I recently began reading the New Testament again and noticed a verse that had not previously caught my attention. The verse is from the last chapter of Mark after Jesus’ Resurrection and appearance to Mary Magdalene but before His Ascension. The verse states, “After this, He appeared in another form to two [disciples] as they were walking into the country” (Mark 16:12, emphasis added).
When I saw that Jesus appeared to two disciples in “another form”, I immediately thought of the Eucharist. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting the Council of Trent, teaches:
Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood (CCC 1376).
Accordingly, the Church teaches that at the consecration of the bread and wine offered at Mass, Jesus appears to us in another form.
God in Different Forms
Many non-Catholics criticize Catholics for their belief that Jesus is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist because the elements of bread and wine continue to look, taste, and have the effects of bread and wine after the consecration; namely, drinking too much of the Precious Blood can actually make someone drunk. However, while the effects of bread and wine remain, the critics fail to understand that Jesus is merely presenting Himself to us under another form.
In the Old Testament, God presented Himself numerous times under the form of fire (Exodus 3:2, 13:21), and the Holy Spirit descended from heaven “in bodily form” as a dove at Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:22). Yet, the substance (that is, the essence) of these forms was God. Also, these forms behaved like the things they appeared to be in the natural world.
In Exodus 3, for example, the fire (God) burned the bush. In Exodus 13, the pillar of fire (God) gave the Israelites light during the night. In Luke 3, the dove (Holy Spirit) descended through the air on wings. Therefore, the Blood of Christ in the Eucharist can make one drunk because the outward form (wine) continues to function as the attributes of wine would naturally function, but like the previously mentioned forms, the substance is God (the Son).
The Form of the Resurrected Christ
Returning to Mark 16, on the day of Jesus’ Resurrection, He appeared in another form to His disciples. He looked different, but His substance was the same. Similarly, on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus was “transfigured” (Matthew 17, Mark 9). The Greek word for “form” in Mark 16:12 is morphē, and the Greek word for “transfigured” is metamorphoō, which means to change form. Thus, in both incidents, Jesus changed form, but His substance remained the same.
In the more detailed account of Mark’s story, known as The Walk to Emmaus, Jesus appears to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, but they do not recognize Him. They have dinner together, and Jesus elucidates the Old Covenant law and prophets concerning Himself. He then takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. “And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and He vanished out of their sight” (Luke 24:32).
In the subsequent verses, the two disciples report what they experienced to the apostles and “how [Jesus] was known to them in the breaking of the bread.” The Lucan account makes clear the unmistakable association between the breaking of the bread, and Jesus’ change from His unrecognizable form to His being made “known” to His disciples.
Therefore, we can draw a few conclusions from these occurrences.
- God can appear in other forms without compromising His actual substance.
- The forms behave like the natural substances they appear to be.
- God the Son makes Himself known to His disciples and opens our eyes in the breaking of bread.
Further Biblical Witnesses
Although these occurrences only provide evidence for Jesus’ transformation of bread and wine into Himself, when we combine them with the following verses (and many others), we have unmistakable proof that Jesus not only can appear in other forms, but also that He does so.
- Jesus’ words (paraphrased) at the Last Supper, “This is my body/blood of the covenant.”
- His words in John 6, “Truly, truly, I say to you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood you have no life in you.”
- Paul’s words (paraphrased) in 1 Corinthians 10, “the cup of blessing which we bless and the bread we break, is it not a participation in the blood/body of Christ?”
Instead of denying what Scripture plainly teaches and the true Church of God consistently passes down, we must look past appearances and submit to the everlasting truth that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
30 thoughts on “More Biblical Evidence for the Eucharist”
Stating that, “I am the door” is not the same as pointing at a door and stating, “This door is me.”
Whenever I get into a discussion on the Eucharist and it is impossible to change individuals’ minds no matter the evidence, I always fall back on John 6:60; “This is a hard saying, who can listen to it”; and John 6:66; After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer walked with Him”.
It is unfortunate that as so many walk away from the Eucharist, they are also walking away from a much closer and fuller relationship with Christ.
(Sorry to get into the discussion so late but I just now was able to finish the article, which is very good Nate. I never thought of the different forms of Christ throughout the Gospels as another way to look at the Eucharist – so thanks.)
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Excellent article Nate! And excellent follow-up/clarifications in the comments. God bless!
Thanks Mark! Much appreciated. God bless!
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Great article on the Eucharist! For those that use scripture alone, they can interpret the scripture to fit their understanding. I like to see commentary from the earliest Christians want they were taught and believe by the apostles. You can’t get better evidence than that.
True. Thanks Mary!
Nate,
Let them keep lying. It provides an opportunity for you to illuminate more truth.
Ha! You’re right, GB. Lies equal opportunities for truth.
Jesus is our Paschal Lamb. Does He look like a lamb? No. Does He taste like a lamb? No. But this does not change the fact that He is the Lamb of God, come to take away the sins of the world, as recorded in John 1: 29.
“Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the conviction about things that cannot be seen.” Hebrews 11: 1
Great article, Nate.
You hit the nail on the head. Thanks SE!
Nate, I think I’m dodging your questions. Love God and love one another. He clearly condemned the Pharisees for clinging to practices and rites. He didn’t do this because the rites were inherently evil – he condemned them because they were being misused. The Gospels – even though they were written 70 or more years after Jesus died – managed to capture the high level message of Jesus.
That’s not the whole message, Kyle, and you know it.
Also, since your comments consistently dodge the substance presented in my articles and are maliciously designed to confuse readers, I’m going to request that your comments be deleted from my future columns.
But God is everywhere, Kyle as you pointed out. What good is the message if you have ears but don’t hear?
Next, Kyle, how are we to love God? I’ll answer this one for you, since you’ll just dodge the question as usual. Jesus answers this explicitly in John 15, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
So, Kyle, how do we love God? We love God by keeping His commandments. And one of the commandments He gives us is to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Seven times He said to do this. You and Crisis are the Pharasees, because you substitute God’s word with your own, man-made traditions and doctrines. Christ founded Christianity not lord Kyle. I submit to Christ not you. You can’t even understand the plain words of Scripture.
Victor – thank you for the clarification. As a clarification to my comments on the magi, I was not calling Jesus or anyone else a liar. We don’t know who wrote the Gospels regardless of the names attached to them, and therefore we don’t know where the story of the magi came in. It is only in one of the Gospels, and stories can be changed or embellished over time without any nefarious intent. Given that the gospels were written many years after Jesus, it is very reasonable to assume that not all of the information in the Gospels is 100% accurate. We have plenty of tall tales around US figures like George Washington. We don’t know how those stories came about, but they can be developed without nefarious intent while still being inaccurate.
With God all things are possible…all things. Don’t put him in a box of impossibilities . I have no problem with it.
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Nate,
Be Charitable ” Personal attacks on writers, public figures/the subject of a story, and fellow commenters will not be tolerated. This includes doubting somebody’s faith.”
I think you need to read the guidelines for comments of this website.
It seems like there is one standard for the writers of the articles and another for commentators. Addressing the arguments without name calling please.
I was being charitable. Have a nice day.
I was certainly not that sub-commenter.
Since Kyle usually expresses the viewpoint of a majority of Catholics, and he makes substantive points and is not ad hominem, his comments cannot be considered inappropriate here.
If God is with us everywhere, why does it matter if He was also with us, walking among us, 2000 years ago?
Kyle,
1. I included mention of the assembly for context – regarding your inquiry of the significance of God’s presence in the Eucharist. It sounds like you attend Mass which is indeed encouraging.
2. The passage states that the it does matter because, although you correctly believe that God is with us, in return we need to choose Him.
3. I am NOT saying you have contempt for the Son of God (excluding your recent questioning the integrity of St Matthew, Jesus, Mary and the Holy Spirit by raising suspicion that they were likely conspiring to make up the Magi story, claiming to know better than the author of Hebrews by doubting the importance of Jesus’ High Priesthood, suggesting that you are just as righteous as Jesus himself in managing your anger issues, and implying that our just and merciful Father be held for crimes against humanity.).
4. I’m guessing your comment was deleted when sub-commenter requested that theirs be deleted, and yours got wiped-out accidentally.
Victor, without supplementary commentary I often find myself confused in how you want to apply the bible verses you select to the situation at hand. This one for example, I can’t tell if you are saying comments shouldn’t be deleted and we should be encouraging one another, or if you are saying I’m rejecting the law and have contempt for the Son of God?
Hebrews 10:25, 28-29
We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near…Anyone who rejects the law of Moses is put to death without pity on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Do you not think that a much worse punishment is due the one who has contempt for the Son of God, considers unclean the covenant-blood by which he was consecrated, and insults the spirit of grace?
In the Old Testament God also appeared “as a cloud by day” (Exodus 40:34-38).
That’s right, Richard. The reason I didn’t include this is that the Bible doesn’t tell us, at least I don’t remember the Bible telling us, how the cloud functioned. For example, did it provide rain? Or did it provide shade during those hot desert days, as a friend of mine recently asked? Conversely, when the Bible mentions the fire forms and the dove form, it gives their behaviors. For instance, the fire burns, the fire lights the way, the dove flies down. Thank you!
Yes, he said “This is my body”. But he also said “I am a vine” (John 15:1) and “I am a door” (John 10:9). Was he a vine? a door?
Catholics are asked to take something literally which Jesus only meant metaphorically. He didn’t lop off his arm and feed it to the apostles. He used both arms to hold up a piece of bread.
Whether or not Jesus appeared to us in “other forms” — something no Christian denies — this is why most Catholics don’t believe in the “Real Presence”. To convince them otherwise you will need a different argument.
Gospel of John:
I am the bread of life
I am the bread that came down from heaven
I am the bread of life
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
I am the light of the world
I am the light of the world
I am the gate for the sheep
I am the gate
I am the good shepherd.
I am the good shepherd
I am the true vine
I am the vine,
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me
I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live
They answered him, “Jesus the Nazorean.” He said to them, “I AM
Jesus answered, “I told you that I AM. So if you are looking for me, let these men go
From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am
For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins
When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM
Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM
Crisis, you’re a flat out liar! No doubt about it. Jesus did not say, ” I am A vine” or “I am A door.” He said, “I am THE true vine” and “I am THE door.” You know this and you purposely chose to change the article “the” to “a” to completely misrepresent Jesus’ words in a pathetic attempt to bolster your erroneous opinion. Enough with the lies! We’re all tired of seeing your garbage on this site. If you can’t have a conversation based on truth, then keep your mouth shut, your fingers off the keyboard, and don’t reply.
For anyone who has heard the rebuttal, “But Jesus says He is the vine and the door; therefore, he was speaking metaphorically in John 6,” understand that if someone can so capriciously apply Jesus words to a scriptural passage that has no contextual connection to another passage, they must use this same standard for the entire Bible. For example, if Jesus uses “I am the vine” metaphorically in John 15, then everything Jesus says is a metaphor and the Bible loses all is meaning. People like this are either completely ignorant and prove what St. Peter says in 2 Peter 3:16, namely, that they twist Scripture to their own destruction, or they lack all integrity.
By the way, Jesus is literally THE door through which we must enter the kingdom of God, and He is literally THE vine from which we hang, receiving His lifeblood into us.