Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless you eat of the flesh of the son of man and drink of His blood, you have no life in you
Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
From Syriac word Qurbono = offering, gift, dedication, offering of sacrifice, sacrifice
Sacrifice: of our Lord for the forgiveness of our sins.
Old Testament law required sacrifice for atonement of sins. The blood of the passover lamb saved the first born of Israel from physical death, saved Israelites from bondage. His blood saves us from spiritual death and bondage from sin. We are to offer ourselves completely to God as a burnt offering where nothing was set aside. Holy Qurbana is the “bread of life”, the manna that was provided to the Israelites in the desert. (St Jn 6:48-56)
Names for the Holy Qurbaba
Knusio =gathering together (lives scattered are brought together to God)
Koruso= Joining together (near/far, living/departed).
Roso= mystery (upper room, conversion of body/blood).
Geerus, Geeroso= perfection of perfect ones.
Debaho= sacrifice
Our Lord instituted the Sacrament, in which is provided sacramental means of holy communion between Christ and His members that they may share in the benefits of His eternal life and atoning death.
Old Testament images of the Holy Qurbana
The tree of life in Eden (Genesis 2:9, 3:22)
Offering of Abel (Genesis 4:3-4)
Burned offering of Noah (Genesis 8:20)
The gift of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18)
The sacrifice of Abraham on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:12, 22:13)
The passover lamb in Egypt (Exodus12:1-11)
The Manna in the desert (Exodus16:12-16)
The brass serpent (Numbers 21:5-9)
The bread received by Elijah (1King 19:16)
Burning coal to Isaiah (Isaiah 6:6)
In the Scripture we read of Breaking of Bread (Act. 2;42) the Eucharist (thanks giving (I cor. 14.15) It is also called the Liturgy (Worship of God) Holy Communion-holy union with Yesua, Holy Sacrifice because it sets forth sacramentally the sacrifice of Christ’s death and the Holy Mysteries ...because only the faithful used to be permitted to be present, and not the un-baptised or those who were living in open sins.
In Syriac it is called ‘Sau-thopooso meaning uniting because we become partakers of the Body of Christ and become one with Him.
Also ‘Qoorobo’- nearness.... By this God and the faithful come nearer,
‘Qurbono’.Sacrifice, ‘Rose Mysteries; this was given in the Upper Room as a mystery.,
‘Gmiroos Gmirvoso Perfection of perfections.No sacrament is perfect without Holy Qurbana (Zalge). The Mystery of love and peace by this we are united with Christ and we are reconciled with each other the Table of the Lord) (I Cor. 10;21) (Viaticum- our Spiritual food in this world and protector in our journey to the everlasting bliss. The early Church insisted that dying persons should partake of the H. Qurbana.
In John. 6 22-65 we see the preparation by our Lord regarding the reception of His Body and Blood. Note:
1) I am the bread of life; the Bread that I will give is my flesh.
2) Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, ye have note life In yourselves.
3) He that eateth-my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him. Though these pronouncements offended many of his hearers, the faithful took it seriously as the word of God, Incarnate.
In Jerusalem, in the house of Markose, (now the Monastery of St. Mark, in the possession of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch on the night, before He suffered, our Lord took (LAHMO) leavened bread-gave thanks and broke it and gave to the Apostles saying ('Take eat; this is my body which is given for you; and He took a cup of wine mingled with water-and said, This is my Blood, of the new Covenant which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of Me.
According to our Lord’s commandment, from the earliest days The H. Communion was the chief act of worship. The first Christians continued in the breaking of bread. A careful study of the words uttered by the Son of God, brings us to a sure footing. He did not say - This represents my body or is a symbol of my body, but - THIS IS MY BODY* Neither did He say, lake this bread and it will become my body to those who receive it with faith- nor Take this bread and it will help you to spiritual communion with me. But explicitly He said- ° this is my Body.”- This is the only way in which the Church understood our Lord’s words. Note the teaching of St. Paul in 1 Cor. 10;16, 11 ;29.
Nobody can explain HOW the bread and wine become the body and Blood, any more than we can explain HOW the divine and human were one in the Child in the manger. We cannot explain the Real Presence of God-made man either at Bethlehem or on the Altar.
The consecrated bread and wine become the Body and Blood of our Lord, when the priest according to the command of Christ.and exercising the powers of Christ's priesthood has consecrated the bread and wine, as did Christ that which is on the Altar is the true Body and Blood of our Risen Lord.- the body, he took of the H. Mother of God and the blood which He shed for our redemption.
He who has ascended to His glory is still in this way present with us, in us and we in Him.
Holy Qurbana through the ages
In Apostolic times Holy Qurbana was celebrated regularly “breaking the bread”. This was usually done after the sermon by the apostles or such important persons. (Acts 2: 43-46; 20:7-11).
There may also have been recitation of prayers, psalms and songs (Col 3:16; Eph 5:19).
There might also have been public reading of the letters of the Apostles (Col 4:16, 1 Thess 5:27), Kiss of peace (1 Cor 16:20, 2Cor 13:12, 1 Thess 5:26, 1 Peter 5:14), and offertory ( 1 Cor 16: 1-2, 2 Cor 8:12, Rom 12:13, Heb 13:16).
What is seen in 1 Cor 11:23-26 could be a form of prayer said over the bread and wine.
Different liturgies were formed Eastern vs Western etc.
What we use is mainly the liturgy of St. James brother of Jesus (one of 70 liturgies devoloped on basis of St. James liturgy).