Testimony of the Church, Regarding Melchizedek and the Nature of the Lord's Supper

Q. How did the Church view the relationship between Melchizedek and the nature of the Lord's supper?

Gen 14:18 (NASB)

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.

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

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

Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea (c. 260/265-339/340 A.D.):

For just as he [Melchizedek], who was priest of the Gentiles, is not represented as offering outward sacrifices, but as blessing Abraham only with wine and bread, in exactly the same way our Lord and Saviour Himself first, and then all His priests among all nations, perform the spiritual   the mysteries of His Body and saving Blood. This by the Holy Spirit Melchizedek foresaw, and used the figures of what was to come, as the Scripture of Moses witnesses, when it says: "And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of the Most High God, and he blessed Abraham." 

(The Proof of the Gospel being the Demonstratio Evangelica of Eusebius of Cæsarea, Translation by W.J. Ferrar, Vol. I, (1920), Bk. 5, Ch. 3.  p. 242). Here

Alternate Translation:

For as he, being a priest of the Gentiles, never appears to have made use of bodily sacrifices, when he blessed Abraham; in the same manner our Lord and Saviour first, then all those who have gone out from Him, the priests among all nations, offering a spiritual sacrifice according to the ecclesiastical usage, represent by wine and bread the mysteries of the body and blood of the Saviour, Melchisedek foreknowing these things by the Divine spirit, and employing the images of future things, as the Scripture of Moses testifies, saying: And Melchisedek, King of Salem, brought out bread and wine. For he was the priest of the most high God; and he blessed Abraham. 

(Dem. Evan., I., 5. c. 3., Pat. Gr. T. 22, Col. 365, 368.) see (J. H. Treat, The Catholic  Faith; Or, Doctrines of the Church of Rome Contrary to Scripture and the Teaching of the Primitive Church, [1888], pp. 174-175). Here

 

Marcus, Monk of Nitra (c. 4th Century A.D.):

Then Melchisedec brought out bread and wine for the refreshment of those who returned from the war. So also, Christ, the great High-Priest, gives sanctified bread and wine to those returning to him from the spiritual war, saying: Take, eat ye all of it. 

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1864], Patrologiæ Græcæ, Tomus LXV, S. Marci Eremitæ, De Melchisedech, Opusculum X, Caput. VIII, Col. 1132). 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], pp. 180-181). Here

John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (c. 349-407 A.D.):

And why did he say, after the order of Melchisedec? Even because of the mysteries, because he also brought out bread and wine to Abraham. 

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1862], Patrologiæ Græcæ, Tomus LV, S. Joannis Chrysostomi, Archiep. Constantinop., Expositio In Psalmum CIX, Cap. 8, Col. 276). 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. 177). Here

Jerome, of Stridon (c. 347-420 A.D.):

By bread and wine, a simple and pure sacrifice, Melchisedec dedicated the sacrament of Christ. [Pane et vino simplici puroque sacrificio, Christi dedicaverit [Melchisedec] sacramentum.] 

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1845], Patrologiæ Latinæ, Tomus XXII, Sancti Hieronymi, Epistola LXXIII, Ad Evangelum Presbyterum, § 3, Col. 678). 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. 177). Here

Turn back to Genesis, and you will find that this was the city over which Melchizedek held sway, that king of Salem who, as a type of Christ, offered to Abraham bread and wine, and even then consecrated the mystery which Christians consecrate in the body and blood of the Saviour. [Mysterium christianum in salvatoris sanguine et corpore dedicavit.] 

(Philip Schaff, NPNF2, Vol. VI, The Letters of St. Jerome, Letter XLVI.2. [Paula and Eustochium to Marcella.]). Here

Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (c. 354-430 A.D.):

Then what he says a little after, “The Lord hath sworn and will not repent,” by which words He intimates that what He adds is immutable, “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek,” who is permitted to doubt of whom these things are said, seeing that now there is nowhere a priesthood and sacrifice after the order of Aaron, and everywhere men offer under Christ as the Priest, which Melchizedek showed when he blessed Abraham? 

(Philip Schaff, NPNF1, Vol. II, The City of God, Bk. XVII, Ch. 17). Here

Arnobius, the Younger (c. 460 A.D.):

Christ, by the mystery of bread and wine, was made a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedec, who alone among priests offered bread and wine while Abraham was returning a victory from the battle. 

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1847], Patrologiæ Latinæ, Tomus LIII, Arnobii Junioris, Commentarii In Psalmos, Psal. CIX, Col. 496). 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

Isidore, Archbishop of Seville (c. 560-636 A.D.):

'Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedec.' Namely, on account of the mystery of the Sacrament, which He commanded Christians to celebrate: that we should not offer victims from the flock according to Aaron, for a sacrifice, but an oblation of bread and wine; that is the Sacrament of His body and blood. 

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1862], Patrologiæ Latinæ, Tomus LXXXIII, S. Isidori Hispalensis Episcopi, Quæstiones In Vetus Testamentum, In Genesin, Cap. XI, § 5, Col. 240). 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. 186). Here

Bede, the Venerable (c. 672/3-735 A.D.):

And therefore our Redeemer is said to be a priest according to the order of Melchisedec, because, having done away with sacrifices of the law, He ordained the same kind of sacrifice to be offered for the mystery of His body and blood in the New Testament. 

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1862], Patrologiæ Latinæ, Tomus XCIV, Bedæ Venerabilis, Sect. I, Homiliæ. Lib. II, Hom. Genuinæ., Homilia XIII, Col. 203). 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. 187). Here

Claudius, Bishop of Turin (c. ?-827 A.D.):

Melchisedec did not offer carnal victims, but only bread and wine, as Christ offered an oblation of bread and wine, —that is, His body and blood, to God the Father; which oblation we daily offer and receive upon the altar. 

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1864], Patrologiæ Latinæ, Tomus CIV, Loca Quædam Claudii Taurinensis, In Epist. Ad Hebr. VII, 17, Col. 926). 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. 187). Here

~ Soli Deo Gloria