Life-giving Flesh of Christ
Christ’s flesh is life-giving through its union with Him who is Life by nature; Eucharistic communion communicates participation in His risen life.[^1][^3]
Also known as: Life-giving Body of Christ
Doctrinal meaning
The life-giving character of Christ’s flesh is grounded in its union with Him who is Life by nature as God. Understanding the Liturgy quotes Cyril of Alexandria’s Letter to Nestor: “He is Life according to His nature as God, and when He became united to His flesh, he made It life-giving.”1
This teaching has a Eucharistic expression: the consecrated bread and wine become the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and in the Eucharist He offers His entire self so that communicants may enter into full communion with Him. John 6:51 identifies the bread given for the life of the world with Christ’s flesh.2
Communion in the risen life
Understanding the Liturgy connects the promise of eternal life in John 6:54 with receiving the Body of the risen Lord, who has conquered death. It explains this participation through the image of leaven, quoting Theophilus of Alexandria: “Receive me as leaven into your mass, that you may partake of the indestructible life that is in me.”3
In Power of the Eucharist, Father Bishoi Kamel likewise teaches that the broken Body on the altar carries the power of resurrection. He links participation in this power with sharing in Christ’s death and receiving the strength to die to the world.4
Expression in liturgical prayer
The Prayer of the Prothesis addresses Christ as the Living Bread who came down from heaven and made Himself a spotless Lamb for the life of the world. It asks that the bread and wine become His holy Body and precious Blood, for the healing and salvation of the communicants’ souls, bodies, and spirits.5
The Eucharistic invocation of the Holy Spirit asks for His descent upon both the congregation and the offerings. Its prayers associate receiving Christ’s Body and Blood with remission of sins and eternal life.6
Spiritual fruits
Bishoi Kamel describes Eucharistic participation as renewing the power of Christ’s death in believers, in conjunction with repentance and confession. Its fruits include death to pride, dependence on praise, judgment of others, and worldly desires.7
He also presents Communion as a pledge of eternal life with Christ: sustained by His Body, the Church lives by Him and with Him while awaiting His coming. In this account, communion in Christ’s slain and resurrected Body brings together participation in His death and participation in His life.8
References
Sources
- 1.Understanding the Liturgy — Father Athanasius Iskander (p. 79)
He is Life according to His nature as God, and when He became united to His flesh, he made It life-giving.
- 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 121)
In the Eucharist, however, the bread and wine are no longer mere bread and wine but become the true Body and Blood of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Whereas in other sacraments the Lord bestows His gifts in accordance with each sacrament, in the Eucharist He offers His entire Self, so that partakers may enter in full and complete communion with Him. ... “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh” (Jn. 6:51).
- 3.Understanding the Liturgy — Father Athanasius Iskander (p. 69)
The Lord has promised us that “Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life” (John 6: 54). The Fathers of the Church in commenting on this, tell us that since what we partake of is the body of the risen Lord, which had victory over death forever, it becomes in us like the little leaven which leavens the whole lump (Mat 13:33). Theophilus of Alexandria superimposes the call of Christ for each one of us with this insight: “Receive me as leaven into your mass, that you may partake of the indestructible life that is in me.”
- 4.Coptic Church Review, Volume 5, Number 3 (p. 13)
The broken Body on the altar carries within it the power of resurrection. No one will taste the power of resurrection except those who have shared the death of the Lord and have received the power of death to the world.
- 5.Understanding the Liturgy — Father Athanasius Iskander (p. 12)
For Thou art the Living Bread which came down from heaven, and didst afore time make Thyself a Lamb without spot for the life of the world. ... Bless them, sanctify them, purify them and change them, in order that this bread may become indeed Thine holy Body, and the mixture which is in this cup, indeed your precious blood. May they become for all of us a partaking, healing and salvation of our souls, our bodies and our spirits.
- 6.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 3 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 737)
The second epiclesis comes right after the words of institution, when the officiating priest petitions for the invocation of the Holy Spirit not only on the bread and wine but also on the congregation: ... And that Thine Holy Spirit may descend upon us and upon these oblations; purify, transform, and manifest them in sanctity unto Thine holy people. ... Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, this is given for the remission of sins; whoever partakes of it is granted eternal life.
- 7.Coptic Church Review, Volume 5, Number 3 (p. 11)
This divine power that we have previously received in Baptism, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death . . .” (Rom. 6:4), is renewed everyday in our lives first by repentence and confession, then by partaking of the Body of Jesus that was slain for our sins. ... death to the self and its pride, to people's praises and condemnations, to the sin of judging others, to the weakening of love, to the desires of the flesh, to the world
- 8.Coptic Church Review, Volume 5, Number 3 (p. 14)
The mystery of all mysteries in Christ is the meeting of death and life in the Sacraments of Baptism and Repentance, and in the Communion of the slain and resurrected Body of Christ. ... The Church lives by Christ, and with Christ, all the time until His coming. ... Thus, Communion of the Body of Christ is considered a pledge of eternal life with Him.
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This article was drafted from the sources listed above with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor before publication.