- Discussion:
-Apologists for the Church of Rome oftentimes claim that the words spoken by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper ("Do this in remembrance of Me") are meant to convey sacrificial overtones. It is claimed that the Greek word for remembrance, which is anamnesis, implies that the communion meal is a sacrificial memorial. This interpretation is made in accordance to a literalistic understanding of Christ's speech concerning eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Instead of adhering to the simple teaching of Scripture regarding what takes place during the communion meal, Roman Catholic officials occupy the sophisticated Aristotelian substance and accidents philosophy to account for transubstantiation. But the truth of the matter is that interpreting the Greek word anamnesis to mean a memorial sacrifice is simply not warranted. Consider the following:
"recollection, remembrance, reminiscence," 1650s, from Greek anamnesis "a calling to mind, remembrance," noun of action from stem of anamimneskein "remember, remind (someone) of (something), make mention of," from ana "back" (see ana-) + mimneskesthai "to recall, cause to remember," related to mnemnon "mindful," mneme "memory;" from PIE root *men- (1) "to think." In Platonic philosophy, "recollection of a prior life." (Online Etymology Dictionary)
"ἀνάμνησις, ἀναμνησεως, ἡ (ἀναμιμνῄσκω), a remembering, recollection: εἰς τήν ἐμήν ἀνάμνησιν to call me (affectionately) to remembrance, Luke 22:19" (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)
"a recalling, remembrance, memory." (Strong's Concordance)
"The suggested translation it is not appropriate at all. Jesus did not say, “Offer this for my memorial sacrifice.” Rather, He said: “Do this in remembrance (anamnesis) of me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24, 25). The Greek words used in the New Testament for sacrifice is thusia and thuo. The Greek word anamnesis does not mean sacrifice. According to The Old/New Testament Greek lexicon based on Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary, anamnesis simply means “a remembering, recollection.” (Dr. Joe Mizzi, Just For Catholics, "The Eucharist: Memorial or Sacrifice?")
So, it is abundantly clear that the Greek term anamnesis refers to nothing more than a holy memorial, namely of our Lord Jesus Christ making atonement for our sins. The purpose of the communion meal is to stimulate our appreciation for the reality that God showed His love toward undeserving sinners. It does not indicate a sacrifice of any sort. Any sacrificial overtones present in the context of the Lord's Supper point to the one sacrifice made at Calvary, not to the bread and wine themselves. None of the inspired authors of the New Testament describe the Lord's Supper as being a memorial sacrifice. The Catholic apologetic being dissected in this paper is actually circular because the point is assumed rather than proved. In fact, there are no reputable Bible translations, including ones Catholic, that render anamnesis as memorial sacrifice or re-present.
The notion that Christ is contained entirely in the communion elements at Mass under the same appearance is simply not biblical, nor known to the earliest patristic writers. Furthermore, the Roman Catholic Eucharistic sacrifice is made impossible by the fact that only Christ could offer Himself. His atonement was made "once for all" (Hebrews 10:10-14). Ironically, the Roman Catholic Church has given the title "Alter Christus" (another Christ) to priests. Indeed, we would do well in this situation to heed the Lord's warning:
"Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them." (Matthew 24:23-26)
"recollection, remembrance, reminiscence," 1650s, from Greek anamnesis "a calling to mind, remembrance," noun of action from stem of anamimneskein "remember, remind (someone) of (something), make mention of," from ana "back" (see ana-) + mimneskesthai "to recall, cause to remember," related to mnemnon "mindful," mneme "memory;" from PIE root *men- (1) "to think." In Platonic philosophy, "recollection of a prior life." (Online Etymology Dictionary)
"ἀνάμνησις, ἀναμνησεως, ἡ (ἀναμιμνῄσκω), a remembering, recollection: εἰς τήν ἐμήν ἀνάμνησιν to call me (affectionately) to remembrance, Luke 22:19" (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)
"a recalling, remembrance, memory." (Strong's Concordance)
"The suggested translation it is not appropriate at all. Jesus did not say, “Offer this for my memorial sacrifice.” Rather, He said: “Do this in remembrance (anamnesis) of me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24, 25). The Greek words used in the New Testament for sacrifice is thusia and thuo. The Greek word anamnesis does not mean sacrifice. According to The Old/New Testament Greek lexicon based on Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary, anamnesis simply means “a remembering, recollection.” (Dr. Joe Mizzi, Just For Catholics, "The Eucharist: Memorial or Sacrifice?")
So, it is abundantly clear that the Greek term anamnesis refers to nothing more than a holy memorial, namely of our Lord Jesus Christ making atonement for our sins. The purpose of the communion meal is to stimulate our appreciation for the reality that God showed His love toward undeserving sinners. It does not indicate a sacrifice of any sort. Any sacrificial overtones present in the context of the Lord's Supper point to the one sacrifice made at Calvary, not to the bread and wine themselves. None of the inspired authors of the New Testament describe the Lord's Supper as being a memorial sacrifice. The Catholic apologetic being dissected in this paper is actually circular because the point is assumed rather than proved. In fact, there are no reputable Bible translations, including ones Catholic, that render anamnesis as memorial sacrifice or re-present.
The notion that Christ is contained entirely in the communion elements at Mass under the same appearance is simply not biblical, nor known to the earliest patristic writers. Furthermore, the Roman Catholic Eucharistic sacrifice is made impossible by the fact that only Christ could offer Himself. His atonement was made "once for all" (Hebrews 10:10-14). Ironically, the Roman Catholic Church has given the title "Alter Christus" (another Christ) to priests. Indeed, we would do well in this situation to heed the Lord's warning:
"Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them." (Matthew 24:23-26)
