The Symbolism of Bread and Wine

[Desert Snake]

In Euripides' play The Bacchae, the blind seer Tiresias says,

Young man, among human beings two things
stand out preeminent, of highest rank.
Goddess Demeter is one—she’s the earth
(though you can call her any name you wish),
and she feeds mortal people cereal grains.
The other one came later, born of Semele—
he brought with him liquor from the grape,
something to match the bread from Demeter.
He introduced it among mortal men.
When they can drink up what streams off the vine,
unhappy mortals are released from pain.
It grants them sleep, allows them to forget
their daily troubles. Apart from wine,
there is no cure for human hardship.
He, being a god, is poured out to the gods,
so human beings receive fine benefits
as gifts from him.

Tr. Ian Johnston
​

There are other examples of this kind in various ancient cultures as well. However, Roman Judea in Jesus' time was already heavily influenced by Greek culture, koine Greek being the administrative and military language, and as the lingua franca of the Eastern empire the language of regional trade. The NT was written in koine Greek.

So it appears to me that the Eucharist is an adaptation from Greek religious practice.

Certainly an amusing idea. It's abstract but it paints a picture, lol.

 

[blü 2]

Certainly an amusing idea. It's abstract but it paints a picture, lol.

Glad you liked it.

Bear in mind that Judea had been conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE, and greatly influenced by Greek culture thereafter (as words like 'synagogue' show), even when quasi-independent under the Seleucids and during the period of full independence say 110 BCE to 63 BCE. At that point the Romans took over but continued to speak Greek, no matter what Monty Python says.

Jewish (and so Christian) ideas of heaven, hell, the soul and post-mortal judgment were and are greatly influenced by Greek tradition. Mark has Jesus becoming the son of God by adoption at his baptism, in the Hebrew manner of Psalm 2:7 (God declares King David to be his son, 'this day I have begotten you'), but Matthew and Luke have Jesus becoming the son of God by insemination, which is what Greek gods did. And so on.

So it isn't fantasy to point to the pre-existence of Eucharist-like observances in Greek religious practice long before Jesus.

 

[blü 2]

But I am wondering, what does that mean to us.

No more and no less than that the books of the bible are one particular set of ancient documents, and we set out to understand ancient documents because we wish to understand the past.

And isn't the question about Jesus?

What I said about the Eucharist is not relevant to Jesus? You surprise me.

 

[Desert Snake]

What I said about the Eucharist is not relevant to Jesus? You surprise me.

A religious person might completely disregard what you said about the Eucharist. That's correct.

Anyways, good evening

 

[blü 2]

A religious person might completely disregard what you said about the Eucharist. That's correct.

Anyways, good evening

The religious people of my acquaintance are interested in that kind of thing. But if it doesn't matter to you, it doesn't matter.

Live long and prosper.

 

[1213]

Christ spoke: "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die."
John 6:50

What is the meaning of this utterance? What is the significance of bread and wine as spoken by Christ in the Gospels?

I think the meaning is this:
Bread and wine are nutrition that keeps person alive. Same way, Jesus, his words and spirit is nutrition that keeps soul alive.