The Eucharist as The Lamb's Supper

The Eucharist as
The Lamb's Supper

from a talk by Dr Scott Hahn,
Franciscan University of Steubenville

One of the most important ways that the Old Covenant Foreshadows the New Covenant, is in its use of the Image of the Sacrificial Lamb. Let's see how this Relates-to the Eucharist in Scripture.

First, take a look at Revelation 5. In Revelation 5, there is a Scroll with Seven (7) Seals that nobody can Break-open, and everybody is really upset. In fact John almost begins to Cry. In Revelation 5:2, "A strong Angel proclaimed with a Loud Voice, 'Who is Worthy to open the Scroll and break its Seals?' And no one in Heaven and on Earth or under the Earth was able to open the Scroll or to look into it". What is the Scroll? The word is 'Biblion'. Most likely it's a reference to a Covenant Document, the New Covenant Document that nobody is Worthy to Break-open. "And I Wept much, but no one was found Worthy to open the Scroll or to look into it", because this Scroll would Consummate and Fulfill the Promises of the Old Testament.

The Lamb of God, as depicted in the Van Eyck Altarpiece (Click to enlarge)

"Then one of the Elders said to me, 'Weep not. Lo, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, He has Conquered, so that He can open the Scroll and Seven Seals'" You could almost feel the Hallelujah Rising-up from within your Soul. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah! You turn. You look, and John turns to look, and what does he see in Revelation 5:6, "And between the Throne and the Four Living Creatures and among the Elders I saw," What? Aslan, the Lion? No! David crowned with Glory? No! You'd think so, a Lion and a King are the words used to describe it. "I turned and I saw a Lamb standing, looking as though it had been Slain".

Jesus Christ is the Son of David, and the King of the New and Heavenly Jerusalem. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and He is the Lamb of God, Slain from the Foundation of the World, as it said elsewhere in Revelation. But here in Heaven on the Throne of Glory, after His Crucifixion, His Resurrection, His Ascension, His Enthronement, He still looks like a Lamb. He still looks as though He had been Slain. Why not Clean-up the Body? Why not Wipe-away the Wounds? Why continue Resembling a Lamb? Because He's Continuing the Passover Offerings, the Sacrifice. Not by Dying, not by Bleeding and not by Suffering, but by Continuing to Offer-up Himself as the Firstborn, and as the Unblemished Lamb, as the Perpetual, Timeless, Everlasting Sacrifice of Praise to the Father.

The Priest is an Instrument of Christ, the One and Only High Priest

And what do the People do? They Rejoice, and they Break-out into a Song. And what is the Song, "Worthy art Thou to take the Scroll and to Open its Seals ,for Thou was Slain". Past Tense, "And by Thy Blood didst Ransom Men for God from every Tribe and Tongue and People and Nation". And what has He done? He's become a Priest to be sure, but for what Purpose? "He has made them a Kingdom and Priest to our God". He has made those whom He has Saved, Priests. And what do Priests do? They offer Sacrifice.

Has Christ's Sacrifice ended all Sacrifices? No!. Christ's Sacrifice has ended all Ineffective, Bloody, Animal Sacrifices that never did anything anyway. Now for the First Time in History, we can really begin to Offer Sacrifice to God. Romans 12 says, "Offer your Bodies as a Living Sacrifice, Holy and Acceptable to God. And it wouldn't be Holy and Acceptable, except that it's United to Christ's Perpetual Sacrifice. He's not Bleeding. He's not Dying. He's not Suffering, but He is Offering a Sacrifice as a Lamb does, as a Priest King does Continually, Forever.

And that's what it's all about. John wouldn't see a Lamb, looking as though it had been Slain, if the whole Kit and Caboodle was Completed and Done. Yes, it's Completed and Done, but it's still Going-on, and it's going to Go-on Forever, in the Future.

He is a Priest in Heaven, Ministering now in the Sanctuary, and He's got something to Offer, and He's Continually Offering it. He's just not Bleeding, and Dying, and Suffering any more. He's not Killing any more Animals, but He's Continually Offering the Once-and-for-All Sacrifice which is Himself; but it's a Continual Sacrifice. It's a Perpetual Offering. He's not Dying, but He's still Offering. That's exactly what the Catholic Church Teaches about the Mass.

Christ, through the Holy Spirit, makes Himself available as the Lamb of God, to be Consumed Continuously. That's the Whole Point of the Resurrection, Incidentally. The Holy Spirit Raises-up that Body and Glorifies it, so Supernaturally, that Body and Blood, which is Glorified, may be Internationally Distributed through the Elders and Priests of the Church, so that all of God's Children can be Bound-back to the Father in the New Covenant Sacrifice of Christ. He didn't Die again. He's not Bleeding and He's not Suffering. He's Reigning in Glory and Giving us His Own Glorified Flesh and Blood.