The Eucharist is pervasive in Scripture. From the beginning of Genesis through to the end of Revelation, the story of God’s love for us is the story of the Eucharist. It is central to God’s relationship.

For many, the author included, it can be easy to take for granted the magnificent gift of the Eucharist. Our senses experience bread and wine. Despite knowing the Blessed Sacrament is truly the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus, we can begin to treat this Sacrament of Love as if there is nothing beyond the appearance.

The reality is that the Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Jesus. Sacred Scripture can help with this. There are so many prophesies and signs pointing to the Eucharist, it is amazing and astounding to contemplate.

Several pages of Scripture references are provided below. Ultimately, every page of the Bible is Eucharistic, since the Eucharist is the loving gift God makes to us of Himself. He does this so we can unite in intimate union with Him. The Bible tells this story of God’s loving relationship and union with us.

Contemplate these Scripture passages and deepen your love of Jesus’ ultimate gift of love, the Most Holy Eucharist.

The Eucharist in the Old Testament

The Eucharist in Genesis

Genesis provides a number of images for the Eucharist. We see a prototype with the Tree of Life and the model for the Eucharistic Sacrifice in the first priestly sacrifice recorded.

  • Genesis 2:7-9 – Tree of Life
  • Genesis 3:22-24 – Loss of the Tree of Life
  • Genesis 14:18-20 – Melchizedek
  • Psalm 110 – Melchizedek
  • Genesis 22:1-8 – Abraham and Isaac
  • Genesis 49:8-12 – Jacob’s prophesy of Judah

The Eucharist in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Joshua

Central to the Eucharistic story is the Passover, the Manna and the Law. God sets His people apart and delivers them from slavery in order to prepare them for His Son, and for the gift of His Son in the Eucharist.

  • Exodus 4:1-9 – Three signs
  • Exodus 7:14-21 –First Plague
  • Exodus 12:1-11 – Sacrifice of the Passover Lamb
  • Exodus 12:11-14 – Marked by the Blood
  • Exodus 12:15-17 – Feast of Unleavened Bread
  • Exodus 16:2-8 – Manna in the desert
  • Joshua 5:10-15 – End of the Manna
  • Exodus 24:1-11 – Sprinkling of the Blood
  • Exodus 25:1,8-9,23-30 – The Bread of the Presence
  • Deuteronomy 6:4-12 – The Promised Land
  • Leviticus 17:10-11 – Prohibition Against Drinking Blood

The Eucharist in Psalms, Proverbs, and the Prophets

The promise of the Eucharist runs throughout the Old Testament. Over and over, we see prophecies for this unimaginable gift of God.

  • Psalm 22:2-8,15-27
  • Proverbs 9:1-5
  • 1 Kings 19:5-8
  • 2 Kings 4:38, 42-44
  • Isaiah 25:6-9
  • Isaiah 55:1-3
  • Joel 4:16-18
  • Ezekiel 3:1-4
  • Zechariah 9:15-17
  • Malachi 1:11

The Eucharist in the New Testament

Eucharistic Signs and Teachings In the Gospels

Jesus prepared the Apostles for the gift of the Eucharist through His teachings and the signs He worked.

  • Wedding at Cana
    • John 2:1-10
  • The Lord’s Prayer
    • Matthew 6:9-13
  • Feeding the 5,000
    • Matthew 14:15-21
    • Mark 6:32-44
    • Luke 9:11-17
    • John 6:1-13
  • Feeding the 4,000
    • Matthew 15:32-39
    • Mark 8:1-9
  • Bread of Life Discourse
    • John 6:25-69

Fulfillment of the Eucharistic Signs

The Gospels and Acts record the fulfillment of God’s plan – Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself in a pure offering for us that we partake in when we receive the Eucharist.

  • Luke 2:4-7 – Incarnation
  • John 1:26-29 – Behold the Lamb of God
  • Matthew 26:17-20 – Jesus celebrates the Passover
  • 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 – Institution Narrative
  • Matthew 26:26-29 – Institution Narrative
  • Mark 14:17-25 – Institution Narrative
  • Luke 22:15-20 – Institution Narrative
  • John 19:18-35 – Crucifixion
  • Luke 24:15-16, 25-35 – Journey to Emmaus
  • Matthew 28:18-20 – I am with you always
  • Acts 2:38-42 – They devoted themselves to the breaking of the bread
  • Acts 20:6-12 – Mass in Troas

The Eucharist in the Letters of the New Testament

The Eucharist is the gift of the infinite Son of God. It is beyond our comprehension. Fortunately, we can glimpse aspects of the truth of this gift in the letters of the New Testament.

  • 1 Cor 9:13-14 – Live by the Gospel
  • 1 Cor 10:16-17 – Cup of Blessing
  • 1 Cor 11:27-29 – Receiving unworthily
  • Rom 12:1,4-6 – Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice
  • 1 John 1:5-7 – The Blood cleanses
  • Hebrews 9:13-14 – Unblemished sacrifice
  • Hebrews 9:19-26 – Moses sprinkled blood
  • Hebrews 10:19-22 – The veil of His flesh

The Eucharist in the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation is a description of the Mass, starting with the Liturgy of the Word and concluding with the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

  • Revelation 1:10-13,20 – The Lord’s Day
  • Revelation 2:17 – Hidden Manna
  • Rev 7:9-15 – Washed in the Blood of the Lamb
  • Revelation 19:5-9 – Wedding Feast of the Lamb
  • Revelation 21:1-3 – New Jerusalem

The Last Supper, Giorgio Vasari II (Italian, 1511-1574), Walters Museum

Images:

Unknown, Bishop Engilmar Celebrating Mass, about 1030 – 1040, Tempera colors, gold leaf, and ink on parchment, Leaf: 23.2 x 16 cm (9 1/8 x 6 5/16 in.), The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Giorgio Vasari II (Italian, 1511-1574) (Artist), The Last Supper, ca. 1545 (Renaissance), Florence, Italy (Place of Origin), Painted surface H: 12 11/16 x W: 31 9/16 x D excluding cradle: 3/8 in. (32.2 x 80.2 x 1 cm), Walters Museum