Justin Martyr and Transubstantiation

Q. Did Justin Martyr advocate the Roman dogma of transubstantiation?

 

Justin Martyr (c. 100-165 A.D.):

Now, that prayers and giving of thanks [ευχαριστιαι], when offered by worthy men, are the only perfect and well-pleasing sacrifices to God, I also admit. For such alone Christians have undertaken to offer, and in the remembrance effected by their solid and liquid food, whereby the suffering of the Son of God which He endured is brought to mind… 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Dialogue with Trypho, CXVII). Here See: (J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1857], Patrologiæ Græcæ, Tomus VI, S. Justini, Dialogus Cum Tryphone Judæo, Caput 117, Col. 745). Here

Ezekiel says, ‘There shall be no other prince in the house but He.’ For He is the chosen Priest and eternal King, the Christ, inasmuch as He is the Son of God; and do not suppose that Isaiah or the other prophets speak of sacrifices of blood or libations being presented at the altar on His second advent, but of true and spiritual praises and giving of thanks. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Dialogue with Trypho, CXVIII). Here

Now it is evident, that in this prophecy [allusion is made] to the bread which our Christ gave us to eat [ποιεῖν, to do], in remembrance of His being made flesh for the sake of His believers, for whom also He suffered; and to the cup which He gave us to drink [ποιεῖν, to do], in remembrance of His own blood, with giving of thanks. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Dialogue with Trypho, LXX). Here

"And the offering of fine flour, sirs,” I said, “which was prescribed to be presented on behalf of those purified from leprosy, was a type of the bread of the Eucharist, the celebration of which our Lord Jesus Christ prescribed, in remembrance of the suffering which He endured on behalf of those who are purified in soul from all iniquity, in order that we may at the same time thank God for having created the world, with all things therein, for the sake of man, and for delivering us from the evil in which we were, and for utterly overthrowing principalities and powers by Him who suffered according to His will. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Dialogue with Trypho, XLI). Here

Now, that prayers and giving of thanks, when offered by worthy men, are the only perfect and well-pleasing sacrifices to God, I also admit. For such alone Christians have undertaken to offer, and in the remembrance effected by their solid and liquid food, whereby the suffering of the Son of God which He endured is brought to mind, whose name the high priests of your nation and your teachers have caused to be profaned and blasphemed over all the earth. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Dialogue with Trypho, CXVII). Here

For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, “This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;” and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, “This is My blood;” and gave it to them alone. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, The First Apology, LXVI). Here

There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to γένοιτο [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, The First Apology, LXV). Here

Note: Even after the president of the brethren has consecrated the "bread and wine mixed with water," the Thanksgiving is still referred to as "bread and wine mixed with water" when the deacons present it to the congregation.

John Ch. 6:

For what sensual or intemperate man, or who that counts it good to feast on human flesh, could welcome death that he might be deprived of his enjoyments… For having put some to death on account of the accusations falsely brought against us, they also dragged to the torture our domestics, either children or weak women, and by dreadful torments forced them to admit those fabulous actions which they themselves openly perpetrate; about which we are the less concerned, because none of these actions are really ours, and we have the unbegotten and ineffable God as witness both of our thoughts and deeds. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, The Second Apology, 12). Here

Is there any other matter, my friends, in which we are blamed, than this, that we live not after the law, and are not circumcised in the flesh as your forefathers were, and do not observe sabbaths as you do? Are our lives and customs also slandered among you? And I ask this: have you also believed concerning us, that we eat men; and that after the feast, having extinguished the lights, we engage in promiscuous concubinage? Or do you condemn us in this alone, that we adhere to such tenets, and believe in an opinion, untrue, as you think? 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Dialogue with Trypho, X). Here

And whether they perpetrate those fabulous and shameful deeds—the upsetting of the lamp, and promiscuous intercourse, and eating human flesh—we know not; but we do know that they are neither persecuted nor put to death by you, at least on account of their opinions. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, The First Apology, XXVI). Here

Roman Objection:

And this food is called among us the Εὐχαριστία [the Eucharist - Literally, thanksgiving]… For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. 

(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, The First Apology, LXVI). Here

A. This is a reference to digestion… not transubstantiation. 

But still these elements continue to be bread and wine, "from which our blood and flesh are by transmutation nourished." A modern Roman theologian may insist that "nourishment" is one of the "accidents," which remain, according to Roman theory, when "the substance" of bread and wine has ceased to be. Granted, for the sake of argument, that such a notion is philosophically conceivable. But what could have been S. Justin's object in introducing such a phrase as this in writing to the heathen Emperor? The only idea that Justin's words could have been intended to convey, was just simply this, that the bread and wine, so wonderfully transformed, were transformed by a glorifying addition, without losing anything of their natural conditions in the change. 

(Lucius Waterman, The Primitive Tradition of the Eucharistic Body and Blood, [1919.], p. 30). Here

Here he speaks of the bread and wine after consecration and of the nourishment of the flesh resulting from them. Hence it follows according to him that the bread and wine are not common as to use, but still remain as to substance and are not converted substantially into the body and blood of Christ. Thus it is not a change of nature, but of use by the signification, which he wishes however to attach to the incarnation of Christ by the hypostatical union, although a memorable distinction occurs between them. 

(Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Vol. 3, XIX.xxvi.xvii, p. 475).

Note also that something does not need to be the literal carnal transubstantiated body and blood of the Lord in order for it to be more than 'common bread and common drink.' 

Nilus of Sinai (c. ?-430 A.D.):

Paper made of the papyrus and glue, is called common paper; but when it has received the signature of the Emperor, everyone knows that it is called a sacra. So also consider the divine mysteries: before the invocation of the priest and the descent of the Holy Spirit, the things which are displayed are mere bread and common wine; but after these dreadful invocations, and the coming of the adorable, and vivifying and good spirit, the things which are displayed upon the holy table are no longer mere bread and common wine, but the precious and immaculate body and blood of Christ, the God of all. 

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1865], Patrologiæ Græcæ, Tomus LXXIX, S. Nili, Epistolarum Lib. I, Caput XLIV - Philippo Scholastico, Col. 104). Here Trans. (J. H. Treat, The Catholic Faith; Or, Doctrines of the Church of Rome Contrary to Scripture and the Teaching of the Primitive Church, [1888], p. 182). Here

~ Soli Deo Gloria