Welcome to answers from an apostolic faith.
In the name Father and Son, the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.
Was there a liturgy in the early Church? In other words, is the liturgy an invention of the Church or was the liturgy truly established by Christ Himself while He was here on earth? Today, in the Coptic Orthodox Church, we use three liturgical texts. So, we celebrate the liturgy using the text of St. Basil the Great, of St. Gregory the Theologian or St. Cyril of Alexandria. These were written in the 4 th and 5 th centuries. And that is a very crucial piece of information, because in the year 451, that is the date of the first division of the Church.
Prior to that, these saints wrote these texts of the liturgy. So, they used the liturgy they used to have at that time and they organized it in this manner, which is the same manner we still use today in our churches. So, there's evidence that there's liturgies being prayed from the 3 rd
and 4 th and 5 th centuries.
Why is this so important? Because when we look at all the apostolic churches today, at all the Orthodox churches, all the Catholic churches, they all still have a liturgy. Why? Because prior to the first division, while there was only one Church, one faith, one baptism, that Church had a liturgy. But only in the 16 th , 17 th and 18 th centuries, going forward in the Protestant reformation, we can find a liturgical life was decreasing. People wasn't... weren't giving attention to liturgy as much as the early Church used to give attention to the liturgy. So, there is evidence that there is liturgy in the early Church.
However, is there more evidence than that? Can we find historical evidence earlier than the 4 th and 5 th centuries? Can we find biblical references that demonstrate there was an liturgy in the early Church? There are many references that discuss liturgy and Eucharist in the Bible and the first one we'll look into very quickly is in Acts 2.
Acts 2 is the beginning of the Church. The Church is born by the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. St. Peter goes out to give this beautiful sermon. Three thousand souls believe, get baptized, and then, in that same chapter, in verses 41-42, they discuss the breaking of the bread. So, as they were assembled together... they were in a liturgy, the work of the people. They broke bread... there's a mention of the Eucharist. In Acts 13, verse 2, it says:
'' 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted...'' (Acts 13:2)
They ministered to the Lord: here, the word ministered in Greek is λειτουργέω (litouryéo), which means liturgizing. So, as they were liturgizing to the Lord, the apostle were together in
that public prayer. This is when the Holy Spirit spoke to them and spoke to the Church and said:
'' 2 (...) Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'' (Acts 13:2)
And they sent them away. This happened in the liturgy. But the best example, the clearest example is in 1 Corinthians 11. Look what St. Paul says. He says, in verse 23:
'' 23 For I [have] received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you...'' (1 Corinthians 11:23)
So, what he's about to say is that he received that from the Lord Himself and he's referencing here the mystical supper, the Last Supper, and the other way he received this message from the Lord. So, the mystical supper is in Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20. He says: I received this from God directly. God is the one that established the liturgy, the Eucharist. And that, I delivered also to you.
'' 23 (...) that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ''Take, eat; this is My body...'' '' (1 Corinthians 11:23-24)
So, Christ took bread, then He gave thanks. He prayed on that bread and that bread became the body of Christ.
'' 24 ...which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me [meaning do this or relive this moment over and over again].'' 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ''This cup is the new covenant in My blood. [This cup of wine is my blood.] This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'' (1 Corinthians 11:24-25)
And then, very importantly, in verse 27, he says:
'' 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.'' (1 Corinthians 11:27)
If I eat this bread or drink this cup in an unworthy manner, I'm guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord, because truly is that it's the true body and true blood of the Lord, meaning I have to make sure I am baptized. I have to make sure that I am repentant to be able to eat the body and the true blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What about the Church Fathers? What about Church history, the apostolic tradition? Today, I have chosen to give you two examples. The first one is from St. Justin the Martyr. He lived between year 100 to 165, so this is 2 nd century. Look what he says in his First Apology 1 :
''On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members... [So, all the members would come. They assemble together in a public prayer, in a common assembly, which is the liturgy, on Sunday.] The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time [so, meaning they read the Bible together. This is, today, the liturgy of the Word, which we hear and live every Sunday.]. When the reader has finished, the president [meaning the bishop or the priest] of the assembly speaks to us [meaning he gives a sermon]; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray [so, there's a liturgical prayer that is prayed here that is not as organized as it was necessarily in the 4 th and 5 th centuries].
''On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability [meaning he prays the institution narrative. So, like Christ took bread, prayed on it, becomes the body, Christ in the priest or the bishop takes bread, prays on it and also it becomes the body.], and the people give assent by saying, ''Amen!'' [So be it!]. The Eucharist is distributed to everyone present, and the deacons take it to those who are [present] (absent).'' (St. Justin Martyr, First Apology, circa 100-165 A.D.)
This is a beautiful, simple example of liturgy in the 2 nd century.
The second example is from the on... the apostolic tradition by St. Hippolytus of Rome. He lived between the years 170 to 236 A.D., so we're talkin' end of 2 nd century, beginning of 3 rd
century. He says the following:
''When he has been made bishop, everyone shall give him the kiss of peace [so, there was a kiss of peace at the time], and salute him respectfully, for he has been made worthy of this. Then the deacons shall present the oblation to him [so, he presents the bread, the wine and the water], and he shall lay his hand upon it, and give thanks, with the entire council of elders, saying: [So here, he's about to start the prayer. What does he say?]
''[The bishop says]: The Lord be with you. [The congregation replies]: And with your spirit (...): Lift up your hearts (...): We have them with the Lord (...): Let us give thanks to the Lord
1 In his two apologies, St. Justin was speaking directly to pagans and the Roman authorities, arguing for Christianity and making a stand against persecution with which Christians were faced.
(...): It is proper and just 2 [or it is meet 3 and right]'' (St. Hippolytus of Rome)
Anyone that attended a Coptic Orthodox liturgy is familiar with these words, because these words, we say them every liturgy, because we are an apostolic church. These words are dated from the 2 nd and 3 rd century. So, is there a liturgy or was there a liturgy in the early Church? Absolutely!
Remember: Know your faith, live your faith, and teach your faith. And glory be to God forever. Amen.
2 In many churches today, this short prayer is known as the Eucharistic prayer. 3 The word meet here is not the common verb that refers to an encounter. In this case, it is an archaic adjective that was used in a British dialect no longer in use. It meant very proper.