3. Later N.-T. Indications. — In the account given by the writer of the Acts of the life of the first disciples at Jerusalem, a prominent place is given to this act, and to the phrase which indicated it. Writmg, we must re- member, with the definite associations that had gather- ed round the words during the thirty 3'ears that follow- ed the events he records, he describes the baptized mem- bers of the Church as continuing steadfast in or to the teaching of the apostles, in fellowship with them and with each other, and in breaking of bread, and in pray- ers (Acts ii, 42). A few verses further on, their daily life is described as ranging itself under two heads : (1.) that of public devotion, which still belonged to them as Jews (" continuing daily with one accord in the Tem- ple") ; (2.) that of their distinctive acts of fellowship : "breaking bread from house to house (or 'privately,' Meyer), they did eat their meat in gladness and single- ness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people." Taken in connection w-ith the account given in the preceding verses of the love which made them live as having all things common, we can scarcely doubt that this implies that the chief actual meal of each day was one in which they met as brothers, and which was cither preceded or followed by the more sol- emn commemorative acts of the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the cup. It will be convenient to anticipate the language and the thoughts of a somewhat later date, and to say that apparently they thus united every day the Agape, or feast of love, with the celebra- tion of the Eucharist. So far as the former was con- cerned, they v/cre reproducing in the streets of Jerusa- lem the simple and brotherlj' life which the Essenes were leading in their seclusion on the shores of the Dead Sea. It would be natural that, in a society consisting of "many thousand members, there should be many places of meeting. These might be rooms hired for the pur- pose, or freely given by those members of the Church who had them to dispose of. The congregation assem- bling in each place would come to be known as " the Church" in this or that man's house (Kom. xvi, 5, 23 ; 1 Cor. xvi, 19 ; Col. iv, lo ; Philem. ver. 2). When they met, the place of honor would naturally be taken by one of the apostles, or some elder representing him. It would belong to him to pronounce the blessing {iiiXoyia) and thanksgiving ((vxapuTTia), with which the meals of devout Jews always began and ended. The materi- als for the meal would be provided out of the common funds of the Church or the liberality of individual mem- bers. The bread (unless the converted Jews were to think of themselves as keeping a perpetual passover) would be such as they habitually used. The wine (probably the common red wine of Palestine, Prov. xxiii, 31) would, according to their usual practice, be mixed with water. Special stress would probably be laid at
first on the office of breaking and distributing the bread, as that which represented the fatherly relation of the pastor to his tlock, and his work as ministering to men the word of life. But if this was to be more than a common meal, after the pattern of the Essenes, it would be necessary to introduce words that would show that what was done was in remembrance of their Jlastcr. At some time before or after the meal of which they partook as such, the bread and the wine would be given with some special form of words or acts, to indicate its character. New converts would need some explanation of the meaning and origin of the obser\-ance. What would be so fitting and so much in harmony with the precedents of the paschal feast as the narrative of what had passed on the night of its institution (1 Cor. xi, 23- 27) ? With this there would naturally be associated (as in Acts ii, 42) prayers for themselves and others. Their gladness would show itself in the psalms and hymns with which they praised God (Heb. ii, 46,47; James v, 13). The analogy of the Passover, the general feeling of the Jews, and the practice of the Essenes may pos- sibly have suggested ablutions, partial or entire, as a preparation for the feast (Heb. x, 22; John xiii, 1-15; comp. Tertull. cle Orat. c. xi ; and, for the later practice of the Church, August. Serm, ccxliv). At some ])oint in the feast, those who were present, men and women sitting apart, would rise to salute each other with the " holy kiss" (1 Cor. xvi, 20 ; 2 Cor. xiii, 12 ; Clem. Alex. Ptedagog. iii, c. 11 ; TertuU. de Orat. c. 14 ; Justin ]Mart. A}}oL ii). Of the stages in the growth of the new wor- ship we have, it is true, no direct evidence, but these conjectures from antecedent likelihood are confirmed by the fact that this order appears as the common element of all later liturgies. ,'
The next traces that meet us are in 1 Cor., and the fact that we find them is in itself significant. The com- memorative ffvast has not been confined to the personal disciples of Christ, or the Jewish converts whom they gathered round them at Jerusalem. It has been the law of the Church's expansion that this should form part of its life everywhere. Wherever the apostles or their delegates have gone, they have taken this with them. The language of St. Paul, we must remember, is not that of a man who is setting forth a new truth, but of one who appeals to thoughts, words, phrases that are familiar to his readers, and we find accordingly evidence of a received liturgical terminology. The title of the "cup of blessing" (1 Cor. x, 16), Hebrew in its origin and form (see above), has been imported into the Greek Church. The sj'nonyme of " the cup of the Lord" (1 Cor. X, 21) distinguishes it from the other cups that be- longed to the Agape. The word " fellowship" {koivu)- via) is passing by degrees into the special signification of "communion." The apostle refers to his own office as breaking the bread and blessing the cup (1 Cor. x, 16). The table on which the bread was placed was the Lord's table, and that title was to the Jew, not, as later controversies have made it, the antithesis of altar (Bv- (TiacFTTjpiov), but as nearly as possible a synonyme (Mai. i, 7, 12 ; Ezek. xli, 22). But the practice of the Agapfe, as well as the observance of the commemorative feast, had been transferred to Corinth, and this called for a special notice. Evils liad sprung up which had to be checked at once. The meeting of friends for a social meal, to which all contributed, was a sufficiently familiar practice in the common life of Greeks of this period, and these club-feasts were associated with plans of mutual relief or charity to the poor (comp. Smith's Diet. o/Gr. and Rom. A ntiq. s. v. Eranoi). The Agape of the new society would seem to them to be such a feast, and hence came a disorder that altogether frustrated the ob- ject of the Church in instituting it. Richer members came, bringing their supper with them, or appropriating what belonged to the common stock, and sat down to consume it without waiting till others were assembled and the presiding elder had taken his place. The poor were put to shame, and defrauded of their share in the