Worthy is the Lamb: The Biblical Roots of the Mass [Paperback]

Tom Nash (Author), Thomas Nash (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2004

In this exciting new book Thomas Nash refutes the common charge that the Mass is "unbiblical" in a resoundingly biblical fashion. From the Garden of Eden to Christ's Ascension, the biblical roots of the Mass go much deeper than the Last Supper and Christ's Passion. Old Testament sacrifices like Abel’s, Abraham’s and the Passover all prefigure and are fulfilled by Christ's Sacrifice, which is made present in the Sacrifice of the Mass. What began on the Cross culminated in everlasting glory when Jesus entered "once for all" into the heavenly holy of holies, as the Letter to the Hebrews provides.

In a time when the Catholic Church is under attack from within and without, Worthy is the Lamb reminds the faithful that the Mass is, as Vatican II affirms, "the source and summit of the whole Christian life." This book will transform your understanding of and participation in the Mass.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Nash has done us all a great service by pulling back the curtain and blowing away the mist." -- Steve Ray, author of St. John's Gospel

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (April 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898709946
• ISBN-13: 978-0898709940
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy is "Worthy is the Lamb" by Thomas J. Nash, September 9, 2004

By 

Robert F. Gardner (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Worthy is the Lamb: The Biblical Roots of the Mass (Paperback)

Having left the Catholic faith in favor of Protestantism, I subsequently "read' my way back to the Catholic Church. When I started reading books about what the church actually taught, I was forced to give up many mischaracterizations of her teachings. Indeed, I was struck by the sheer depths of the historical, and biblical arguments in favor of the Catholic faith. This book, Worthy is the Lamb, follows in that line. With precision, lucidity, and charity Tom Nash demonstrates that the Catholic concept of the Mass is the heritage of Christianity. I only regret that I did not have access to such a book prior to leaving the Church, but I rejoice knowing that it is now available for others who struggle with the Church's teaching, or want to know more about it. This book is good for anyone interested in Christianity, and would make a great gift especially for someone considering leaving the church. Read this book if you are a Protestant. Read this book if you are agnostic. Read this book if you are already Catholic. Just read this book! And find out for yourself how the Mass fulfills the Old Testement. Thank you Tom Nash, and thank you Ignatius Publishing.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book!, January 18, 2005

By 

Peter Balbirnie (Steubenville, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Worthy is the Lamb: The Biblical Roots of the Mass (Paperback)

Having returned to the Catholic Church three years ago after encountering Jesus Christ through evangelical Protestantism, I am constantly blown away by the richness and beauty of the Catholic faith. I read Worthy is the Lamb while working on a theology paper on the Eucharist. Wow, what a book! Tom Nash uses a salvation history approach to show the centrality of the Eucharist thoughout Sacred Scripture, beginning in the book of Genesis and going all the way to Revelation. I especially enjoyed Nash's explanation of the Day of Atonement sacrifice and his typological analysis of the priest-king Melchisedek.

Each chapter provides background Scripture reading to prepare the reader for the material to be covered. Tom Nash walks his readers through the various Old Testament sacrifices that God gave to His people in order to prepare them for the once-for-all sacrifice of His only begottten Son. After providing the background, Nash shows how the final and perfect Sacrifice began in the upper room and how the single act of life-giving love is made present in every Mass.

Nash provides excellent commentary and sound exegesis of the Book of Hebrews, highlighting its teaching on the priesthood and the perpetual character of Christ's sacrifice. The footnotes throughout are excellent and provide a wealth of supplemental information and additional resources. This book is one of the most comprehensive presentations of the biblical basis of the Eucharist I have seen.

In addition to the thorough presentation, the book is written in a pleasant, "breezy" style, making it accessible to a wide audience.

In his first book, Tom Nash has shown himself to be a serious scholar and a gifted writer. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Nash's work in the future.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy Is The Lamb IS worthy reading!!!, February 2, 2005

By 

K. LeMark "Kariann LeMark" (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Worthy is the Lamb: The Biblical Roots of the Mass (Paperback)

What a great concise theological and yet catechetical work on the biblical history of the Holy Mass. The books format directs you as to what scripture reading to read at the beginning of each chapter, along with the questions at the end of the chapter, to drive home the important points to be remembered. This book I found is an excellent tool, not only for catechetical instruction on the biblical roots of the Mass and the priesthood, but meaty enough to be used as a textbook for colleges and seminaries, footnotes offer great resources for further reading. What particulary stuck out to me was the biblical commentary on the book of Hebrews in explaining the once-for-all sacrifice. Finally, a book that pushes back the tide of the post Vatican II thought, mainly that of the Mass being just a sacred meal with the gathered assembly, instead Nash systematically brings to the forfront what the Catholic church has always believed, that it is primarily a Holy Sacrifice represented, once-for-all, continually being offered by our great High Priest, Jesus Christ in the Heavenly Jeruselem for our salvation and the remission of sins.
Great book worth reading!!