Jesus and The Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
by Dr. Brant Pitre
Review by Christine Calabrese
“Behold, God’s love for you!”
This book is a scholarly work, bringing us back to the cultural, liturgical and seasonal traditions of Judaism when Jesus of Nazareth graced the earth.
I learned that there was a tradition handed down by Melchizedek, offering bread and wine as a sacrifice to the Lord God. The Ark of the Covenant contained bread (manna) from the exodus along with other important relics. This bread was brought out three times a year by the priests and held before the congregation with the words, “Behold, God’s love for you.”
The manna during the Jewish exodus never lasted more than a day. Yet, as Catholics, we enjoy the Eucharist daily in every Mass we celebrate. Strikingly interesting!
I knew from my protestant background that Jesus is the Passover Lamb, but the details escaped me. The lambs slain for Passover in Jesus’ time were tied to a cross. Passover was a big feast day for the Jews and thousands of spotless lambs were slain on the altar, which Jesus must have seen over his lifetime as He celebrated Passover annually. He knew exactly what lay ahead of Him. I also didn’t know that Jesus never finished the Passover meal with the disciples in the Upper Room – the last cup of wine was not drunk at that meal because it was His sacrifice.
“By refusing to drink of the fruit of the vine until He gave up His final breath, He joined the offering of himself under the form of bread and wine to the offering of Himself on Calvary.” *
Furthermore, the concept that Jesus is the new manna, and that the Jews were looking for the new manna, had escaped me prior to reading this book. To embrace the full meaning of this, one must truly understand Jewish historical culture: This bread was called, “The Bread of the Presence” and also “The Bread of the Face,” the tangible and physical sign of God’s presence on earth. The exodus from Egypt was truly a miraculous occurrence, and the Jews carried this hope of the new manna in their liturgy and hearts.
Even though other religions believed in an afterlife, what separated them from the Jews was how the latter believed in the resurrection of the body. The Eucharist is closely tied to the resurrected body of our Lord. Jesus in His resurrected body is not limited by space and time and form. He can and will appear under any form He pleases, and He instituted and willed to appear under the form of the Eucharist.
The author, Dr. Brant Pitre, captured my attention immediately upon describing an intense interview from a well-meaning Baptist pastor at a pre-marital interview.
Dr. Pitre’s wife was a Baptist, and the marriage of a Baptist to a Catholic with strong beliefs can cause debate and conflict. Here, as a young man, he was questioned about the validity of the Eucharist, and this challenge spurred him on to deeper study and comprehension of his Catholic faith.
Clearly Dr. Pitre has surpassed his goal because he now travels the country and lectures regarding the Eucharist and its incredibly beautiful history. Dr. Pitre makes it plain that none of his discoveries are new, and that in fact, they are clearly written in the Catholic Catechism.
Unfortunately, an unstudied and unschooled Catholic can be caught off-guard by well-meaning protestants who question without understanding. This book, therefore, is a great accompaniment to any apologetic library.
After reading the entire book, I discovered a lovely study guide supplied in the back! I’d recommend using this study guide in a bible study or book club, as it would help tremendously digging deeper into your faith.
“Behold, God’s love for you!”
*Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, p. 169
