Question about sacramental standards

[DeusExMachina]

I know that standards regarding the elements are only in place because they are drawn from church tradition-seeing as how literally every non-Protestant church has nearly identical requirements to the Roman Church- and are therefore authoritative.

Nevertheless, I would like to know, why is it that the sacramental bread must be of pure wheat flour and water, and that the wine must be freshly fermented grape juice with nothing added? I mean, on the one hand, it seems improper to use, say, brandy and multigrain table bread, but what is the rationale behind it?
Is it derived from 1st-century Jewish customs? Is it an effort on the part of Rome to emphasize that the eucharist is not “common food or common drink”?
Or is it simply to guarantee order in the celebration of the sacraments?

DeusExMachina

 

[PaulfromIowa]

We use wheat bread and grape wine because that is what Christ used at the Last Supper.

 

[peter26]

The reason for not using bread from the supermarket is that it includes things other than wheat, it is not pure bread. As it is not the same matter used by Christ, we can not know if it will have the same effect, if it can validly be transubstantiated.

 

[Solomonson]

A few quick corrections to your posting:

…Nevertheless, I would like to know, why is it that the sacramental bread must be of pure wheat flour and water, and that the wine must be freshly fermented grape juice with nothing added?

The wine used for the sacrifice need not be “freshly fermented grape juice.” A 100 year old bottle of wine would work just fine, so long as its contents wasn’t corrupted or spoiled.

Further sulfates may indeed be added today to sacramental wine by the bottler to increase its shelf life if required.

I mean, on the one hand, it seems improper to use, say, brandy and multigrain table bread, but what is the rationale behind it?

It’s not a matter of being “improper.” It’s a matter of replicating what Jesus Christ used at the Last Supper. Interesting you mentioned brandy. Brandy was once used to fortify communion wine expressly for the purpose of raising its alcohol level and thus making it less susceptible to spoilage – particularly in mission areas.

Is it derived from 1st-century Jewish customs? Is it an effort on the part of Rome to emphasize that the -]eucharist/-] Eucharist is not “common food or common drink”?
Or is it simply to guarantee order in the celebration of the sacraments?

DeusExMachina

See above. Bread made of wheat and wine made of grapes was extremely common food and drink c. 33 AD in the Middle East.

 

[DeusExMachina]

Thanks for your responses. I still have one lingering doubt though: how do we know that Jesus used wheat bread? The bible says nothing about the bread beyond implying that it was unleavened. Did any of the Fathers believe it to be wheat bread?

 

[Vico]

I know that standards regarding the elements are only in place because they are drawn from church tradition-seeing as how literally every non-Protestant church has nearly identical requirements to the Roman Church- and are therefore authoritative.

Nevertheless, I would like to know, why is it that the sacramental bread must be of pure wheat flour and water, and that the wine must be freshly fermented grape juice with nothing added? I mean, on the one hand, it seems improper to use, say, brandy and multigrain table bread, but what is the rationale behind it?
Is it derived from 1st-century Jewish customs? Is it an effort on the part of Rome to emphasize that the eucharist is not “common food or common drink”?
Or is it simply to guarantee order in the celebration of the sacraments?

DeusExMachina

Just a few justifications, but there are many more:

That is what bread is made of in the Bible, and the choice is Biblical. Jesus at the Last Supper compares Peter with wheat – Luke 22:31-32

The gluten is cohesive, as in the Church.

Jesus uses wheat analogy with Peter: “Simon, Simon! Remember that Satan has asked for you to sift you all like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may never fail. You in turn must strengthen your brothers.”

In Mark 4:26-28, Jesus compares the Church’s entire body to the stages of development of ripe wheat (Greek sitos).

Wheat is associated with being sown, fallen, crushed, buried, and springing up, to be made intor bread to feed multitudes.
All these are symbols of Christ’s passion, death, resurrection, and communion. Wheat upright in a sunlit field, shimmers like gleaming gold. The sacred vessels for the consecrated hosts use gold, associated with the Blessed Sacrament.

Ref: catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/why-wheat-bread

 

[Horton]

Thanks for your responses. I still have one lingering doubt though:** how do we know that Jesus used wheat bread?** The bible says nothing about the bread beyond implying that it was unleavened. Did any of the Fathers believe it to be wheat bread?

As opposed to what other kind of bread?

 

[marytk]

I have read that barley was common (cheaper I think)

 

[FrDavid96]

Thanks for your responses. I still have one lingering doubt though: how do we know that Jesus used wheat bread? The bible says nothing about the bread beyond implying that it was unleavened. Did any of the Fathers believe it to be wheat bread?

Remember, you’re reading the bible in English translation. It might not say it in English, but in the original languages, it certainly said wheat bread.

As opposed to what other kind of bread?

Yes, they did have other kinds of foods that we might call “bread” in the generic sense. To them, the distinctions were significant.

I have read that barley was common (cheaper I think)

We know it was wheaten bread for several reasons:

1. Vocabulary. The people of that time/place had specific words for specific kinds of breads. The principle is the same today, but the words don’t translate directly. For example, we would consider things like bagels or english muffins or even corn muffins as “bread” even though we use more specific words when necessary. The words used in biblical texts (whether Hebrew or Greek) were not just generic words for bread, but describe very specifically wheat bread.
2. Culture. Wheat bread was very significant in their cultures. Much more than it is today, when we might consider wheat or rye or pumpernickel to be merely a matter of choice at the moment. Jewish ritual food laws also specified what type of bread was to be used for religious purposes.
3. Other forms of bread had their own significance. Barley bread, for example, was considered to be an act of humility to eat (or desperation). It was considered to be animal fodder, and was only consumed by humans as a last resort. For a Jewish person 2000 years ago, eating barley bread would equate to opening a can of dog food today. What we label today as “barley bread” is not really that. It’s mostly wheaten with some barley added for flavor, or it has other ingredients to make it taste good such as eggs and honey. True barley bread, meaning just barley flour and water, is terrible (or so I’ve heard).
4. The types of grains they used (wheat was the default) also depended on the time of year. It was very significant for them to consume wheat bread at the time of Passover because of the spring wheat harvest.