1 Corinthians 11:29

[MusicforMovies]

“For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

Does anybody know of any Church Father commentary on that verse? Or of that section (the Lord’s Supper) in general?

Thanks,
Peace in Christ,
Joel :harp:

 

[melchesidechpio]

not a Church Father but from the Haydock Bible Commentary, I think you might be interested in reading

Therefore in punishment of the sin of receiving unworthily, many are infirm, visited with infirmities, even that bring death, which is meant by those words, many sleep. But it is a mercy of God, when he only punishes by sickness, or a corporal death, and does not permit us to perish for ever, or be condemned with this wicked world. To avoid this, let a man prove himself, examine the state of his conscience, especially before he receives the holy sacrament, confess his sins, and be absolved by those to whom Christ left the power of forgiving sins in his name, and by his authority. If we judge ourselves in this manner, we shall not be judged, that is, condemned. (Witham)

 

[ryanoneil]

“Wherefore to those who partake worthily with faith, it is for the remission of sins and for life everlasting and for the safeguarding of soul and body; but to those who partake unworthily without faith, it is for chastisement and punishment, just as also the death of the Lord became to those who believe life and incorruption for the enjoyment of eternal blessedness, while to those who do not believe and to the murderers of the Lord it is for everlasting chastisement and punishment. The bread and the wine are not merely figures of the body and blood of Christ (God forbid!) but the deified body of the Lord itself: for the Lord has said, ‘This is My body,’ not, this is a figure of My body: and ‘My blood,’ not, a figure of My blood. And on a previous occasion He had said to the Jews, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. For My flesh is meat indeed and My blood is drink indeed. And again, He that eateth Me, shall live." John of Damascus, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, 4:13 (A.D. 743).

scripturecatholic.com/the_eucharist.html#tradition-I

 

[MusicforMovies]

Thanks for the posts.

I’m probably going to go head-to-head with a few people over the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and since their authority is Scripture Alone - I wanted to get a better feel for how early Christians interpreted this verse, and the John 6 Bread of Life discourse. The latter has a ton of commentary, but I wasn’t so sure about the verse I posted here.

On slightly related topic, what is required for the Eucharist to be valid, i.e. for Jesus to be present? Or is He always present whether the Eucharist has been validly carried out according to the norms and intentions of the Church?

i.e. An Orthodox Eucharist is valid, would a Lutheran one be? (Understanding that a Catholic couldn’t commune at a Lutheran church due to doctrinal differences)

What about, for a example, a Baptist one - even though they hold to a strictly memorial view themselves.

Thanks,
Peace in Christ,
Joel :harp:

 

[davidv]

Thanks for the posts.

I’m probably going to go head-to-head with a few people over the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and since their authority is Scripture Alone - I wanted to get a better feel for how early Christians interpreted this verse, and the John 6 Bread of Life discourse. The latter has a ton of commentary, but I wasn’t so sure about the verse I posted here.

On slightly related topic, what is required for the Eucharist to be valid, i.e. for Jesus to be present? Or is He always present whether the Eucharist has been validly carried out according to the norms and intentions of the Church?

i.e. An Orthodox Eucharist is valid, would a Lutheran one be? (Understanding that a Catholic couldn’t commune at a Lutheran church due to doctrinal differences)

What about, for a example, a Baptist one - even though they hold to a strictly memorial view themselves.

Thanks,
Peace in Christ,
Joel :harp:

Here are the requirements for a valid Eucharist. These were extracted from the Code of Canon Law and the Cathechism of the Catholic Church. I would highly recommend reading the section on the Eucharist in the Catechism beginning at article 1322.

A validly ordained priest (can. 900.1)
The bread must be only wheat (can. 924.2)
The wine must be natural from the fruit of the vine (can. 924.3)
"The essential signs of the Eucharistic sacrament are wheat bread and grape wine, on which the blessing of the Holy Spirit is invoked and the priest pronounces the words of consecration spoken by Jesus during the Last Supper: “This is my body which will be given up for you. . . . This is the cup of my blood. . . .” "(CCC 1412)