Eucharist

The Lord's Supper: its practice and meaning.

Passages that substantially address this topic, in date order.

• Didache 10.1Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · The thanksgiving after the meal begins.
• Didache 10.2Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Thanks for God's name, knowledge, faith, and immortality.
• Didache 10.3Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Thanks for daily food and for spiritual food and eternal life.
• Didache 10.7Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Prophets may give thanks freely.
• Didache 14.1Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · On the Lord's day, gather to break bread and give thanks after confessing your sins.
• Didache 14.2Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Be reconciled before joining the gathering.
• Didache 14.3Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Malachi's prophecy of a pure sacrifice among the nations.
• Didache 9.1Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Instructions for the Eucharist begin.
• Didache 9.2Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · The thanksgiving over the cup.
• Didache 9.3Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · The thanksgiving over the bread.
• Didache 9.4Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · A prayer that the church be gathered into one, like grain into bread.
• Didache 9.5Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Only the baptized may share in the Eucharist.
• 1 Clement 44.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Deposing blameless bishops is a serious sin.
• To the Ephesians 13.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Frequent gatherings for the Eucharist defeat the powers of Satan.
• To the Ephesians 20.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · In the one Eucharistic bread, the “medicine of immortality,” the united church shares Christ's life.
• To the Ephesians 5.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Whoever stays away from the church's gathering lacks the bread of God.
• To the Philadelphians 4.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · One Eucharist, one flesh and cup of Christ, one altar, one bishop.
• To the Romans 7.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius longs for the bread of God, Christ's flesh, and the drink of his blood.
• To the Smyrnaeans 7.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · The docetists avoid the Eucharist because they deny it is Christ's flesh.
• To the Smyrnaeans 8.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · A valid Eucharist is one held under the bishop or his appointee.
• To the Smyrnaeans 8.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Where the bishop is, there the people should be, as the catholic church is where Christ is.