More Than a Symbol: The Eucharist and Its Jewish Roots

For many Christians, the Eucharist is celebrated as a memorial meal—a moment of remembrance, sacred yet symbolic. But for Catholics, the Eucharist is not just a symbol. It is Jesus Christ, truly present—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. This claim may seem staggering, even strange, in a modern world where spiritual realities are often reduced to metaphor. Yet to understand why Catholics believe the Eucharist is more than a symbol, we need to journey back—to the Jewish roots of this sacred mystery, to the Bread of Heaven in the wilderness, and even deeper, to the Bread of the Face of God.

1. The Jewish Foundation: Sacred Meals and Real Presence

In the Jewish faith, meals were never just food. They were covenantal. Sharing a meal was an act of deep fellowship. And when it came to worship, God Himself commanded Israel to partake in holy meals that signified real encounters with the divine.

The Todah (Thanksgiving) offering, for instance, was a sacred meal offered in thanksgiving for deliverance. It prefigured the Eucharistic meal—the Greek word Eucharistia meaning “thanksgiving.” This meal was eaten with unleavened bread and wine, elements familiar to the Last Supper. But it wasn’t just symbolic. It was a way to commune with God.

Even more striking is the Bread of the Presence—in Hebrew, Lechem haPanim, which translates as “Bread of the Face.” In Exodus 25, God commands that twelve loaves of bread be placed before Him in the Tabernacle at all times, a perpetual offering. Jewish tradition held that this bread, eaten by priests each Sabbath, was a visible sign of God’s nearness—His real, abiding presence with His people.

So when Jesus, at the Last Supper, holds up bread and says, “This is my Body”, He is doing something profound. He’s not merely establishing a ritual of remembrance. He is offering Himself as the new Bread of the Presence—God’s Face made flesh.

2. Manna in the Wilderness: Bread from Heaven

In the Book of Exodus, the Israelites are sustained in the desert by manna—miraculous bread from heaven. It was God’s way of feeding His people, and it was deeply mysterious: “What is it?” they asked. It appeared with the dew, spoiled if hoarded, and ceased once they entered the Promised Land.

Jesus explicitly refers to this when He says in John 6:

“Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died… I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

He is not making a metaphor. In the original Greek, the word Jesus uses for “eat” later in this discourse becomes trogo—meaning to gnaw or chew. He doubles down on the literalness. And when many disciples walk away in disbelief, Jesus does not soften His teaching. He lets them go. If the Eucharist were only a symbol, this would be the moment to clarify.

3. The Catholic Understanding: Sacrament, not Symbol

A symbol points to something greater than itself. A sacrament, however, is that greater thing made present. The Eucharist, then, is not merely a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice. It is the sacrifice, made present again in an unbloody way. It is the New Passover—Christ, the Lamb of God, given for the life of the world.

St. Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 10:16:

“The cup of blessing that we bless—is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break—is it not a participation in the body of Christ?”

This is covenantal language. Participation, not representation.

4. Face to Face with God

In Catholic tradition, the Eucharist is called the Real Presence of Christ. In Eucharistic Adoration, Catholics gaze upon the consecrated host—literally looking upon the Face of Christ in sacramental form. Just as the Bread of the Face sat in the Holy Place in the Temple, so now Christ—the true Temple—dwells with His people in tabernacles around the world.

He is not distant. He is here. Flesh and blood. Heaven touching earth.

Conclusion: Why It Matters

If the Eucharist is merely symbolic, then Christianity is largely an act of memory. But if Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, then we are not left as orphans. We are drawn into divine intimacy every time we approach the altar. We receive not just bread and wine, but God Himself. That changes everything.

The Jewish roots of the Eucharist tell us that God has always desired to dwell with His people, not just through word or sign, but in real, tangible communion. The Catholic belief is not an invention—it’s the fulfilment of a divine pattern that began long ago.

And so, we echo the words of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: “Were not our hearts burning within us…?” as He broke the bread.

Let the Eucharist never be reduced to mere symbolism. It is the Bread of the Face of God. It is Christ, truly with us.

Posted On: Monday, June 23rd, 2025 @ 5:45 pm by Ian Tearle

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