Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that the institution of this sacrament was not appropriate, because as the Philosopher says (De Gener. ii): "We are nourished by the things from whence we spring." But by Baptism, which is spiritual regeneration, we receive our spiritual being, as Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. ii). Therefore we are also nourished by Baptism. Consequently there was no need to institute this sacrament as spiritual nourishment.

Objection 2: Further, men are united with Christ through this sacrament as the members with the head. But Christ is the Head of all men, even of those who have existed from the beginning of the world, as stated above (Question 8, Articles 3,6). Therefore the institution of this sacrament should not have been postponed till the Lord's supper.

Objection 3: Further, this sacrament is called the memorial of our Lord's Passion, according to Mt. 26 (Lk. 22:19): "Do this for a commemoration of Me." But a commemoration is of things past. Therefore, this sacrament should not have been instituted before Christ's Passion.

Objection 4: Further, a man is prepared by Baptism for the Eucharist, which ought to be given only to the baptized. But Baptism was instituted by Christ after His Passion and Resurrection, as is evident from Mt. 28:19. Therefore, this sacrament was not suitably instituted before Christ's Passion.

On the contrary, This sacrament was instituted by Christ, of Whom it is said (Mk. 7:37) that "He did all things well."

I answer that, This sacrament was appropriately instituted at the supper, when Christ conversed with His disciples for the last time. First of all, because of what is contained in the sacrament: for Christ is Himself contained in the Eucharist sacramentally. Consequently, when Christ was going to leave His disciples in His proper species, He left Himself with them under the sacramental species; as the Emperor's image is set up to be reverenced in his absence. Hence Eusebius says: "Since He was going to withdraw His assumed body from their eyes, and bear it away to the stars, it was needful that on the day of the supper He should consecrate the sacrament of His body and blood for our sakes, in order that what was once offered up for our ransom should be fittingly worshiped in a mystery."

Secondly, because without faith in the Passion there could never be any salvation, according to Rm. 3:25: "Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in His blood." It was necessary accordingly that there should be at all times among men something to show forth our Lord's Passion; the chief sacrament of which in the old Law was the Paschal Lamb. Hence the Apostle says (1 Cor. 5:7): "Christ our Pasch is sacrificed." But its successor under the New Testament is the sacrament of the Eucharist, which is a remembrance of the Passion now past, just as the other was figurative of the Passion to come. And so it was fitting that when the hour of the Passion was come, Christ should institute a new Sacrament after celebrating the old, as Pope Leo I says (Serm. lviii).

Thirdly, because last words, chiefly such as are spoken by departing friends, are committed most deeply to memory; since then especially affection for friends is more enkindled, and the things which affect us most are impressed the deepest in the soul. Consequently, since, as Pope Alexander I says, "among sacrifices there can be none greater than the body and blood of Christ, nor any more powerful oblation"; our Lord instituted this sacrament at His last parting with His disciples, in order that it might be held in the greater veneration. And this is what Augustine says (Respons. ad Januar. i): "In order to commend more earnestly the death of this mystery, our Saviour willed this last act to be fixed in the hearts and memories of the disciples whom He was about to quit for the Passion."

Reply to Objection 1: We are nourished from the same things of which we are made, but they do not come to us in the same way; for those out of which we are made come to us through generation, while the same, as nourishing us, come to us through being eaten. Hence, as we are new-born in Christ through Baptism, so through the Eucharist we eat Christ.

Reply to Objection 2: The Eucharist is the perfect sacrament of our Lord's Passion, as containing Christ crucified; consequently it could not be instituted before the Incarnation; but then there was room for only such sacraments as were prefigurative of the Lord's Passion.

Reply to Objection 3: This sacrament was instituted during the supper, so as in the future to be a memorial of our Lord's Passion as accomplished. Hence He said expressively: "As often as ye shall do these things" , speaking of the future.

Reply to Objection 4: The institution responds to the order of intention. But the sacrament of the Eucharist, although after Baptism in the receiving, is yet previous to it in intention; and therefore it behooved to be instituted first. or else it can be said that Baptism was already instituted in Christ's Baptism; hence some were already baptized with Christ's Baptism, as we read in Jn. 3:22.

Articulus 5

Argumentum 1

Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non fuerit conveniens institutio istius sacramenti.

Ut enim philosophus dicit, in II de generat., ex eisdem nutrimur ex quibus sumus.

Sed per baptismum, qui est spiritualis regeneratio, accipimus esse spirituale, ut dionysius dicit, II cap. Eccles. Hier..

Ergo per baptismum etiam nutrimur. Non ergo fuit necessarium instituere hoc sacramentum quasi spirituale nutrimentum.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, per hoc sacramentum homines christo uniuntur sicut membra capiti. Sed christus est caput omnium hominum, etiam qui fuerunt ab initio mundi, ut supra dictum est.

Ergo non debuit institutio huius sacramenti differri usque ad cenam domini.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, hoc sacramentum dicitur esse memoriale dominicae passionis, secundum illud Matth. XXVI, hoc facite in meam commemorationem.

Sed memoria est praeteritorum. Ergo hoc sacramentum non debuit institui ante christi passionem.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, per baptismum aliquis ordinatur ad eucharistiam, quae non nisi baptizatis dari debet. Sed baptismus institutus fuit post christi passionem et resurrectionem, ut patet Matth. Ult..

Ergo inconvenienter hoc sacramentum fuit ante passionem christi institutum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod hoc sacramentum institutum est a christo, de quo dicitur Marc. VII, bene omnia fecit.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod convenienter hoc sacramentum institutum fuit in cena, in qua scilicet christus ultimo cum discipulis suis fuit conversatus. Primo quidem, ratione continentiae huius sacramenti. Continetur enim ipse christus in eucharistia sicut in sacramento. Et ideo, quando ipse christus in propria specie a discipulis discessurus erat, in sacramentali specie seipsum eis reliquit, sicut in absentia imperatoris exhibetur veneranda eius imago.

Unde eusebius dicit, quia corpus assumptum ablaturus erat ab oculis et illaturus sideribus, necesse erat ut die cenae sacramentum corporis et sanguinis sui consecraret nobis, ut coleretur iugiter per mysterium quod semel offerebatur in pretium.

Secundo, quia sine fide passionis christi nunquam potuit esse salus, secundum illud Rom. III, quem proposuit deus propitiatorem per fidem in sanguine ipsius.

Et ideo oportuit omni tempore apud homines esse aliquod repraesentativum dominicae passionis. Cuius in veteri quidem testamento praecipuum sacramentum erat agnus paschalis, unde et apostolus dicit, I Cor. V, Pascha nostrum immolatus est christus.

Successit autem ei in novo testamento eucharistiae sacramentum, quod est rememorativum praeteritae passionis, sicut et illud fuit praefigurativum futurae. Et ideo conveniens fuit, imminente passione, celebrato priori sacramento, novum sacramentum instituere, ut leo Papa dicit.

Tertio, quia ea quae ultimo dicuntur, maxime ab amicis recedentibus, magis memoriae commendantur, praesertim quia tunc magis inflammatur affectus ad amicos, ea vero ad quae magis afficimur, profundius animo imprimuntur.

Quia igitur, ut beatus Alexander Papa dicit, nihil in sacrificiis maius esse potest quam corpus et sanguis christi, nec ulla oblatio hac potior est, ideo, ut in maiori veneratione haberetur, dominus in ultimo discessu suo a discipulis hoc sacramentum instituit.

Et hoc est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro responsionum ad Ianuarium, salvator, quo vehementius commendaret mysterii illius altitudinem, ultimum hoc voluit infigere cordibus et memoriae discipulorum, a quibus ad passionem discessurus erat.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod ex eisdem nutrimur ex quibus sumus, non tamen eodem modo nobis advenientibus. Nam ea ex quibus sumus, nobis adveniunt per generationem, eadem autem, inquantum ex eis nutrimur, nobis adveniunt per manducationem. Unde et, sicut per baptismum regeneramur in christo, ita per eucharistiam manducamus christum.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod eucharistia est sacramentum perfectum dominicae passionis, tanquam continens ipsum christum passum. Et ideo non potuit institui ante incarnationem, sed tunc habebant locum sacramenta quae erant tantum praefigurativa dominicae passionis.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod sacramentum illud fuit institutum in cena ut in futurum esset memoriale dominicae passionis, ea perfecta.

Unde signanter dicit, haec quotiescumque feceritis, de futuro loquens.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod institutio respondet ordini intentionis. Sacramentum autem eucharistiae, quamvis sit posterius baptismo in perceptione, est tamen prius in intentione.

Et ideo debuit prius institui. Vel potest dici quod baptismus iam erat institutus in ipso christi baptismo. Unde et iam aliqui ipso christi baptismo erant baptizati, ut legitur Ioan. III.