Historiozbawcza interpretacja tekstów eucharystycznych

Abstract

The hitherto existing exegesis of the Eucharist establishing texts (1 Cor. 11, 23-25; Mark 12, 22-24; Math. 26, 26-28; Luk. 22, 15-20) in a special way stressed their sacrificial sense. On the other hand, the historiosalving significance of Jesus’ gesture and words was less stressed. A look at these texts in the light of the history of salvation and of the Old Testament opens new theological perspectives. 1. The Eucharist establishing texts have a distinct paschal colour (Luk. 22, 7). Jesus consciously joined the establishing of the Eucharist and the paschal feast. Owing to this the Eucharist is a „new Pascha”, actualizing in itself the important aspects of the Jewish Pascha raised to the level of the final salvation. At first it is a „reminiscence” of the salving event which took place by means of the death and Resurrection of Jesus; then it is an actualization of the salving event; then it is an anticipation of the perfect unification with Christ and and the final salvation; and finally, it is a sacrifice, since Christ is a Paschal lamb. 2. In the Eucharist establishing texts there is an explicit reference to the Sinai Covenant (Ex. 24, 6). Referring to the Covenant Jesus taught, that he establishes a new economy in the place of the one, whose intermediary was Moses. Moses ordered tu put twelve stone pylons which symbolized twelve Israeli generations. In the new covenant Christ gives his own blood to the twelve apostles who constituted the origin of the New Israel. 3. In the Eucharistic formulas Jesus also referred to the Song of Jehovah’s Servant (Is. 52, 13-53, 12). Even the same terms are found there. By this reference he stresses the expiatory character of his death. In the conclusion the author says that Jezus’ words and gestures have an institutional – they form a new community – as well as expiatory and salving character (Jehovah’s Servant). In this way Jesus joined two things together: establishing the New God’s People and the salvation – or an institutional element and a salving event.