Dist. 8, Part 1, Art. 2, Q. 2
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/4/d/8/q/bon-sent-IV-d8-p1-a2-q2
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### Question II. *Whether the Sacrament of the eucharist ought to have been instituted before the Passion.*

Secondly, it is asked concerning this, when it ought to have been instituted; and that it ought to have been before the Passion seems [to be the case]:

1. Because this Sacrament was left by the Lord as viaticum, therefore it ought to have been instituted then, when the Lord was a wayfarer. If you say that this does not follow, since it is not called viaticum because [it comes] from a wayfarer, but because it is given to a wayfarer; the objection then is that the Lord himself gave it not only by instituting the form, but also by furnishing the example.

2. Likewise, it seems [it ought to have been] near the Passion: because this Sacrament was given as a sign of love; but the Lord at the end showed special signs of love for the consolation of the disciples, John the thirteenth: *When he had loved his own, [he loved them] unto the end,* etc.

3. Likewise, this Sacrament is a refreshing food: therefore if [we consider] the time for institution, the institution too ought to be in accord with the effect: it seems that it ought to have been instituted at the hour of the Supper.

4. Likewise, this Sacrament was the fulfillment of that which was prefigured in the paschal lamb: therefore if the truth ought to be set under the shadow, it seems it ought to have been instituted after the eating of the lamb, and thus at the paschal supper.

**On the contrary:**

1. Christ by consecrating gave the form of consecrating, therefore by giving he gave the form of giving or of communicating; but after the Supper is not a fitting time for receiving: therefore it seems that the Lord gave it inordinately. But this is unfitting: therefore he did not give it then.

2. Likewise, this Sacrament follows baptism, therefore it ought to have been instituted after baptism; but baptism was instituted after the resurrection, Matthew the last [chapter]: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, in this Sacrament Christ is contained sacramentally, so that he who is not with us sensibly may at least be [with us] sacramentally; and at the ascension he withdrew from the disciples bodily: therefore then he ought to have instituted this Sacrament.

4. Likewise, this same thing seems [to follow], because it is a memorial sign; but such things are better impressed on the memory when they are exhibited last, as Augustine says in a certain homily: therefore among all the things he did, this ought to have been the last. But he did many things before the disciples after the resurrection: therefore this Sacrament ought to have been instituted after all [of them].

### Conclusion

> *The Sacrament of the eucharist was fittingly instituted at the last paschal Supper.*

**I respond:** It must be said that that Sacrament, since it is visible, contains the true body of Christ, and there is truly there a food and the chief sign of love: a *refreshing* food, I say, and therefore he instituted it at the time of refreshment; a paschal food too, and therefore at the paschal Supper. But because it was a sign of love; and at [one's] departure a man ought to show signs of love and a memorial, so that it may abide more firmly in the memory: therefore [he instituted it] at the last Supper.

1. To that which is objected, that if it was instituted then, then we ought to use it [then]; it must be said that that hour was fitting for the first institution; but it does not suit our use, because institution regards the effect of the Sacrament, whereas use [regards] further the suitableness of the recipient; and because a man who is sated is not suited for performing spiritual things: therefore the Church does not observe this nor ought it to observe it. If you object that the Apostles then received it for the first time unworthily; it must be said that they had eaten soberly by the Master's example; and again, they had eaten the paschal food, which was in a certain way spiritual on account of its signification.

2. To the other [argument] about baptism it must be said that it is not credible that the form was instituted then, but that what he had instituted elsewhere he there confirmed and made public. Similarly he added concerning this Sacrament: *Behold, I am with you* etc.

3. To the other [argument] about the withdrawal it must be said that Christ withdrew in the Passion, whence that was a passing-over and a way; and that passing-over was unto our salvation, [and] therefore then he instituted the paschal food; but at the ascension it was unto his own glory.

4. To the other [argument] about memory it must be said that before the Passion he was with them as a companion; and therefore then he left signs of love; but after the resurrection he was as a lord and as it were a stranger; whence he was saying: *This is what I was saying, when I was still with you*; and therefore that withdrawal ought to have unfolded the sign and Sacrament of love.

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