The Eucharist in Genesis
In
the Garden of Eden there were two trees at the center of the Garden, the Tree
of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. Eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good
and Evil would result in death while the fruit from the Tree of Life would
result in eternal life. Adam chose, as
did the fallen angels, to be just like God. This sin of pride represented the
hinge on which history would swing. The
role of eating, as an act of Faith or disbelief, serves as the central defining
moment at the beginning of redemptive history.
The Tree of Life represents the Eucharist. This tree gives us eternal life as Christ did
as he hung from a tree offering his flesh as true food. In eating the flesh that was nailed to that
tree, we obtain eternal life. In the
Fall of Adam, we have the antithetical Eucharist, a reverse Communion that
required an antidote from the NEW ADAM—through Christ. The Cross of Calvary
becomes a Tree of Life from which we eat.
The
High Priest Melchizedek—A Foreshadowing of Jesus Christ and the Eucharist
But who is this mysterious man?
When Abraham
returned from the battle where he rescues his nephew Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he is met by the
High Priest Melchizedek, the king of righteousness, priest of God Most High,
and king of Salem. He meets Abraham with
bread and wine. (Genesis 14:17-18) Jewish tradition identifies Melchizedek as
Noah’s firstborn son, Shem. Melchizedek
is his throne name (just as Benedict XVI is the throne name of Joseph
Ratzinger). But how can Melchizedek be
Noah’s son, Shem? Noah lived many years
before Abraham. After all, it was Noah and his descendants who repopulated the
world after the flood and there are lots of people around when Abraham is
living. Thankfully, Genesis is the book
of generations, so of course it contains many lists of the generations of man. All
those begettings and begattings we try to ignore or skip over when reading
Genesis actually are there for a reason. Using the numbers from these passages
(Genesis 11:10-26) we can calculate Shem’s age at the beginning of each of the
generations that follow in his family line.
The first generation after Shem comes when Shem is 100 years old , the
second generation comes 35 years later
when Shem is 135 years old; the third generation, 30 years later; then another 34
years (4th generation) + 30
years (5th generation) + 32 years (6th generation) + 30
years (7th generation when Nahor is born ) + 29 years (8th generation when Nahor (Abram's grandfather) fathers Terah + 70 years (9th generation when Terah fathers Abram) = 390 years which is Melchizedek age when Abram was born. Genesis states that
Shem lived for six hundred years and, in fact, he outlives Abraham by 35 years.
Abraham lived to be 175, (Melchizedek’s age at Abram’s birth was 390 + 175
[Abram’s age when he dies] = 565 years, which is Shem/Melchizedek's age when
Abraham died. From the passage we know
that Shem/Melchizedek dies at the age of 600 years. Subtract his age at Abraham’s death 565 years
from his age at death we know that Melchizedek lives 35 years longer than
Abraham. The sacred author certainly
wants us to be able to see the connection between Shem/Melchizedek and Abraham;
otherwise this genealogy which gives all these ages would not have been
included. This connection is important because it traces the “priesthood of the
family”.
As we follow the
blessings through Scripture (the priesthood of the family) we find that in
Genesis 9: 1, Noah is blessed by God and in Genesis 9:26 Shem is blessed by
Noah. The next mention of the blessing is in Genesis 14:19 where Abram is
blessed by Shem (Melchizedek). Later, Abraham blesses his son, Isaac, and then Isaac
passes the blessing on to Jacob (instead of the older twin Esau as he had
intended). When Isaac finds that he has been deceived by giving the blessing to
the wrong son, Isaac tells Esau that the blessing cannot be taken back and
describes the effect of this priestly ordination: "I have already appointed him your master, and
I have assigned to him all his kinsmen as his slaves." (Genesis 27:37). This is
the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek, the priesthood of the family. Once
the blessing was conferred, the father continued in his position as elder of
the family, but the one who received the blessing assumed the responsibility
for the well-being of the family.
Shem/Melchizedek
kept the blessing for over 400 years before passing it on to Abraham. This family priesthood blessing is the same
blessing which was bestowed on Jesus. The genealogy of Jesus goes from Adam to
Seth, to Noah, to Shem, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Judah, to Perez and
so on to Jesse, David, Solomon, and eventually to Jesus, the High Priest of the
family of God and Eternal King. Jesus
never gives anyone else this blessing as he had no sons; however, he does give the blessings to his Apostles
(and therefore to all future priests).
It is called the “order of Melchizedek” because it is different from the
Levitical priesthood. Melchizedek plays
a vital linking role among the Abrahamic, the Davidic, and the New Covenants,
especially regarding his priesthood and kingship. Shem/Melchizedek is the first priest
mentioned in the Scriptures, he is a “type of Christ”. He was also known as the
King of Righteousness and King of Salem (the word Salem comes from
the word “shalom which means peace”).
The
Eucharist seen Through the Sacrifices of Abel, Melchizedek, and Abraham
There
are three offerings in Genesis that prefigure the sacrifice of the Son of
God. The first offering acceptable to
God was the sacrifice of Abel when he offers from the firstlings of his flock (lamb). The second sacrifice was that of the Priest Melchizedek
of Bread and Wine (Eucharist—Last supper) and finally the sacrifice of Abraham of his own beloved son,
Isaac (which prefigures the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary). Even to the current day these sacrifices are remembered at Mass in the First Eucharistic Prayer "Look with favor on these offerings and accept them as once you accepted the gifts of your servant Abel, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchizedek."
Remember, on the way to the sacrifice, Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice on his back. (As Jesus carried his cross to Calvary) On the way, Isaac asks his father, where is the lamb for the sacrifice? Abraham tells him that "God will provide the sacrifice." (God would provide his own son to sacrifice his life for our sins.) When an angel stops Abraham from sacrificing his son, a ram appears in the thicket for Abraham to offer to God. Not the lamb -- which is why throughout all Hebrew history they awaited the "Lamb of God". Before the Exodus from Egypt, the Passover Lamb was thought to be the Lamb of God -- but that realization was not the Messiah they awaited. It was not until John the Baptist did the Lamb appear when his 'voice cried out in the wilderness' proclaiming "Behold, the Lamb of God", as he saw Jesus approaching him.
Remember, on the way to the sacrifice, Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice on his back. (As Jesus carried his cross to Calvary) On the way, Isaac asks his father, where is the lamb for the sacrifice? Abraham tells him that "God will provide the sacrifice." (God would provide his own son to sacrifice his life for our sins.) When an angel stops Abraham from sacrificing his son, a ram appears in the thicket for Abraham to offer to God. Not the lamb -- which is why throughout all Hebrew history they awaited the "Lamb of God". Before the Exodus from Egypt, the Passover Lamb was thought to be the Lamb of God -- but that realization was not the Messiah they awaited. It was not until John the Baptist did the Lamb appear when his 'voice cried out in the wilderness' proclaiming "Behold, the Lamb of God", as he saw Jesus approaching him.
Melchizedek
continues to prefigure Jesus in other ways. His name and title means King of Justice, King of Peace. Jesus entered the world to bring justice and
peace. Melchizedek was not a priest of
the Old Testament as he came well before the time of Moses and before the tribe
of Levi, the tribe of the Israelites that inherited the priesthood. Only members of the house of Levi could be
priests. However, it was not an everlasting priesthood, but temporary, as a
Levite served as a priest from the age of 25 to the age of 50.
In contrast to the Levitical Priesthood is the Priesthood of our Lord, which Melchizedek foreshadows in the following ways:
1. Melchizedek's priesthood is not based on heredity. Christ, like Melchizedek, is a priest by divine appointment and His priesthood does not depend upon hereditary ties. He was an eternal priest not limited as the Levitical priests were.
In contrast to the Levitical Priesthood is the Priesthood of our Lord, which Melchizedek foreshadows in the following ways:
1. Melchizedek's priesthood is not based on heredity. Christ, like Melchizedek, is a priest by divine appointment and His priesthood does not depend upon hereditary ties. He was an eternal priest not limited as the Levitical priests were.
2. Abraham recognized the priest-king Melchizedek by receiving his blessing and offering him tithes. An act of such humility signified that the priesthood which would descend from Abraham is of lesser stature than that of Melchizedek. This act also foretold that the Levitical Priesthood would be replaced by the greater, perfect, and royal priesthood of Jesus Christ.
3. Melchizedek offered bread and wine in thanksgiving to God, prefiguring what our Lord did at the Last Supper.
4. Melchizedek was a "member of the nations." Christ came to save not just the House of Israel, but the people of all nations.
5. Melchizedek was not a priest of the Old Covenant, but prefigured the priesthood of the New Covenant. The Letter to the Hebrews elaborates upon the historical Melchizedek and weaves an image which foreshadows our Lord, who would fulfill the Old Testament covenant and the priesthood. This new, eternal covenant is continually being renewed at each Mass in the Eucharist--the offering of Christ's Body and Blood--a continual sacrifice, a perpetual offering. When Jesus died on the cross, he was the New Melchizedek feeding the children of Abraham so that through Abraham's seed, all the nations of the world would be blessed. Something which God had sworn to Abram but had not fulfilled until Christ, the "son" of Abraham was sacrificed on Moriah on the peak called Calvary. (Moriah was the mountain where Abraham went to sacrifice his son Isaac...the future site of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.)
Joseph
and the Eucharist
Scene
1 New Life through Bread and Wine
The
story of Joseph in Genesis is also filled with Eucharistic imagery. While in prison, Joseph was joined by the
Pharaoh’s baker (bread) and the Pharaoh’s cupbearer (wine). The baker was
sentenced to die but the cupbearer was to live.
Because of this we see both death and resurrection linked to the
Eucharist typology. It is through
Joseph’s relationship with these two that he is delivered from the
dungeon. The cupbearer, who lived,
pleaded Joseph’s cause to Pharaoh who released Joseph, giving him new
life. The typology in the story provides
bread and wine, death and resurrection, and a new life for Joseph, all elements
of the Eucharist—without which Joseph would have rotted in prison.
Scene
2 Revealed through Bread and Wine
There
is also Eucharistic typology employed in how Joseph “revealed himself” to his
brothers. Joseph places his cup of
divination (a device for holding wine) into the grain sacks (a form of bread) of
his brothers. It was through this act
that Joseph would draw his brothers back to him. The brothers were accused of stealing the
cup, buried in the grain. Through this
“crime” Joseph had them brought into his presence where they “confessed their
sins”. The typology in this scene provides bread, wine, confession and
reconciliation, all elements of the Eucharist—without which the family of
Joseph would never reconcile.
Scene 3 Salvation of the World
Finally,
Eucharistic typology is employed when Joseph saves the world with the bread of Egypt.
When the people were starving because of the famine affecting the whole area of Egypt and Canaan, they went to Pharaoh who told them “Do whatever
he (Joseph) tells you.” (Also note that Mary, the mother of Jesus, says the
same thing to the wine stewards at the wedding feast at Cana—Jesus’ first
miracle of changing water into wine” which also prefigures the Eucharist ceremony at the Last Supper.)
The people are told to go to Joseph, hear from him what is to be done,
and as a result be fed with life giving bread.
Eating the bread saved them. The
typology in this scene provides first hearing the Word (the Liturgy of the Word at Mass) and then the eating of
bread, all elements of the Eucharist in the Mass without which the world would
perish. (Also note the first hearing the
Word…and then drinking the wine, at Cana.)
Joseph
a “Type of Jesus”
Joseph, Jacob’s
favored son prefigures Jesus as an unjustly accused righteous man who is sold
for silver, saves his kinsmen, and “rises” to the throne. Joseph was Jacob’s
special son, born from his beloved wife Rachel. As the favorite son he was
rejected by his brothers. (Just as Jesus was: “He came to his own, and his own
people received him not…”) (Jn 1:11)
Centuries later near the tomb where Rachel was buried, Jesus was
born. Like Christ, Joseph was an innocent
man made to suffer by his own people, sold for money, (Joseph—20 pieces of silver;
Jesus 30 pieces) condemned, and counted among the dead. (Jacob believed his son Joseph was dead.) But God “raised” him to a new life, and
through Joseph’s suffering and his forgiving of his family’s betrayal, God’s
chosen people (descendants of Israel/Jacob) would be saved as the family is
brought to Egypt under Joseph’s protection during the famine in the land given
to Abraham. Joseph is the instrument in
saving his family from starvation. Joseph
and Jesus are saviors. Jesus ascends to the throne at the Ascension, Joseph
rules over Egypt with the signet ring.
The story of Joseph teaches us to always trust God and be forgiving like
Joseph. In this way we too participate
in the Lord’s work of salvation.
Joseph also serves
as a type of Saint Peter who is a chief steward whom Jesus appoints over his
kingdom. God reveals important things
to both Joseph and St. Peter. Joseph
interprets a dream about the famine in Egypt; Peter responds that “You are the
Messiah, the Son of the living God.
(Matthew 16:17)
Joseph is given
Pharaoh’s signet ring becoming his Prime minister. Jesus gives Peter the keys of the Kingdom,
becoming the leader of His Church.
Twelve
Tribes—Twelve Apostles
God continued his
covenant with Isaac’s son, Israel (Jacob), whose 12 sons –head up the 12 tribes
of Israel and who carry on the Old Covenant. The 12 Apostles carry on the New Covenant, bringing all Nations to God through his Church on Earth.
A Type of Mary in Genesis
At the fall of Adam and Eve, God promises that an offspring from the woman will come and bruise the head of the serpent, putting an end to the enmity between each of their offspring. This promise becomes an organizing theme for the rest of Scripture and the rest of human history, as every character and event find their place in relation to the great battle that now unfolds between the conquering Seed of the woman and the resistance of Satan. Adam was told by God that if he ate of the tree, then he would surely die (Genesis 2:16-17). Adam ate, but, God’s administered grace, instead of judgment, even going so far as to promise a redeemer for Adam, his wife, and their offspring. As evidence that Adam believed God’s promise is the fact that Adam names his wife Eve, “the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20), expressing his confidence that God would keep mankind alive until the Deliverer would come.
The
Woman
When “Eve” was
created, the man first called her “Woman”. It was the woman who “gave the forbidden
fruit to her husband who was with her and he ate it. When God saw their sin, he immediately put
together his plan of salvation: “I will
put enmity between you (the serpent–the devil) and the woman, and between your
offspring and hers; they will strike at your head while you strike at their
heel.
One might think
that the “woman” referred to Eve; however it referred to another “woman”, Mary,
the mother of Jesus. At the wedding
feast in Cana, Jesus’ response to his mother’s
telling him that there was no more wine, was to call her “Woman” and added “My hour has not yet come. “ With that, both Mary and Jesus knew that his
hour had indeed come. The woman Mary was without sin—she had enmity (hatred)
with the devil. Her seed, Jesus, was
about to do away with the evil in this world with his suffering, death, and
resurrection that would once again set straight God’s creation—putting it back on its intended path towards eternal
life with God.
Eve,
Mother of all the Living
Jesus on the
cross says to his mother “Woman, behold your son.” To his disciple he said “Behold your
mother.” Once again Mary has fulfilled
the foreshadowing of Eve when she received her name—“Mother of all the living”,
as Mary becomes the mother of all believers.
The
Annunciation
Sarah the mother
of Isaac receives a message at Mamre from one of the three mysterious visitors
(sometimes referred to as the Lord and his Angels) that her barrenness will be
overcome when the Lord says to Abraham “Is
anything too marvelous for the Lord to do?
At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you
and Sarah will have a son.” (Gn 18-14).
Mary is told by the Angel Gabriel, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called
holy, the Son of God…for nothing will be
impossible for God” (Lk 1:35.37).
From the
Annunciation to the Crucifixion of her Son, Mary can be seen as God’s ultimate
validation of free will. The Virgin
Mary’s obedience to the will of God as conveyed to her in the angel Gabriel’s
message was no less voluntary in its affirmation than the disobedience of the
virgin Eve had been in its negation. In the Catechism
of the Catholic Church #494” “…’Being obedient she became the cause of
salvation for herself and for the whole human race.’ Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly
assert, “the knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience: what
the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.’ Comparing
her with Eve, they call Mary ‘the Mother of the living’ and frequently claim
“death through Eve, life through Mary.”
