STUDIA PATRISTICAVoL. XL

Papers presented at the Fourteenth Intemational Conferenceon patristic studies held

in Oxford 2003

Liturgia et CultusTheologica et Philosophica

Critica et Philologicalvachleben

First Two Centuries

Edited by

F. YOUNG, M. EDWARDS and P. PARVIS

PEETERsLEUVEN - PARIS - DUDLEY, MA

2a06

Apologetic Harmony as a Source of Liturgy:The Eucharistic Institution Words in Justin Martyr's

1 Apology 66.3-4

Leszek MIsrłnczyr, Warsaw

The Eucharistic institution words quoted in Justin Martyr's l Apology 66,3-4 are worth our attention for two reasons. Firstly, they let us follow the trans-mission in patristic texts - so important from a liturgical point of view - ofJesus' words used during the celebration of the Eucharist by Christans of the

second century. Let us recall that the texts mentioned are Matt ż6:ż6-30,Mark!4:żż-ż6, Lukę żż:1,4-20, and 1 Cor II:.ż3-ż6. Secondly, however, as weknow, Justin did not quote the Synoptic Gospels, but used a so-called harmonyof Matthew and Luke. In our case as well, he did not quote the words of insti-tution of the Eucharist from any known canonical version of the Gospels, butrather used the harmony. So the question would now be the following:was the

Church liturgy the source of the harmonized version of the words of institu-tion, or was a harmonisation done for purely apologetic reasons later used inthe liturgy of the ancient Church.

l,. Manuscript Tradition and Quotation of the Synoptic Gospels in theWorks of the Apostolic Fathers

The first field to be investigated in our case is, of course, the manuscript tra-dition. However, examining Gospel texts from the second and third century,we are offered only a few papyri (P52,P4,P64,P67, P75); unfortunately,none of these contains the pericope about the institution of the Eucharistl. Sothe only source for the transmission of our fragments are patństic texts fromthe first and second century.

H. Koester, analysing the Gospel quotations in the works of the ApostolicFathers, works concluded that there could not be found any exact quotation

from our present canonical Gospels; instead, there could only be found quota-

tions from orally transmited fragments and a harmonisation, done very early,of Matthew and Luke2. But once again we should underline that although

1 See R. Stanton, Parole d'Evanglle (Paris, 1997),pp.24-34.2 H. Koester, Synoptische lberlieferung bei den Apostolischen Vd,tern, TU 65 (Berlin, 1957),

p. 70-105; idem, .The Text of the Synoptic Gospels in the Second Cenfury,, in w.L. Petersen

56 L. MIsrłnczyx

some texts, Ike Didąche 9.5 and I4.I or the Letters of Ignatius (Phil. 4.I;Smyr. 6.2,8.1-2) confirm that the Eucharist was celebrated in the second cen-tury, they do not contain the eucharistic institution words.

Justin was the first christian author to cite the words, in his 1 Apology 66.3-4. As the analysis of these quotations is connected with a wide range of otherGospel quotations in Justin's work, I will first present synthetic conclusionsfrom the research on this subjcet.

2. Quotations from Synoptic Gospels in the Works of Justin

Because of their large number, the Gospel quotations in Justin's works gaverise to a great deal of scholarly interest, which often led to contradictory con-clusions. The researches even of the nineteenth century took as their startingpoint a very risky methodology, in that they tried to explain the discrepancybetween the Gospel quotations in Justin's works and the canonical Gospels. Indoing so they presumed that Justin cited canonical Gospels3.

A new stage in research on Gospel quotations in patristic works was intro-duced by Dibelius' and Bultman's application of Formgeschichte method toGospel research. They made the convincing assumption that there had beendifferent rules guiding the transmission of Logia resu and narrative sections ofthe Gospels. Logia lesu were treated more solemnly, with much more respect,and more attention was paid to quote them faithfully than narrative parts4.Research on so-called Q source and catechisms based on Logia "Iesł seems toprove this assumptions. Consequently, it was undoubtedly a mistake to treat, inprevious researches, both Logia Jesu and narrative sections as the same type oftexts. A. Bellinzoni was the first to examine only the quotations ftom LogiaJesu he concluded that Justin cited a systematic harmonisation of fragmentsfrom the present canonical Gospels of Matthew and Luke. According to him,Justin could not have possessed the full harmony but may have used somekind of catechism prepared for the purpose of evangelisation. This catechismmight have been created in his Roman school, for which the partial harmonyof the Gospels of Matthew and Luke might have beęn made6. The quotations

(ed.), Gospel Traditions in the Second Century (Notre Dame, 1990), pp. 19-38, here pp. ż6-1 ,The traces of similar harmonisation can be found, according to him, in Justin's works also.

3 See the history of resaerches in A.J. Bellinzoni, The Sayings of Jesus in the Writings ofJustin Martyr, NT.S 17 (Leiden, 1961), pp.2 ff .

a It was suggested to me during Patristic Conference at Oxford that Justin would have quotedLogia Jesu more faithfully than narrative sections not because of more respect for them, butbecause he used them in his theological argumentation. We can, of course, discuss what causedthis, but the fact is that Justin quoted Logia Jesu more faithfully.

5 We also know other catechisms from the later sources - see A. Seeberg, Der Katechismusder Urchristenheit, (Leipzig, 1903); P. Carrington, The Primitive Christiąn Catechism (Carn-bridge, 1940).

6 Bellinzoni, Sayings.

The Eucharistic Institution Words in Justin Martyr's l Apology 66.3-4 57

of Sayings of Jesus not found in canonical Gospels may have come from litur-gical texts or other catechisms7. On contrary, according to Koester, the wayJustin moved from quoting one part of Logia Jesu to another suggests that heneither created his own catechism nor harmonised the Gospels of Matthew andLuke for this purpose, but rather used an existing harmony of Sayings of Jesusfrom these Gospels. The author of the harmonisation, according to Koester,was Justin himself or somone from his school, and the purpose was not cate-chetical, but apologetical, The aim was to compile one Gospel and in this waydeprive pagans and heretics of arguments against Christians which were sup-ported by the numerous appafent inconsistencies between existing Gospels8.Koester also analysed somę Gospel narrative sections cited by Justin and con-cluded that the apologist had not quoted syroptic narrative sections systemati-cally, but had only used them for interpretation of the Old Testament. Justincited Gospel narrative sections exactly when they introduced quotations fromthe Old Testamentg. The vast majority of quotations from Gospel narrativesections in Justin's works still need to be studied and will certainly provide uswith many interesting conclusions. As neither Koester nor Bellinzoni analysedthe harmonisation of Gospel texts about the institution of the Eucharist in 1

Apol, 66.3-4, let us try to chart them briefly, bearing in mind that we herecombine both Logia Jesu and narrative sections. The accompanying tablejuxtaposes Justin's text with that of the Gospels and 1 Corinthians.

oi ydp dnóoto-}"or ćv roiq1evopćvorg ón'oóróv rinopvą-poveótrlcrorv iiro}"eiTureócrllć},ro,oóttog ropó6ro-rov ćvtstó}"0trruótoiq.

ż2.14 Kai &ećyćve,lo fi ópo,dvćnaoev roioi dłóoto},oroiv aótQ. 22.15.;K01 tlfigv,Tpoquótoóg,'Enr-0upig ćneOó-

;lrlou toito tonóo1o <payaivpe0'ópóv npotoi pa ncr0eiv,żż.16 l,ćyal yapópriv órt oó p4rpóyco oóro ćolq

ótou nłąpo0iićv tfr Boor},aigtoi Oeoi. 22.17

11.23 'E^yó ydpnupć}"oPov dnoroó xupiou, órai nopć6olraipiv, ótr óróptog 'Ir1ooóg

.itv Tll VUKTl nnopa6i6aro

7 Bellinzoni, Sa1,1n3s, p. l38.8 Koester, 'Text of the Synoptic Gospels', pp. 28-33.9 Koester, 'Septuaginta und Synoptischer Erzżihlungsstoff im Schriftbeweis Justins des Miir-

tyrers' (Habilitationsschrift, Heidelberg, 1956).

Mt26:26-30 Lkż2:14-20 lvk14:22-26 I Cor |l:23-26

58 L. Mtsretczyr

rui 6eĘópevognotlptovaixoprot11oogeilrev, AóBeratoiro roi6toprepiocrre eiqśuuroóq, 22,1 8

},ćyco ytrp ópiv,[ón} oó prr1 nirrldno toi vivdno Toi

irev1_purog tilqopnt/,ou t(Dg oL)

i1 Brrotieia toiOeoi ó},01.

26.26'EoOtóv-trov 6d uótóv

14.22 ćo0tóv-T(Dv 0l]TtDv

róv'Iqooiv}"uBóvto

}"oBóv ó'Iqoo0g

22.19 ruiioBóv

),rrBrbl, ć},uBev

ciptov 0pToV (rproY opToV (rploV

eólaproT11-ocl,VT0

rai ai},oyr1oogćr},uosv rcOi

6oiq toiqpuOrltuig

€UXt ploTĘooqtK^oo€V Kctt

eo(DKtv 0lJTolc

ailio71ougśr)"rroev ruiś6orev rrótoig

l1.24 rcrri

eóloprot11ooqćx7,uoav

tllTtlV it17IeV, },ć7rov

.iK(rl tlfttv, .i

KOt a17[t\,,

Toito noteireeig ttlv dvopLvr1-

oiv pou

to0t' ćort tooópó pou.

AóBsts rpóyers,Toitó óorrv tóoópó pou.

Toitó śottv tóoópó potl

AóBete, toitóćotrv tó oóprupoU.

Toitó trroóśorrv tó oópo

to óndp ipóv3r6ópevov

To óndp ipóv,

toito lroreitaeig tlv śprlvrivópvąorr,,

ToUTo 7Iotttttttq TnV tFr]\,oVOpVĘolV.

roi tó norr1-prov ópoicog)"uBóvta ruie ólrrpro.11-ooVT(I

26.27 rai),uBóv rrotr1-prov roi eólu-ptorr,louq ć6co-

rsv oótoig

22.20 rui ronotrlprovóorióttog petdtó 6srnvfroar,

14.23 rui ),oPóvno,rlpLov eóla-prot1ooq ś6ol-rcev uóToiq, rcoiśłrov ćĘ uótoindvtec,.

1 1.25 óooótogxrri Tó not4-prov psta td6e tnl,frout

The Eucharistic Institution Words in Justin Martyr's l Apology 66.3^4 59

€1IcttV fućycov, },śycov, 14.24 rai tintv(rDTolq,

Lślr,lv,

Iliere ćĘ rrótoinawtg,

Toiró ćotL tó0tptr poD.

26.28 toito yópćottv tó cripapou tfrq 6ro-0rlrcrlq tó ne pino}"},óv ćrluv-vópavov aigd<peorv ópup-ttóv.

Toito ró notr1-prov fi rcurvr1

6trr0rlrr1 óv tQcrlpcti pou tóindp ópóvćrcluvvópavov.

Toóró ćortv tóoipó pou tfrg6ro01r<rlg roćxluvvópevovónip noi}"óv.

Toito ró no,11-prov f1 rurvr16trrOąr11

ćoriv ćv tQśpó rriputt,

26.29 )"ćyol 6ćipiv, oó prt1 niolćrn' dprt śrroótou toiyavrlputog rfrgdpnć},ou ścoq

tilg flpćpogćraivrlq ótovrróró nivro peO'ótrróv rorvdv ćvtfr Baotieigtoi nrrtpóqpoU.

1,1.25 dptlv),"ćyol ópir, ótroircćrr oi prr1

niol ćrc toi1evrlputog tfrgdpLnś}"ou ćcog

t]lq ńpópusćxeivlg órovcritó nivrorutvóv ćv tfr

Buor),,sig toi0soi.

26.30 KuiópvrloavteqćĘfr}"Oov eig to"Opog tóv'E},oróv.

14,26 Kaiipv11oovtagśĘi1)"Oov eiq tó"Opog tóv'E7"utóv.

toito noreita,óoórtg śrrv

nivqte. eig ttlvóptlv dvópvq-orv. 11.26 óoó-rrg 1trp ćovćo0i4ts róvóptov toitovroi ro nott1-ptov nivlte,rov Oóvrrtovtoi rupiouratuyyć)r^l,t tr,., : -.,.(Ixptg oU e^Un.

rui póvorgoótoigpata6oivut.

60 L. Mtsnnczyr

In the table we can see clearly that Justin in quoting the description of insti-tution of the Eucharist (both narrative and Logia Jesu) harmonises theMatthew-Mark tradition with Luke-Paul's. Let us focus now on some details.At the beginning of his text Justin, like st paul, emphasises that what hequotes is taken from the apostolic tradition and identifies Apomnemoneumatąwith 'Gospels'. So we can see here some connection with (or even an influ-ence of) paul's tradition because Justin uses the term nopć6rorov similarly tothe way Paul in 1 Cor 11 :23 used napć6rllro. Although this term might havebeen used to refer to any tradition atthattime, it seems to have become a kindof technical term in Christian Greek, referring to the teaching of Jesus and theApostles. Further, the expression tóv 'Inooóv }"crBówo &ptov used by Justinappeals in all the texts except 1 Cor 11 :ż3, in which it is changed into g},oFtv.The other term, sólu,prorąocrvto,, must have come from the Lukę-Paul tradi-tion, as it can be found only there. Justin does not mention anything about'blessing', plesent in Matthew-Mark, or about breaking bread, mentióned inall New Testaments texts. Another term originating from the Luke-Paul tradi-tion is to6to ftoreite siq trlv rivópvrloiv poD, except for one difference: inthe Gospel of Luke and in 1 Cor, Jesus' command appears after the words 'thisis my body', while Justin puts it before those words. The difference, however,between Justin's quotation (&vópvloiv pou) and Luke-Paul's tradition (ćpnvdvópvrloiv) is not significant as it does not contradict the thesis about theinfluence of this tradition. The key words of Jesus, to0t' ćotr tó oópó pou,are cited by Justin in agreement with all the New Testament texts (only in 1

Cor, pou goes before ćotr). Further, he uses ro,i tó rrotąprov ópoiroq},oBóvto; }"oBóvto would suggest rather the inspiration of Mafihew-Mark,because only there does the same verb appear in participial form. Althoughnorąprov can be found in all the texts, it is preceded by the article tó odylnLuke-Paul's tradition. Appearing again in Justin's quotation, eóluprotr1-orrvTrr could have been taken from Matthew-Mark's tradition or, less proba-bly, from Lllke żż:17. The words of Jesus referring to his blood, to6tó ćotrtó oipó pou, also came from this tradition. Finally, the words 'and gave it tothem only' do not have any counterpaft in any New Testament text.

The above analysis proves that both narrative elements and Logia Jesuregarding the institution of the Eucharist cited by Justin were harmonisationsof Matthew and Luke. It is worth mentioning that some key elements, forexample 'Jesus took the bread', 'and said', 'this is my body', 'a cup', are pre-sent in all New Testament texts about the institution. what else can be śaidabout the nature of this harmonisation? It seems that the author of the har-monisation did not follow any particular rule, The words 'gave thanks' and 'doit in memory of me' referring to bread are taken from Luke's tradition; thosereferring to blood - 'and he took', 'gave thanks','and said: this is my blood'- from the Gospel of Matthew. The way in which the texts are harmonisedproves that it was almost impossible for Justin to have prepared the harmony