Customer Reviews

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper

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Brant Pitre's book, "Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist", is a tour-de-force of biblical scholarship and theology.

Although Jesus clearly stated that "salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22) and although he told his disciples "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you" (Matt 23:2-3), far too often the Jewish roots of Christianity have been ignored.

Although this is not true of works by Doctors of the Church--Jerome studied with Jewish rabbis before translating the Vulgate and Thomas Aquinas regularly drew from rabbis such as Maimonides in works like the Summa Theologiae--too many Christians today fail to see the unity of the Old and New Testaments. Moreover, too many modern Jews mistakenly suppose Christianity represents a denial and rejection of their tradition.

This book successfully attempts to remedy these problems by, as I explain at the end of this review, challenging some common stereotypes.

First, it is worth noting that Pitre's unimpeachable credentials as a scholar. Among other things, Pitre studied archaeology in Israel and received his Ph.D. from Notre Dame where he worked under world-class scholars such as John P. Meier and David Aune. His roughly 600-page doctoral dissertation ("Jesus, the Tribulation, and the End of the Exile") has been published by the prestigious German publisher Mohr Siebeck. It was later reprinted for American audiences by Baker Academic. The back cover of this edition contained endorsements by numerous leading historical Jesus scholars (Dale Allison, Scot McKnight, etc.). Yet, despite his first-rate training, Pitre has somehow figured out how to remain accessible to all audiences. Without oversimplifying, Pitre engages the reader with an easy-to-read style.

The book, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, displays his incredible grasp of scholarship. For example, in one end-note (12: "Jesus lived in an ancient Jewish context") Pitre draws from 12 independent sources, bringing together works written by Catholics (Pope Benedict XVI, John P. Meier, Ben Meyer), non-Catholic Christians (N.T. Wright, Craig Evans, E.P. Sanders) and Jewish scholars (David Flusser, Geza Vermes, A.J. Levine, Joseph Klausner). His familiarity with scholarship is stunning. In this one footnote alone Pitre lists works written from 1925 to 2009! Yet, because these notes are at the back of the book, they never muddle Pitre's lucid presentation.

(The complaint made by a few of the other reviews here that the book is poorly researched is, simply put, laughable. Perhaps such reviewers were derailed by the fact that the notes are found only at the back of the book. Indeed, anyone who finishes the book finds a treasure-trove of bibliographic references. The only way to miss them is to fail to read the whole work--that might explain some of the other reviews.)

One of the most impressive aspects of the book is Pitre's careful use of rabbinic sources such as the Mishna and the Babylonian Talmud. His appeal to such sources might at first be surprising. Not only were these works written after the time of Jesus, they also contain some problematic historical claims and even some shockingly anti-Christian messages. Yet (again contrary to what other reviews have claimed) Pitre is not oblivious to such problems. He writes, "I want to stress here that I am not suggesting that Jesus himself would have read any of these, some of which were written down long after his death" (p. 19).

Nonetheless, Pitre shows that these sources contain material strikingly similar to what we find in the Gospels. Pitre thus shows an incredible continuity between ancient Jewish expectations and Christianity--i.e., the New Testament seems to describe the coming of what many Jews were looking to arrive in the Eschatological Age, i.e., the age of the Messiah. In other words, even anti-Christian rabbis expected the Messiah to look like Jesus in many ways and to do the kinds of things he did. In other words, studying the Old Testament hopes, the rabbis came to believe in a future age which, strikingly, looks like what Jesus came to proclaim as arriving.

For example, as Pitre shows, such sources envision the future Messiah as a "New Moses" who will give "bread from heaven". Amazingly, this is also how the Gospels depict Jesus: he is like Moses (e.g., he fasts for forty days and forty nights, like Moses did in Exod 34:28) and he promises to deliver the true manna (cf. the Bread of Life discourse in John 6). What emerges from all of this is a clear impression that those who studied the Hebrew Bible would have recognized its hopes being fulfilled in Jesus' ministry--often in unexpected and striking ways.

In fact, Pitre goes on to show how thoroughly saturated the New Testament is with such allusions to Jewish hopes. Even passages that are familiar to Christians, such as the Our Father, contain Old Testament imagery that is often overlooked. One of the most exciting sections, for example, examines the petition, "Give us this day our daily bread." Drawing on the work of other biblical scholars, Pitre shows how the redundancy in language here (this day. . . our daily) seems to evoke imagery of the manna in the desert--i.e., the bread which provided for the "daily" needs of Israel in the desert (Exod 16).

Indeed, anyone with any familiarity of scholarship knows that these sources are--when used carefully--a valuable aid in understanding the Jewish world of the Gospels. One should not attempt to use them uncritically as previous scholars did, but at the same time one cannot dismiss them as completely irrelevant as, for example, anti-Semitic authors might advocate. While written down at a later time, they clearly contain ancient traditions that go back to the time of Jesus. As Pitre writes, "What I am arguing is that many [of these sources] bear witness to ancient Jewish traditions that may have circulated at the time of Jesus and which demonstrate the remarkable power to explain passages in the New Testament that reflect Jewish practices and beliefs" (p. 19). The power of such an approach is in the pudding.

Here then is a brief overview.

Chapter 1: Introduction to some of the problems (i.e., how could Jesus tell the disciples to eat his body when such a command clearly violated Old Testament laws).

Chapter 2: The reader is introduced to some of the key texts in Scripture and later Jewish sources which detail what ancient Jews were expecting: a New Exodus, namely, (1) a New Moses, (2) A New Covenant, (3) A New Temple, and (4) A New Promised Land.

Chapter 3: Pitre shows how Jesus is presented as the New Passover Lamb, offering a careful look in particular at the Gospel narratives of the Last Supper and Jesus' death. One things that especially stands out in this section is Pitre's use of recent Jewish scholarship which has shown that in the first century Passover lambs appeared to be "crucified," a tradition also attested in the early writing of Justin Martyr. The implications for understanding Jesus' death--e.g., why he chose the Passover as the context for his climactic confrontation with Jewish leaders that led to his death.

Chapter 4: Pitre looks at Jesus' teachings which appear to relate to hopes for the coming of a New Manna, i.e., "bread of the angels" (cf. Ps 78:23-25, 29). In particular, Pitre examines the Bread of Life Discourse where this imagery is clearly alluded to by Jesus. The Eucharistic connection of the sermon is clear not only by the fact that the language ("eat my flesh. . . drink my blood") is especially similar to that used at the Last Supper ("Take. . . eat . . . this is my body. . . Drink . . . This is my blood"), but also by the fact that the sermon follows a miracle in which Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to the disciples--actions early Christians would have clearly identified as Eucharistic.

Chapter 5: Pitre looks at the mysterious Bread of the Presence in the Old Testament. At the end of the book the reader discovers that this element of Jewish worship was linked by the early Christians to the Eucharist. Pitre here makes sense of how this connection was made.

Chapter 6: Pitre admits that this chapter is more "speculative" than the rest of his book (p. 148), however, his careful argumentation is entirely persuasive. Specifically, Pitre shows that in ancient Judaism the Passover meal was structured around four "cups" of wine. Pitre, drawing on other scholars such as Daube, shows that this structure seems attested to in the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper (cf. Luke 22:17, 20 which makes reference to multiple cups). Interestingly, in Jewish tradition the third cup seems to have been identified as the cup of blessing--the title St. Paul assigns to the Eucharistic cup (1 Cor 10:16). With these and other observations, Pitre concludes with other scholars that the Eucharistic words of Jesus were pronounced over the "third" cup. Pitre then looks at a number of passages in the Passion Narrative where the "cup" imagery is played out, e.g., Jesus vows not to drink wine until the coming of the kingdom, he prays that he will not have to drink the cup in the Garden, and he finally dies after drinking from a sponge. Speculative, perhaps; convincing, very much so--you'll just have to read it to find out.

Chapter 7: Pitre demonstrates that nothing in the book is really all that new. Pitre demonstrates that the "ground-breaking" connections he has described throughout the book between Jewish images and the Last Supper were seen long ago in the writings of the early Christians. This ending is breath-taking--the incredible insights of the book are shown to be completely consistent with the approach of the earliest Christians, who clearly saw the Eucharist in terms of Passover imagery, Manna imagery, and the Bread of Presence, just as Pitre has argued.

As another reviewer mentioned, Pitre is working on another book--an academic monograph devoted to the Last Supper. This book is a promising down-payment on that project.

In sum, "Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist" challenges many stereo-types. It definitely puts to rest the lie that Catholics are ignorant of the Bible. It may be uncomfortable for those who wish Jesus were nothing more than a Protestant preacher opposed to all forms liturgy (unlike ancient Jews!). It may also be problematic for radical traditionalists who cling to the idea that Judaism and Christian faith are diametrically opposed to one another (contrary to what Vatican II taught). But for those eager to delve deep into Scripture and the Eucharistic theology of historic Christianity with an open mind, it will not disappoint. In fact, it will likely change the way you look at Christian worship.

To author Brant Pitre, here is the highest praise I can give you...I sat there with your book, my Study Bible, and my Missal, flipping back and forth between the three...amazed at what I was reading, and trying to figure out how I'd missed so much before. Thank you for the lesson, it was wonderful! I hope your book will inspire others to do the same, and what more could you ask than to bring the scriptures alive to your readers!?

Thankfully much of the silly season when it comes to Catholic scripture scholars is over and the new breed of Catholic scripture scholars are not likely to get their views displayed on the History or Discovery Channel.

This comes to mind after reading Brant Pitre's new book released today Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper. When it comes to the Eucharist, the better understanding that we have of the Eucharist in the Jewish context the better understanding we have of the Eucharist itself. It was a fulfillment of the Old Testament and gave in that what came before became fully realized. The God-given manna which nourished the Israelites physically when brought to the fullness nourishes us spiritually as the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ.

Brant Pitre has focused on the Old Testament along with several non-scriptural sources of Jewish writing to fully give us an understanding of the Eucharist from its Jewish roots. He starts by looking at the Last Supper and how Jesus' words must have gone beyond surprising from a Jewish point of view. We so often hear the words of institution at Mass and have accepted them that it is so easy to forget what they meant to the Jews of that time when it came to eating his body and blood. Even if you saw the blood as pure symbolism it would still be upsetting to Jewish ears and the commandment not to eat the blood of the sacrifice.

He goes on to discuss what was the idea the people had of the coming Messiah. We have often heard that they expected a political Messiah and like so many common facts it isn't exactly true. Some expected a more political Messiah, but the majority expected a new Moses with all that entails. A new Exodus, Passover, and a Manna that was something more and given perpetually. He spends chapters discussing the Exodus and a new Passover along with the Manna. There is much information passed on here and all of it worthwhile. While I have read many of the ideas presented before in other books, I found the chapter the on Bread of the Presence most interesting in that I haven't seen much on this topic before other than just passing information. There is a much deeper connection with the Bread of the Presence and the Eucharist that I had suspected and the Eucharist is much more than just a fulfillment of the Manna.

Much of this information comes together on the Last Supper as the new Passover and a discussion of the Four Cups. The tying of the drinking of the Four Cups of wine in a Passover mean and Jesus' institution of the new Passover and his sacrifice is not new information and as the author admits is is speculative. This idea as popularized by Scott Hahn and supported by earlier Protestant scripture scholars has the ring to it of truth along with the beauty of it pointing to the truth. Brant Pitre makes a thorough explanation for it here as the presentation he agrees with and certainly one that I also believe to be correct. As I said this chapter really brings the book together in the understanding of the Eucharist via Jewish eyes.

He goes on to explain how the information in the book is nothing new and then gives information from the Catechism and the Church Fathers in how they also saw this. He also relates a story about how he thought he had found something new in the Our Father in a Eucharistic tone that later he found exactly the same idea expressed in the Catechism. Well he is in good company since Dr. Scott Hahn has also expressed finding the same thing himself in that what he thought was original was already known by the Church. Often though a theological understanding once known gets lost or at least not focused on and so good books bringing these truths to our eyes are well worthwhile. Brant Pitre has certainly done a good and thorough job here of a scholarly presentation written for every Catholic.

I'll keep this concise by using bullet points.

Good:
1) Easily accessible to the average reader
2) Clearly links the Old Exodus with the New Exodus
3) Puts forth an interesting argument using the Lord's Prayer and its mention of "supernatural" bread
4) Puts forth a compelling argument linking manna, Passover and the Lord's Supper
5) Explains a very interesting argument about the Bread of the Presence from the OT

Needs Improvement:
1) Discussion concerning "drinking blood" was a mere few comments. Given his saying it was a huge objection, I was expecting much more. Hopefully in a future volume, he will go into more depth.
2) It really needs to have a companion edition with much more technical argumentation for a deeper analysis. This book is good for the average person in the pew, but I am now wanting much more in depth argumentation since I found his basis thesis very interesting and compelling.

It really bothers me, as a Protestant when people reviewing books give them one star without having read it. As of this posting, all of the one star reviews were clearly people who haven't even read this book. It's worth the read, and hopefully we will see a more technical follow up. You will be glad you got this book, but you'll be wanting more too...

Some theological works open up Scripture in a way that allows the reader to ever so slightly experience their hearts burning within them like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Dr. Brant Pitre's Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist is one of those works. In his latest book, Pitre takes the reader back in time to the first century A.D., in order to understand Jesus in his original context, specifically, to explore the question: what did Jesus mean when he commanded his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:53-54)?

There has never been a more appropriate time for a work of this significance on the Eucharist. As Thomas Nash writes in his book Worthy is the Lamb, "Many practicing Catholics do not really understand the biblical story of the Mass, a lack of understanding that is even more pronounced among those U.S. Catholics--more than 50 percent--who sadly do not even participate regularly in Sunday liturgy [Thomas Nash, Worthy is the Lamb (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2004), 12.]" Whether you are a cradle, cafeteria, devout, or former Catholic this book will offer you new (though truly ancient) insights into the Holy Eucharist.

If you are not Catholic and have ever questioned the origins of the Church's beliefs regarding the Eucharist, this survey of Old Testament and ancient Jewish writings will provide you with the historical context of Jesus' words and deeds which are the foundation for the Catholic belief in the Real Presence (i.e., not symbolic presence nor merely spiritual presence) of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

Beginning with a personal story about his own search for biblical evidence for the Catholic belief in the Real Presence, Pitre journeys with the reader through his findings. With a style that is clear, concise, and cogent, Pitre makes a subject seemingly reserved for the elite and erudite scholar, like ancient Jewish eschatology, accessible to the everyday believer and non-believer. While each chapter is thick with Old Testament, Jewish, and Rabbinic sources, as well as Gospel references, the writings of Paul, early Church Fathers, and modern scholars, he walks the reader along step by step to each conclusion, making connections to modern liturgical practice along the way.

The uncomplicated approach makes this book an excellent resource for not only the lay faithful, but also for those involved in lay ecclesial ministry: catechists, youth ministers, RCIA leaders, parents, Eucharistic ministers, worship leaders, etc. This type of work provides a level of confidence for volunteer and professional ministers alike to be able to answer questions of their fellow Christians and non-Christians about the Eucharist with both biblical and ancient sources.

Using the Jewish scriptures (the Old Testament) and ancient Jewish tradition Pitre explores the Eucharist through the lens of ancient Jewish Messianic expectations. Through this study he unpacks the concepts of the New Passover, the Manna of the Messiah, the mysterious Bread of the Presence, and the Four Cups of the Passover meal. Pitre also lets the reader in on a little secret: a great deal of his findings are not particularly new, but rather have been echoed for centuries after Christ's death through the writings of St. Paul, ancient Christians, early Church Fathers, and even now formally codified in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992). Before concluding Pitre addresses one final question: even if Jesus believed that he gave his actual body and blood to the disciples at the Last Supper, how did he think he would give it to anyone else? This concluding chapter addresses the role of the Eucharist in the days following the Resurrection through our own experience of it today.

This exciting exploration of Scripture offers an invigorating theological exercise for the reader, giving flesh to St. Anselm's definition of theology as "faith seeking understanding." Pitre's greatest strength is the his use of numerous primary sources. While some scholars summarize primary sources such as Scripture and first century writings for the reader Jesus and Jewish Roots of the Eucharist provides excerpted text from the actual documents. This method not only helps the reader to draw their own conclusions, it also makes Pitre's arguments more convincing. While it is easy to dismiss a scholar's opinion, it is much more difficult to dispute text of the primary source itself.

In addition to his use of primary sources, Pitre is unafraid to point out opposing views. He anticipates questions that the reader could have and masterfully, but respectfully, dismisses opposition through logical, historical, and scriptural evidence. Also, because of the nature and depth of subject matter covered in this work, the end of the book includes notes for the reader with a multitude of scholarly sources that she can peruse for more information on each particular topic.

The greatest weakness of this book is its brevity. My hope is that Pitre will soon follow this work with an even more extensive scholarly study of the Eucharistic words and deeds of Jesus. This work whets the appetite of the reader not only for the study of Scripture and ancient Jewish and Christian writings, but for the Bread of Life itself! The reader can clearly see that this work has only scratched the surface of the centrality of the Eucharist to Christ's ministry, demonstrating that the Eucharist is so much more than a last meal among friends, but rather the gift of Jesus to his people "even to the end of time."

SourceAndSummitMinistry.com

No statement ever needed context more than Jesus' statement that leads directly to the key Catholic teaching that the Eucharist consumed at every Mass is truly the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

"For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink" (Jn. 6:53-54).

Those words taken without context might lead some to think Jesus was advocating cannibalism, or only speaking completely symbolically. Brant Pitre's Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, however, will put the rest to that notion.

The belief that consecrated bread and wine can become the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ is hotly disputed by non-Catholics. It can be supremely difficult to defend when encountering a well-prepared challenger, as Brant Pitre discovered while a college sophomore. As his knowledge grew, he realized that the key to understanding Jesus' words, deeds, and identity was in his Jewish roots and the Jewish people to whom he proclaimed his message.

Pitre began concentrating on 1st-century Jewish history to bring context to everything that Jesus taught about the Eucharist; this brought Jesus' teachings into focus in a new and fascinating way. Readers will surprising revelations that bring powerful new depths to their understanding, and a renewed appreciation for their Eucharistic encounters. Even those who think that they know the sources well will find surprising depth and details brought to light, including:

* How the lamb was prepared for the Passover meal
* Why the manna in the desert was truly miraculous
* The ancient Jews' mandatory ceremony celebrating the Bread of the Presence in the temple
* The meaning of the four cups of wine of the Passover
* The less-than-accurate translation in the Our Father that is key for Eucharistic understanding

I recommend this for both Catholics and non-Catholics. Catholics will find their faith deepened. Those who don't believe in transubstantiation will see the logic trail that explains why Catholics do.

(My entire review is up at Patheos.com)

This is hands down the best book on the Eucharist that I have ever read. I can't wait to read his even more thorough treatment in his forthcoming scholarly monograph from Eerdmans! I would have given this book 10 stars if that was an option. What Dr. Pitre has done in this book is situate Jesus' teaching on the Eucharist within its Old Testament and Jewish context. He shows the ways in which Jesus' teachings can be understood in light of traditional Jewish feasts and sacrifices like the Passover and the bread of the presence----both in their Old Testament contexts but also in the Jewish context which was contemporary with Jesus. Dr. Pitre relies upon later Jewish traditions as well, especially from the rabbinic period, to highlight how at home in that environment Jesus' teaching was. This book shows how biblical the roots of Catholic teaching on the Eucharist really are. Anyone who wants to examine the biblical basis for the Catholic Church's teaching on the Eucharist should carefully examine this book. I have read this book very carefully, as well as all of the reviews. Michael Barber's thorough review hits the nail on the head. Dr. Pitre's book is an incredibly accessable book written so that anyone with an interest in the topic can read and understand what he writes. This is no small feat for a scholar of his caliber. In a scholarly world which tends to write for a small specialized audience, this book is a breath of fresh air. Dr. Pitre's research is distilled in the very useful endnotes so that scholars can benefit too from his discussion, but uninterested readers need not get bogged down in the scholarly literature. This book should certainly be read by scholars, but it is not written in such a way that only scholars can benefit from it. Rather, it is easy and enjoyable reading. I am regularly asked to lecture on the Jewish background to Jesus' Last Supper, and from now on this will the book from which I make my lecture notes. I also plan on adopting this as a textbook in my university courses. This is a must read for anyone interested in the Jewish roots of Christianity or the biblical basis of Catholic views on the Eucharist. You do not have to agree with Dr. Pitre to benefit from his careful research and clear argumentation. Anyone who seriously wants to understand Jesus better within His Jewish context simply must read this book.

This is a 'must read' book for both Jews and Christians alike. Dr. Pitre cracks open for the general public ancient Jewish writings and traditions to which most people would otherwise not have access. It is my hope that a work of this magnitude would enhance the dialog (1) between Jews and Catholics given these unbreakable links between the two relgions and (2) between Catholics and other Christian denominations given the foundation and context in which Jesus gave us the Eucharist.

"As a result, I shifted my primary major from English literature to religious studies, and continued to the study the Bible, eventually earning my Ph. D. in the New Testament from the University of Notre Dame. During those years, I learned two things that would prove important for my own journey, and for explaining why I finally decided to write this book. First, I realized that when it comes to the words of Jesus in the Gospels, things aren't quite so simple as they seemed at first ..."

I have collapsed down a couple of paragraphs, but this a quote from the introduction of the book. "Things aren't quite so simple as they seemed at first." If only more authors, scholars especially, were willing to start off their books like this.

I found Dr. Pitre's tone throughout the book refreshing. So often when Christians discuss beliefs over which different branches of Christianity are divided, the tone becomes harsh. The other person simply cannot understand because they are either too wicked or too dull. Dr. Pitre, I believe, avoids this tone throughout. He not only interacts with scholars of a very different bent, but also is willing to admit when he is moving into a more "speculative" portion of his argument (though I certainly don't think his admitting that it is more speculative makes it weak). I only wish that more authors would emulate this kind of temperament.

The result is a book with a very strong argument for the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist written by a world class scholar, but one written in a tone such that I would not be afraid to recommend it to a friend or family member from a different Christian tradition.

Brant Pitre has done an excellent job of summarizing for readers the scriptural and historical connections between the Eucharist and the Jewish faith.

He begins by outlining Jewish expectations for the Messiah -- in the process, making a compelling case that far from a militaristic messiah, many Jews were awaiting a more spiritual savior in line with Moses. Pitre then makes connections between the Passover and Exodus events, Jewish worship centered on the Ark of the Covenant, and traditional Christian beliefs concerning the Eucharist.

In the penultimate and most speculative section of the book Pitre offers a compelling case for reading the Last Supper as an "interrupted" Passover Meal. Pitre argues that the "fourth cup" which would traditionally have ended the Passover Meal was delayed until the final moments of Jesus' crucifixion.

(Interestingly, Pope Benedict XVI argues against a strict reading of the Last Supper as a traditional Passover meal in his Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection. However, as that book is not an exercise of the pope's magisterial authority, we are free to glean insights from both books.)

This is an excellent book that further bridges the oft-misunderstood connections between Christianity and its Jewish roots. Pitre is to be commended for his contribution to that work.