The influence of Greek ideas and usages upon the Christian churchHatch, Edwin
Philosophy
The influence of Greek ideas and usages upon the Christian church
Hatch, Edwin
Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600; Philosophy -- History; Philosophy, Ancient; Theology, Doctrinal
represented in figure; but for the newly baptized the chalice is filled,
not with wine, but with milk and honey, that they may understand, says
an old writer, that they have entered already upon the promised land.
And there was one more symbolical rite in that early Easter sacrament,
the mention of which is often suppressed—a lamb was offered on the
altar—afterwards cakes in the shape of a lamb.[645] It was simply the
ritual which we have seen already in the mysteries. The purified crowd at
Eleusis saw a blaze of light, and in the light were represented in symbol
life and death and resurrection.
2. Baptism had felt the spell of the Greek ritual: not less so had
the Lord’s Supper. Its elements in the earliest times may be gathered
altogether apart from the passages of the New Testament, upon which,
however clearly we may feel, no sensible man will found an argument, and
which, taken by themselves, possibly admit of more than one meaning.
The extra-biblical accounts are:
(1) “The Teaching of the Apostles;”[646] which implies:
(_a_) Thanksgiving for the wine. “We thank Thee, our Father, for the holy
vine of David Thy servant, which Thou hast made known to us through Jesus
Christ Thy Servant. To Thee be glory for ever.”
(_b_) Thanksgiving for the broken bread. “We thank Thee, our Father, for
the life which Thou hast made known to us through Jesus Thy Servant. To
Thee be glory for ever.”
After the thanksgiving they ate and drank: none could eat or drink until
he had been baptized into the name of the Lord. After the partaking there
was another thanksgiving and a prayer of supplication.
(2) There is a fragmentary account which has been singularly overlooked,
in the Apostolical Constitutions,[647] which carries us one stage
further. After the reading and the teaching, the deacon made a
proclamation which vividly recalls the proclamation at the beginning of
the Mysteries. “Is there any one who has a quarrel with any? Is there any
one with bad feeling” (ἐν ὑποκρίσει)?
(3) The next stage is found in the same book of the Apostolical
Constitutions.[648] The advance consists in the fact that the catechumens
and penitents go out, just as those who were not yet initiated and those
who were impure were excluded from the Greek Mysteries.
This marked separation of the catechumens and the baptized, which
was possibly strengthened by the philosophic distinction between οἱ
προκόπτοντες and οἱ τέλειοι, lasted until, under influences which it
would be beyond our present purpose to discuss, the prevalence of infant
baptism caused the distinction no longer to exist.[649]
(4) In a later stage there is a mention of the holy table as an altar,
and of the offerings placed upon the table of which the faithful partook,
as mysteries.[650]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account