The Last Supper (Matthew 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–20)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 82 (on Matthew 26:26–28) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.LXXVIII.html

On Judas, who received the mystery yet to his condemnation:

Ah ! how great is the blindness of the traitor! Even partaking of the mysteries, he remained the same; and admitted to the most holy table, he changed not.

On why He instituted the sacrament at the Passover, that the type might yield to the truth:

Why can it have been that He ordained this sacrament then, at the time of the passover? That thou mightest learn from everything, both that He is the lawgiver of the Old Testament, and that the things therein are foreshadowed because of these things. Therefore, I say, where the type is, there He puts the truth.

On "This is my blood of the New Testament":

And He calls it blood of a New Testament, that of the undertaking, the promise, the new law. For this He undertook also of old, and this comprises the Testament that is in the new law. And like as the Old Testament had sheep and bullocks, so this has the Lord's blood.

On "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine":

"I will not drink of the fruit of this wine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." ... For because He had discoursed with them concerning passion and cross, He again introduces what He has to say of His resurrection, having made mention of a kingdom before them

St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 142 (on Luke 22:17–22) Source: trans. R. Payne Smith, Library of Fathers, 1859. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_luke_13_sermons_135_145.htm

On the bloodless sacrifice by which Christ dwells within us:

But He is also within us in another way by means of our partaking in the oblation of bloodless offerings, which we celebrate in the churches, having received from Him the saving pattern of the rite

On the realist confession, that Christ being the Truth cannot lie:

And do not doubt that this is true, since Himself plainly says, "This is My body: "This is My blood:" but rather receive in faith the Saviour's word; for He, being the Truth, cannot lie.

On how God transforms the gifts set before us into the efficacy of His flesh:

God, humbling Himself to our infirmities, infuses into the things set before us the power of life, and transforms them into the efficacy of His flesh, that we may have them for a life-giving participation

St. Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335–395)

On the consecration of the Holy Gifts (on Luke 22:19) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CALuke.htm

On "This is my body which is given for you":

For the bread before the consecration is common bread, but when the mystery has consecrated it, it is, and it is called, the Body of Christ.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

On the Body and Blood given under bread and wine (on Matthew 26:26–29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvi.html

On the mystery of the Church's unity, signified in bread and wine:

The Lord committed His Body and Blood to substances which are formed a homogeneous compound out of many. Bread is made of many grains, wine is produced out of many berries. Herein the Lord Jesus Christ signified us, and hallowed in His Own table the mystery of our peace and unity.

On the new wine of the Father's kingdom, understood as the immortality of risen bodies:

When He says, "I shall drink it new with you," He gives us to understand that this is old. ... what else can we understand by the new wine than the immortality of renewed bodies? In saying, "I will drink it with you," He promises to them likewise a resurrection of their bodies for the putting on of immortality.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

On the true paschal sacrament (on Matthew 26:26–29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvi.html

On the passing from the typical Passover to the true paschal sacrament after the order of Melchisedech:

When the typical Passover was concluded, and He had partaken of the Lamb with His Apostles, He comes to the true paschal sacrament; that, as Melchisedech, Priest of the most high God, had done in foreshadowing Christ, offering bread and wine, He also should offer the present verity of His Body and Blood.

On Christ as both host and offering:

Thus then the Lord Jesus was at once guest and feast, the eater and the things eaten.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 26:29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvi.html

On the promise to drink hereafter in the kingdom, from which Judas has no share:

It seems from this that Judas had not drunk with Him, because He was not to drink hereafter in the kingdom; but He promises to all who partook at this time of this fruit of the vine that they should drink with Him hereafter.