The phrase, “this is my body” appears in all
four institution narratives of the Lord’s Supper (in LDS nomenclature, simply “the
sacrament” [Matt 26:28; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24]).
I have recently been quoted by Jeff Lindsay on
his LDS FAQ page on LDS practices. I dealt with, in part, with exegeting this
phrase and responding to claims it teaches Transubstantiation:
The phrase, "this is my body" translates the Greek phrase
τουτο εστιν το σωμα μου touto estin to swma mou, literally,
"this is the body of me." A rather technical argument has been made
to support transubstantiation by some Catholic writers. The argument is that,
as the demonstrative "this" τουτο is a demonstrative neuter singular,
it cannot refer to the term "bread" αρτος artos which
is masculine, but the noun "body" σωμα which is neuter. As a result
of this, and the fact that it is coupled with the verb ειμι eimi "to
be," Christ is teaching that the bread becomes the body of Jesus, with an
alternative translation being, "this [new entity] is the body of me."
It is correct that the referent for the demonstrative "this"
is "body." However, to read "is" in a literalistic way as
to argue that Transubstantiation is in view in the narratives is vacuous.
In Greek grammar, there is what is called a "interpretive
ειμι," wherein the verb ειμι, often in conjunction with τουτο or τι, has
the definition of "meaning" or "[this] means."
Two notable instances of such can be seen in Matthew 27:46 and Luke 18:
36--
And about the ninth hour
Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli Eli, lama sabachthani, that is [τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν tout'
estin] to say, My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)
And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant [εἴη τοῦτο eie touto]. (Luke 18:36)
And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant [εἴη τοῦτο eie touto]. (Luke 18:36)
A symbolic meaning of "this is my body" can still be retained,
notwithstanding claims to the contrary. Furthermore, taking "is" in
the literalistic manner that many who hold to the dogma of Transubstantiation,
or something similar, such as the Eastern Orthodox view, results in some
inanities if one were to be consistent in their approach to the verb ειμι. For
instance, in Luke 22:20, both "cup" (ποτηριον poterion) and the
demonstrative are singular neuters. However, in Catholic theology, it is not
the cup, but the contents thereof, viz., the wine, that becomes the blood. Of
course, just as "this is my body" is a literary device (the
interpretative ειμι) and should not be taken at a literalistic fashion, neither
should "this cup" be interpreted as being the [blood of] the new
covenant; in reality, it too, is a literary device (synecdoche).
URL:
http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_practices.shtml#communion
http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_practices.shtml#communion
