Eucharist during the first two or three centuries or if their use was only sporadic. In her study The Function of the Words of Institution in the Celebration of the Lord's Supper Ros Clarke refers to evidence that suggests that Words of Institution were not used in the celebration during the 2nd century.
Uses in present Christianity
Roman Rite of the Catholic Church
The Words of Institution of the Roman Rite Mass are here presented in the official English translation of the Roman Missal in the form given in the following italicized text, firstly in the obsolete first and second editions of the Roman Missal, and secondly in as they are translated in the current third edition of the Roman Missal. The distinction here made by bolding is not found in the Missals.
1.
take this, all of you, and eat of it:
this is my Body, which will be given up for you.
Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
it will be shed for you and for all
so that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in memory of me.
2.
Take this, all of you, and eat of it:
for this is my body which will be given up for you.
Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
for this is the chalice of my blood,
the blood of the new and eternal covenant.
which will be poured out for you and for Many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.
From the time of
The theological opinion about the necessity and sufficiency of pronouncing certain parts of the Words of Institution (the eight words bolded in the English translation given above) is not included in, for instance, the
It has therefore been argued that it is the prayer as a whole, not some isolated words within it, that is efficacious in the sacrament, and that the Words of Institution that Jesus himself spoke at his Last Supper are consecratory at every Eucharist,[9] whether they are repeated or only implied, in accordance with the teaching of John Chrysostom: "That saying, 'This is my body', once uttered, from that time to the present day, and even until Christ's coming, makes the sacrifice complete at every table in the churches."[12]
While thus accepting as valid the Anaphora of Addai and Mari even when the Words of Institution are not explicitly spoken, the document of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity "warmly invites" an Assyrian priest celebrating the Eucharist when Chaldean Christians are participating to insert the Words of Institution in that circumstance, as permitted by the Assyrian Church itself.[13]
Byzantine Rite Churches
In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, the Words of Institution are the only portion of the Anaphora chanted aloud by the priest:
For the bread: "Take, eat: this is My Body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins."
For the wine: "Drink of it, all of you: this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins."
Orthodox Christians do not interpret the Words of Institution to be the moment the "Gifts" (sacramental bread and wine) are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. In fact, they do not define a specific moment of change; however, they understand the process to be completed (perfected) at the Epiclesis (the calling-down of the Holy Spirit upon the Gifts) despite some Church Fathers, even eastern ones like Saint John Chrysostom, stating that the Words of Institution "complete" or "bring about" the Sacrament.
The
Protestant denominations
Protestant denominations generally, with the exception of the
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Anglican Communion
The following version of the Words of Institution is found in the
[Who], in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my Body, which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise, after supper, he took the Cup; and, when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins: Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.[14]
Lutheran Churches
The Lutheran liturgy differs from that of other Protestants by using a conflation of the four versions of the words of institution. Luther's Small Catechism shows this,[15]
Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when he was betrayed, took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said: Take; eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he also took the cup after the supper, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, Drink of it, all of you. This cup is the New Testament in my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
By doing so, they include the phrase "My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins..." This reflects Lutheran sacramental theology in which the sacrament is a means of grace and actively forgives sins.
Presbyterian Churches
The following version of the Words of Institution is found in the Book of Common Worship and is used among those in the
Breaking of the Bread
The Lord Jesus, on the night of his arrest, took bread,
and after giving thanks to God,
he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat.
This is my body, given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way he took the cup, saying:
This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood,
shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it,
do this in remembrance of me.
Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup
you proclaim the saving death of the risen Lord,
until he comes.
Methodist Churches
Current trends in Methodist thought would require both the verba and an epiclesis for a Prayer of Thanksgiving, which bridges Western and Eastern thought.
References
- ISBN 9780814663356.
- ^ Guidelines for admission to the Eucharist between the Chaldean Church and the Assyrian Church of the East
- ^ Hans Lietzmann, (translator: H. G. Reeve), Brill Archive, 1958, p. 511
- ^ Clarke, Ros. The Function of the Words of Institution in the Celebration of the Lord's Supper.
McGowan points to evidence from the Didache and Justin Martyr which suggests that the words of institution were not used in the celebration of the Supper during the second century. Justin Martyr, at least, had access to the words of institution but used them for catechetical rather than liturgical purposes. The words enabled believers to understand the sacrament but were not essential for celebration of the sacrament. If it is the case that the liturgical use of the narratives was not known in the second century and only developed later in the third century, it is surely unlikely that there was an earlier first century liturgical tradition reflected in the NT texts.
- ^ Clarke, Ros. The Function of the Words of Institution in the Celebration of the Lord's Supper.
The liturgical use of the words seems to be a relatively late phenomenon. McGowan points to evidence from the Didache and Justin Martyr which suggests that the words of institution were not used in the celebration of the Supper during the second century. Justin Martyr, at least, had access to the words of institution but used them for catechetical rather than liturgical purposes. The words enabled believers to understand the sacrament but were not essential for celebration of the sacrament. ... This ritual is comprised then of the actions described in v. 19 of taking bread, giving thanks, breaking it, and giving it to be eaten. It seems to include the accompanying action of saying 'This is my body, which is given for you' or at least of saying words with the same illocutionary force, identifying the bread with Jesus' body. By comparison with the words of institution recounted in 1 Cor 11, it seems that a similar command was given with respect to the cup, or that the single command was intended to encompass both sets of actions, verbal and non-verbal
- ^ Bulletin of the Pro Unione Centre in Rome, Spring 2003 pp. 15-27 (see p. 26 Conclusion 1)
- ISBN 978-0-89555-805-3.
- ^ Denzinger 698, in the old numbering)
- ^ a b Robert F. Taft, SJ, Professor Emeritus of Oriental Liturgy, Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome: Mass Without the Consecration? The Historic Agreement on the Eucharist between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East promulgated 26 October 2001
- ^ "A long and careful study was undertaken of the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, from a historical, liturgical and theological perspective, at the end of which the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith on January 17th, 2001 concluded that this Anaphora can be considered valid. H.H. Pope John Paul II has approved this decision" (Guidelines for admission to the Eucharist between the Chaldean Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, 3. The Anaphora of Addai and Mari).
- ^ A. GELSTON, The Eucharistic Prayer of Addai and Mari 121-123, quoted in Taft
- ^ Homily on the Betrayal of Judas (De proditione Judae hom. 1/2, 6), PG 49:389-390, quoted in Taft
- ^ Guidelines, 4. Guidelines for admission to the Eucharist
- ^ Church of England (1662). The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments. Cambridge University Press.
- ^ The Small Catechism VI.4; cf. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Robert Kolb et al., eds. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1993)
Bibliography
- Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. London: Oxford UP, 1974.
External links
- Catechism of the Catholic Church - The sacrament of the Eucharist
- Guidelines For Admission To The Eucharist Between The Chaldean Church And The Assyrian Church Of The East
- Fortescue, Adrian (1908). "Canon of the Mass". the Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.
- Guéranger, Prosper (1885). "Explanation of the Prayers and Ceremonies of Holy Mass".
- Canon of the Mass of the 1962 Roman Catholic Missal with MP3 Audio (with English translation)