Why does the Eucharist seem to have more emphasis on the body than the blood?

[Servus]

Why does the Eucharist seem to have more emphasis on the body than the blood?

 

[PloverWing]

Does it? We use both bread and wine, and our liturgy mentions both. "The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.... The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation." What do you have in mind?

 

[Servus]

Does it? We use both bread and wine, and our liturgy mentions both. "The body of Christ, the bread of heaven.... The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation." What do you have in mind?

It seems to in Catholicism and perhaps Lutheranism. When Luther was debating with someone as to whether the Eucharist was literal or symbolic, Luther carved "This is my body" into the table they were sitting at.

And then there's this presentation:

I'm not challenging this really. I'm just curious as to what others think about it.

It seems in other areas like hymns and prayers there's higher emphasis on the blood.

 

[Daniel9v9]

It seems to in Catholicism and perhaps Lutheranism. When Luther was debating with someone as to whether the Eucharist was literal or symbolic, Luther carved "This is my body" into the table they were sitting at.

And then there's this presentation:

I'm not challenging this really. I'm just curious as to what others think about it.

It seems in other areas like hymns and prayers there's higher emphasis on the blood.

Yeah, it's not that body is more emphasised than the blood. Rather, Luther's point was the particle "is", so the sentence is shorthand for both body and blood.

Now, our Roman Catholic friends have made a distinction between the body and blood in that they only gave the blood to clergy. However, it's my understanding that many of their churches today welcome laity to receive the blood as well. In any case, according to the words of Christ, in His institution, we find both connected and dealing with the same thing, namely, the Gospel. So in the Scriptures, one element is not elevated above the other.

 

[bling]

Ro. 3:25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

I like you see greater emphasis in scripture on the blood, but both the body and the blood are to be remembered, I feel in two different memorial ways.

Eating symbolically Christ’s body to me emphasizes our oneness, our sharing in empathetically in Christ’s death, His dwelling inside of us, His being part of us individually and our being crucified with Christ because of what I did not do.

The drinking symbolically of Christ’s blood, helps me experience physically a washing/cleaning of my heart. I can physically feel the wine going down my throat and over my heart, which is what we need to realize being made Holy. Blood was used throughout the OT for cleansing so drinking that wine helps me feel my heart being clensed.

 

[ViaCrucis]

It seems to in Catholicism and perhaps Lutheranism. When Luther was debating with someone as to whether the Eucharist was literal or symbolic, Luther carved "This is my body" into the table they were sitting at.

And then there's this presentation:

I'm not challenging this really. I'm just curious as to what others think about it.

It seems in other areas like hymns and prayers there's higher emphasis on the blood.

Synedoche. If I said "two birds, one stone" you'd know that this is referring to "to kill two birds with one stone".

When Luther wrote Hoc est corpus meum onto the table at Marburg it wasn't focusing on the Lord's body at the expense of His blood, it was emphasizing that Jesus said the bread and wine is Himself.

When I celebrate the Lord's Supper I receive bread and wine, body and blood. It's Jesus. That's the only emphasis I get from the Sacrament, this is Christ as He promised to give Himself to us in, with, and under these meager gifts of bread and wine.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[RileyG]

Both the Body, blood, soul, and divinity are present in both species. Normally, the faithful just receive the host and not the precious blood.

 

[FireDragon76]

There isn't. Luther was just using the phrase "this is my body" to represent the entire subject.

It seems to in Catholicism and perhaps Lutheranism. When Luther was debating with someone as to whether the Eucharist was literal or symbolic, Luther carved "This is my body" into the table they were sitting at.

And then there's this presentation:

I'm not challenging this really. I'm just curious as to what others think about it.

It seems in other areas like hymns and prayers there's higher emphasis on the blood.

That practice is unique to Roman Catholicism, historically. No other churches, including Syriac, Oriental or Eastern Orthodox, practice Eucharistic adoration, believe they lack any mandate to have such a rite. It has nothing to do with the nature of the Eucharist per se.

 

[RileyG]

I wonder if there are any high Church Anglicans or high Church Lutherans that have adoration? My understanding is only the Anglo-Catholics? Someone may correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[RileyG]

There isn't. Luther was just using the phrase "this is my body" to represent the entire subject.



That practice is unique to Roman Catholicism, historically. No other churches, including Syriac, Oriental or Eastern Orthodox, practice Eucharistic adoration, believe they lack any mandate to have such a rite. It has nothing to do with the nature of the Eucharist per se.

Yes. That's my understanding the Eastern Churches do not adore the Eucharist in the same manner as well. I don't think the Western Rite Orthodoxy does either. IIRC.