Background for calling Communion the "Eucharist"

[momof8]

When looking for an answer on an unrelated topic in the Sacred Scripture forum, I was referred to an article at agapebiblestudy.com. I came across this reference to a Jewish “Eucharistic” celebration:

“Only the Levitical priesthood was allowed in this space to perform their ministerial duties and the faithful Old Covenant believers were only allowed to enter if celebrating a communion sacrificial meal with family and friends, known as a Toda in Hebrew or Eucharistia in the Greek, a ‘Thanksgiving’ in English”, based on Leviticus 7:11-15:

"11
"This is the ritual for the peace offerings that are presented to the LORD.
12
When anyone makes a peace offering in thanksgiving, together with his thanksgiving sacrifice he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes made of fine flour mixed with oil and well kneaded.
13
1 His offering shall also include loaves of leavened bread along with the victim of his peace offering for thanksgiving.
14
From each of his offerings he shall present one portion as a contribution to the LORD; this shall belong to the priest who splashes the blood of the peace offering.
15
"The flesh of the thanksgiving sacrifice shall be eaten on the day it is offered; none of it may be kept till the next day.

Whenever I’ve seen answers to the question on why we call it the Eucharist, this Jewish meal has not been mentioned. The explanations I’ve seen say it is called “Eucharist” because Jesus gave thanks to His Father before breaking the bread. Would it be more accurate to say that the word “Eucharist” was used by early Christians because it had been used by Jews for a “communion sacrificial meal”, which is what the Eucharist is?

Thanks for any insight you can give.

 

[Joannm]

When looking for an answer on an unrelated topic in the Sacred Scripture forum, I was referred to an article at agapebiblestudy.com. I came across this reference to a Jewish “Eucharistic” celebration:

“Only the Levitical priesthood was allowed in this space to perform their ministerial duties and the faithful Old Covenant believers were only allowed to enter if celebrating a communion sacrificial meal with family and friends, known as a Toda in Hebrew or Eucharistia in the Greek, a ‘Thanksgiving’ in English”, based on Leviticus 7:11-15:

"11
"This is the ritual for the peace offerings that are presented to the LORD.
12
When anyone makes a peace offering in thanksgiving, together with his thanksgiving sacrifice he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes made of fine flour mixed with oil and well kneaded.
13
1 His offering shall also include loaves of leavened bread along with the victim of his peace offering for thanksgiving.
14
From each of his offerings he shall present one portion as a contribution to the LORD; this shall belong to the priest who splashes the blood of the peace offering.
15
"The flesh of the thanksgiving sacrifice shall be eaten on the day it is offered; none of it may be kept till the next day.

Whenever I’ve seen answers to the question on why we call it the Eucharist, this Jewish meal has not been mentioned. The explanations I’ve seen say it is called “Eucharist” because Jesus gave thanks to His Father before breaking the bread. Would it be more accurate to say that the word “Eucharist” was used by early Christians because it had been used by Jews for a “communion sacrificial meal”, which is what the Eucharist is?

Thanks for any insight you can give.

The Last Supper was in the context of a Jewish meal prayer and the Berekah or blessings over bread and wine would have been said. This is the basis for our Eucharistic meal. If you look at the prayers used at the Jewish meal the words of thanksgiving and blessing are very similar to the words we use in our Mass. So you are right on. Todah and Eucharist both mean thanksgiving.

 

[proudnifi]

“Eucharist” comes from the Greek (for thanksgiving).

 

[scylla]

Thank you for the background, as though we know that the word Eucharist means thanksgiving, seeing some background shows how much more it means.

It isn’t just a community meal but so much more. It is the center of our faith as Jesus is there in our midst.

God Bless
Scylla

 

[momof8]

“Eucharist” comes from the Greek (for thanksgiving).

Yes, but it still seemed strange to say that when we receive the Eucharist, we receive “thanksgiving”. The word makes a little more sense to me if it had been used to mean “communion sacrificial meal” since of course in receiving Jesus we are receiving the sacrificial meal. It seems that that is the connection a Jewish person would have made at the time of the early Church, which also is a reminder that Jesus gave the Jews and all of us the fulfillment of the this Jewish practice, the complete and excellent sacrificial meal, if I am expressing that correctly.

 

[japhy]

Yes, but it still seemed strange to say that when we receive the Eucharist, we receive “thanksgiving”. The word makes a little more sense to me if it had been used to mean “communion sacrificial meal” since of course in receiving Jesus we are receiving the sacrificial meal. It seems that that is the connection a Jewish person would have made at the time of the early Church, which also is a reminder that Jesus gave the Jews and all of us the fulfillment of the this Jewish practice, the complete and excellent sacrificial meal, if I am expressing that correctly.

I think it is technically accurate to say the priest (in persona Christi) – and we, united with him – offer the Eucharist to God the Father. We receive Holy Communion.

The Eucharist is a thanksgiving offering as well as a sacrificial offering.

 

[momof8]

I think it is technically accurate to say the priest (in persona Christi) – and we, united with him – offer the Eucharist to God the Father. We receive Holy Communion.

The Eucharist is a thanksgiving offering as well as a sacrificial offering.

That makes sense, Japhy! Thank you for helping me to increase my understanding of the Eucharist.