Cyprian and Transubstantiation

Q. Did Cyprian advocate the Roman dogma of transubstantiation?

 

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage (c. 200-258 A.D.):

But there cannot be felt any loss of either religion or faith, most beloved brethren, in the fact that now there is given no opportunity there to God’s priests for offering and celebrating the divine sacrifices; yea, you celebrate and offer a sacrifice to God equally precious and glorious, and that will greatly profit you for the retribution of heavenly rewards, since the sacred Scripture speaks, saying, “The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God doth not despise.”

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXXVI.3 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxxvi.]). Here

 

“...the Cup, which is offered in commemoration of Him, be offered mixed with wine.  For whereas Christ says, I am the true Vine, the Blood of Christ is surely wine, not water.  Nor can it appear that in the cup is His Blood, with which we are redeemed, if wine be absent, by which Christ’s Blood is represented.” 

Latin Text: Ut calix, qui in commemoratione Ejus offertur, mixtus vino offeratur.  Nam cum dicat Christus; Ego sum vitis vera; sanguis Christi, non aqua est utique, sed vinum.  Nec potest videri sanguis Ejus, quo redemti et vivificati sumus, esse in calice, quando vinum desit calici quo Christi sanguis ostenditur. 

(Cyprian. Epist. LXIII; Coecilio Fratri, p. 148. Oxf.) see (Edward Harold Browne, An Exposition of the Thirty-Nine Articles, Article XXVIII, [1894], p. 691). Here

 

Alternate Translation:

...the cup which is offered in remembrance of Him should be offered mingled with wine. For when Christ says, “I am the true vine,” the blood of Christ is assuredly not water, but wine; neither can His blood by which we are redeemed and quickened appear to be in the cup, when in the cup there is no wine whereby the blood of Christ is shown forth… 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.2 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

For who is more a priest of the most high God than our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered a sacrifice to God the Father, and offered that very same thing which Melchizedek had offered, that is, bread and wine, to wit, His body and blood? 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.4 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

...He blessed it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many, for the remission of sins. I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day in which I shall drink new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father.” In which portion we find that the cup which the Lord offered was mixed, and that that was wine which He called His blood. Whence it appears that the blood of Christ is not offered if there be no wine in the cup... 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.9 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

For when the Lord calls bread, which is combined by the union of many grains, His body, He indicates our people whom He bore as being united; and when He calls the wine, which is pressed from many grapes and clusters and collected together, His blood, He also signifies our flock linked together by the mingling of a united multitude.  

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXXV.6 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxix.]). Here

 

In Isaiah also the Holy Spirit testifies this same thing concerning the Lord’s passion, saying, “Wherefore are Thy garments red, and Thy apparel as from the treading of the wine-press full and well trodden?” Can water make garments red? or is it water in the wine-press which is trodden by the feet, or pressed out by the press? Assuredly, therefore, mention is made of wine, that the Lord’s blood may be understood, and that which was afterwards manifested in the cup of the Lord might be foretold by the prophets who announced it. The treading also, and pressure of the wine-press, is repeatedly dwelt on; because just as the drinking of wine cannot be attained to unless the bunch of grapes be first trodden and pressed, so neither could we drink the blood of Christ unless Christ had first been trampled upon and pressed, and had first drunk the cup of which He should also give believers to drink. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.7 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

But how shall we drink the new wine of the fruit of the vine with Christ in the kingdom of His Father, if in the sacrifice of God the Father and of Christ we do not offer wine… 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.9 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

I wonder very much whence has originated this practice, that, contrary to evangelical and apostolical discipline, water is offered in some places in the Lord’s cup, which water by itself cannot express the blood of Christ. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.11 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

For because Christ bore us all, in that He also bore our sins, we see that in the water is understood the people, but in the wine is showed the blood of Christ. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.13 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

For if any one offer wine only, the blood of Christ is dissociated from us; but if the water be alone, the people are dissociated from Christ; but when both are mingled, and are joined with one another by a close union, there is completed a spiritual and heavenly sacrament. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.13 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

...and has commanded this to be done in commemoration of Himself… 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.14 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

For Scripture says, “For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord’s death till He come.” As often, therefore, as we offer the cup in commemoration of the Lord and of His passion, let us do what it is known the Lord did. ...instructed by the Lord to offer the cup of the Lord mingled with wine according to what the Lord offered… 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. V, Cyprian, Epistle LXII.17 [Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii]). Here

 

Augustine quoting Cyprian:

"Observe," he [Cyprian] says, "that we are instructed, in presenting the cup, to maintain the custom handed down to us from the Lord, and to do nothing that our Lord has not first done for us: so that the cup which is offered in remembrance of Him should be mixed with wine. For, as Christ says, 'I am the true vine,' it follows that the blood of Christ is wine, not water; and the cup cannot appear to contain His blood by which we are redeemed and quickened, if the wine be absent; for by the wine is the blood of Christ typified, that blood which is foreshadowed and proclaimed in all the types and declarations of Scripture. 

(Philip Schaff, NPNF1, Vol. II, On Christian Doctrine, IV.21). Here

~ Soli Deo Gloria