HISTORICAL WITNESSES ON THE HOLY COMMUNION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

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HISTORICAL WITNESSES ON THE HOLY COMMUNION IN
THE OLD TESTAMENT.
Theodore J. Drizis MD, PhDME, PhDHI.
Kalamata – Greece.
E – Mail: thdrizis@ath.forthnet.gr
The Holy Communion presents some witnesses in the New Testament.
Nevertheless, it presents a witness in the Old Testament, too.
The material to project this witness from the Old Testament is the
Genesis’ Book, the Psalms’ Book, the Proverbs’ Book and New
Testament’s Books.
The method of this work is the textual criticism.
Respecting the result, in the Genesis’ Book, chapter fourteen, verse
eighteen we read: “And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread
and wine; he was priest of God Most High! He blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth…””
(Genesis, 14.18). Salem is identified with Zion (Jerusalem) according
Psalm 76.2 (“His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place
in Zion”). Melchizedek is the King of Zion/Salem according the Genesis’
author (Genesis, 14.18) and the prophet – king David in a his Psalm
mentions another person who is over him calling him lord declaring:
“The Lord says to my lord” (Psalm, 110.1), predicating the Trinitarian
God and for whom lord, David says: “You are a priest forever according
to the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110, 4). Likewise, in Psalm 116.13
it is said: “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the
Lord.” In proverbs, by the God’s Wisdom it is declaring: “…Come, eat of
my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed…” (Proverbs, 9.5).
Examining and analyzing all of them, we can see at first, Melchizedek as
king, being in higher position from Abram, to give him gifts; in this case
gives bread and wine, as every Christian priest gives to Christian people,
and secondly, the one lord addresses David’s lord as priest, over being
lord, as Melchizedek being king and priest (Genesis, 14.18; Psalm 110, 4)
too, naming hence, Melchizedek priest and the David’s lord also priest
according the Melchizedek’s order and not according the Levi’s order or
any other order and more especially with oath without repentance, oath
that the lord has not done to Levi’s order or to any other’s order, saying:
“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, You are a priest
forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalms 110, 4). Added
to these, the Proverbs’ author in the nineth chapter mentions his bread
and the wine which he has mixed between them in order the man walk in
the way of insight, being this author not a man but the wisdom of the God
in direct relationship with the God by himself, prophesying and
professing the Holy Communion and keeping in our mind he is not a man
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neither the God by himself as He is known in Old Testament or an angel
but the Wisdom who He is in close relation to the God (Proverbs, 9. 1 –
6).
Additionally, in the New Testament, in which the Holy Communion is
established, we see Jesus Christ to give His Body as bread and wine to
His disciples and apostles before His passion as we read in Matthew’s
Gospel: “While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after
blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is
my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them,
saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (New
Testament, Matthew, 26.26 – 28).
Concerning the Jesus Christ’s royal and divine office and property, they
are obvious, in my opinion, by the Father – God’s witnesses and
testimonies in his baptism (Matthew, 3.16 – 17; Luke, 3.21 - 22), in his
transfiguration (Matthew, 17. 1 – 6; 2 Peter, 1. 16 - 18) and in Jerusalem
(John, 12.27 – 30); by the Angels’ witness in his birth (Luke, 2. 8 – 15)
and the Massacre of the Infants (Matthew, 2. 16 – 18); by the John
Baptist’s and Forerunner’s testify and testimony (John, 1. 14 – 28); by
Jesus Christ’s himself authority on his speech, his miracles and his
behavior to all and in all.
Moreover, there is another similarity between Salem and Jesus Christ,
being both historical persons and not mythical, as are mythical and
fictitious the ancient Greek deities.
Take all above in consideration, I am convinced that there is a similarity
between the bread’s and wine’s offers by Salem and Jesus Christ and the
Salem’s offer is an image of the Jesus Christ’s Holy Communion, which
in my opinion predicts, too.
Key – words/phrases:
Holy Communion, Old Testament.
Abstract. _ In the Old Testament there are some historical witnesses
regarding the Holy Communion. These are at first in the Genesis’ Book
(14.18) concerning the specie of the Communion and secondly in the
Psalms’ Book (110.1 - 4) respecting of the Communion’s priest. These
witnesses are recommended as prophecies for the New Testament’s Holy
Communion.
Bibliography – Source:
Holy – Bible with the Apocryphal /Deuterocanonical Books. New
Revised Standard Version. American Bible Society. Copyright 1989.
Printed in USA.
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