Who can administer the Eucharist?

I believe in the biblical "Priesthood of All Believers", and what that truly means, is that we can approach the Throne of Grace without being struck dead by lightning. Also that Jesus gave us power to cast out evil demons in His Holy Name. The ministerial and sacrificial priesthood is appointed by Jesus to celebrate the Holy Eucharist and to preach and teach the pure Word of God and also to correct erring souls and to hear confessions and pronounce absolution.

 

The universal priesthood of Christian believers is distinct from the ministerial presbyterate; otherwise, why would Timothy have needed the "gift" by the laying-on of Paul's hands? Couldn't Paul have just sent him off with a letter of commendation?

You know, with sacrificial clericalism on one side and indifferent anti-clericalism on the other, it's dreadfully difficult to pinpoint anything.

 

Exactly. The Apostles didn't take the Roman definition of what a priesthood is (which is a new invention), and applied that to all Christians. They took the ancient Judaic definition, and that's what was applied to all Christians.

 

You cannot prove that from scripture. You have to go out several centuries and then read this Catholic interpretation back into the scriptures.

 

Answer in red.

 

Happy new year all - I normally refrain from posting in this forum anymore but I found this post very interesting and would like to know on what scriptural basis this statement has been made. Please post your biblical references for this, as I would like to dig into it a little deeper.

Blessings, Gordon

 

I would also ask why there wasn't a reserved sacrament?

Jeff

 

I am not sure what they do in the USA but the reserved sacrament here in our Parish is so LA's like myself can administer communion to the sick or nursing homes.

 

Yes, this is how the Reserved Sacrament is used in England - for Communion of the Sick. Its purpose is not for general Communion of the congregation in the absence of a Priest. Having said that, under Common Worship 2000 we have provision for Communion by Extension whereby the consecrated elements from a celebration of HC may be taken promptly (limited reservation) from one church to another in order for the congregation in the second church to receive HC by extension. Explicit permission must be obtained from the Bishop for this to occur. The person leading the extension service (Deacon, Reader or Lay Worship Leader) must be appropriately trained, specifically authorised by the Bishop and and vested for the service. We don't have an exact equivalent to the Roman Catholic practice of a Holy Communion service from the Reserved Sacrament led by a Deacon or EMHC.

 

We do the same here in Australia and the same rules apply.

 

1 Timothy 4:14-16 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

 

1 Corinthians 11:22-32 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

 

With respect neither of those quotes even remotely state that our Saviour appointed a priesthood to be the only people who could celebrate the Holy Eucharist. In my opinion it is simply the tradition of the Church and nothing more.

 

Anyways I do not accept Lay presidency at the Holy Eucharist, there is no basis for it in the BCP. And as a member of ANiC, the 1962 BCP is our standard for liturgical doctrine and order.

 

So does this mean that you don't have a biblical reference for your statement then?

My reason for the question in the first place was that I do a lot scripture reading for knowledge of Gods word and for contemplative prayer and I hadn't recalled ever reading anywhere where our Saviour made such a statement, and I have always believed it was tradition.

 

Communion by Extension is not a lay celebration of HC.
A Priest consecrates the elements which are briefly reserved and taken
to a church where there is no celebration of HC. The extension service
and distribution are the parts presided over by a Deacon or lay minister.
Just to clarify.

 

I've always understood "the priesthood of all believers" means that to God there is nothing special about a priest over and above and ordinary believer. Which suggests to me any believer can take the eucharist.
Consular states

Ok fair enough but does the Bible state that only the Presbyterate (and maybe also Bishops, don't they get a mention?) can administer the eucharist?

And for the ministerial presbyterate arguement to hold water should the administering of the Holy Communion also be a "gift" which I presume it is not. More of a duty perhaps

 

Who can adminster the Eucharist. ? Initially a Bishop or a priest licensed by him! It can be handled by a suitable lay communicant also with the bishop's permission within a very limited sphere. Only a valid bishop or licensed priest can,' Celebrate,' at the Eucharist!
This is at the discretion of the Catholic Church, it has to have had a valid Eucharistic Service to become the Body & Blood of Our Lord!
HCM.
Certainly he could upon no pretence have challenged the appellation of Christian, who had dared either himself to invade the holy rites within the cancels, or had denied the power of celebrating this dreadful Mystery (of the Eucharist) to belong only to Sacerdotal minis tration. For either it is said to be but common bread and wine ; and then, if that were true, indeed any body may minister it : but they that say so are blasphemous ; they count the Body of the Lord and the ' Blood of the Covenant or New Testament,' a profane or common thing ;. they discern not the Lord's Body ; they know not that the Bread which is broken is the communication of the Lord's Body : But if it be a holy, separate, divine, and mysterious thing, who can make it, (ministerially, I mean) and con secrate or sublime it from common or ordinary bread, but a consecrate, separate, and sublimed Person ? Certainly there is not in the world a greater degree of power, than to remit and retain sins, and to consecrate the Sacramental Symbols into the Mysteriousness of Christ's Body and Blood ; nor a greater honour, than that God in heaven should ratify what the Priest does on earth, and should admit him to handle the Sacrifice of the world, and to present the same, which in heaven is presented by the Eternal Jesus." — Clerus Domini, The Divine Institution and Necessity of the Office Ministerial, written by command of Charles the First!

Bishop Jeremy Taylor!

 

True Highchurchman, but the point is still that it is tradition rather then a requirement set down in scripture. I can understand why the Bishops of the day thought it necessary to restrict who could celebrate the Eucharist. I was more to do with control not scripture.

 

It has certainly never meant that, at least in the Bible. In the same Bible wherein the quote is taken from, the bishops are assigned special and unique powers and responsibilities. For example, they hold the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Anything they loose or bind on Earth is loosed and bound in Heaven.

Presbyters (priests) are likewise given unique powers and responsibilities. For example, they are able to absolve sins.

As to the question of who can administer the Eucharist, let us remember that Christ himself administered the Eucharist. Consequently, those to whom he delegated His nature are able to do as He did (concerning any issue).

In Scripture, Only the Twelve Apostles + Paul are given the charge to be Christs after His Resurrection, and it is only them that we see administering the Communion. Paul in none of his many letters gives even a hint that anybody in the parish can consecrate the Bread and Wine. He repeats again and again the passage from the Gospels where Christ consecrates the Elements as if that were normative. By extension, same can be done by all those who are modern Christs.

Thus, Bishops only can consecrate the Elements. They can assign vicars, namely parish priests, who can perform that office on their behalf.