1. Lecture 6: Sacrifice Offered by Priests
Dr. Ann T. Orlando
3 March 2017

2. Outline Key words John Chrysostom Augustine on signs and sacraments
Mystery
Eucharist
Liturgy
Sacrifice
Sacrament
John Chrysostom
Augustine on signs and sacraments
Assignments

3. Mysterion (Mystery) Mystery cults Mysterion in Greek philosophy
Group assemblies dedicated to worship of a god
Usually requires initiation rite
Personal destiny dependent on proper relation to god
Hidden or secret writings
Examples: Dionysius, Isis and Osiris, Mithras, Gnostics
Mysterion in Greek philosophy
In Plato, special teachings which elevate the soul toward union with the good and beautiful
In neo-Platonism, philosophy leads through stages of mysterion to union with the One
In LXX only found in later (Hellenistic) writings
See Wis. 14 for a description (and condemnation) of mystery cults, 14:15 and 14:23

4. Mysterion in Early Christianity
In Paul
The Christ is the mysterion of God. See 1 Cor 1:23; Col 2:2
The kerygma announces and reveals that mysterion see Eph 3:7-13
In late 2nd C, Justin Martyr and Tertullian compare pagan mysterion activities with the true teaching and sacraments (so Tertullian) of the Church
By 4th C Greek-speaking Church is referring to the Eucharist as the mysterion as well as the central statement of faith: passion, suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ
See for instance Gregory Nazianzus, On Flight

5. eucharistia Greek LXX New Testament In early Church
Prayer of thanksgiving to a god
Thanksgiving as opening to a letter
LXX
Prayer of thanksgiving, especially in recognition that good things come from God, not ourselves
In Psalms, also Wis 16:28
New Testament
General prayer of thanksgiving Jn 11:41, Acts 28:15, Rev. 11:17
Prayer before a meal Mk 8:6, Mt 15:36, Jn 6:11, 23; Acts 27:35
Paul
Thanksgiving to God for community of Christians as part of preface to letters
Prayer of Thanksgiving offered through Jesus Christ, Rom 1:8; thanks to Creator Rom, 1:21
Manner of thanksgiving in the assembly, 1 Cor 14
In early Church
As a thanksgiving in preface to letters
See for example, Ignatius of Antioch
Prayer of thanksgiving during the Lord’s Supper
Ignatius of Antioch, Didache, Justin Martyr

6. Leitourgia Greek LXX, numerous references New Testament
Literally work of or for the people
Becomes associated with a service undertaken for public good
In mystery cults, offerings to the gods on behalf of the public good (service)
LXX, numerous references
Ex how Aaron and the Levites are to serve God on behalf of the people
Always used of the service of priests in the sanctuary
New Testament
Luke and Paul
Especially in Hebrews, of Christ in His sacrificial death
In early Church
Service offered by Christian community to God
I Clement; Shepherd of Hermas

7. Latin: Sacramentum
Fundamental meaning is ‘initiation’ that has some sacred component (oath)
Beginning of a legal proceeding
Inducted into the army
Early (Old) Latin translations used sacramentum for mysteriov
It seems that 2nd C Latin speaking Christians did not want to confuse Christian rites with pagan mystery cults.
See Tertullian Prescription Against Heretics, .

8. Latin Mass
Sometime in late 3rd, early 4th C some Christians in Western Roman Empire celebrate liturgy in Latin.
Pope Damasus (late 4th C) encouraged Latin usage in the West
Word ‘Mass’ (Missa)
Used in 3rd C as dismissal, first of catechumens, then of faithful
Used by Sts. Ambrose and Augustine in this context, specifically for dismissal at end of liturgy
Eventually (6th C??) becomes Latin for entire Eucharistic celebration
NB Ambrose and Augustine refer to the Eucharistic celebration as The Sacrifice
Early Liturgies

9. Ambrose, On Sacraments
Both On Mysteries and On Sacraments were catechetical instructions from Ambrose
Genre of Catechetical instruction
Given by a bishop
Usually not a sermon, but at a gathering of adults preparing for Baptism, or immediately afterwards
Given during Lent and Easter seasons
Often bound together and repeated each year
On Mysteries given during Lent
On Sacraments given in Easter season

10. Augustine on Mystery and Sacraments
Augustine tends to use mysterion as Paul did for doctrinal statements
Sacramentum refers to ritual (graceful) actions
In Letter 54 he talks about the uncountable number of sacraments in the Old Testament;
By contrast he suggests that the number in the New Testament is very few
The most important sacramentum is the Incarnation; Sermon

11. Augustine on Signs (signa)
Augustine’s theory of signs developed most fully in De Doctrina Christiana
In DDC he applies his theory of signs Scripture (Book II)
All language is a sign of some reality (res)
Two types of signs in language
Signa propria: proper signs as ‘ox’
Signa translata: metaphorical signs, as ‘ox’ to mean a minister yoked to Gospel

12. Sacrament in DDC, Book III.9.13
Signs can also be non-verbal; that is signs can be objects as signa translata:
“But the Lord himself and the discipline of the apostles has handed down to us a few signs…and these so easy to perform, and so awesome to understand, and so pure and chaste to celebrate, such as the sacrament of baptism and the celebration of the Lord’s body and blood. When people receive these…they can recognize to what sublime realities they refer.”

13. Augustine and The Sacrament of the Altar
Sermon 227 is a concentrated statement form Augustine on the Eucharist
Preached on Easter Sunday, especially directed to the recently baptized.
Note especially the fluid use of signs with respect to the sacrament of the altar

14. Augustine’s Homilies on John’s Gospel
Collection of 124 sermons, often referred to as the Tractates on John’s Gospel
Preached by Augustine between
Collected by Possidius
Together they form the first commentary on Latin on John’s Gospel
Homily 26 and 27 were preached in August on successive days
Note importance of receiving worthily

15. Assignments John Chrysostom, Homily 2 on Second Timothy
John Chrysostom, Homily XVII.6-10 on Hebrews 9:24-26
Ambrose, On Sacraments IV, mbp#page/n329/mode/2up
Ambrose, Commentary on Psalm 38
Augustine, Sermon 227
____ Homilies on John’s Gospel, 26 and 27
____ “Letter to Januarius” Letters 54, 55
Prepare Paper #6