This presentation looks at the Old Testament Temple, the Sacrifices offered, and the Liturgical Calendar.  In each case, the Old Testament is compared to the New Testament Mass as we currently celebrate it.  A better understanding of the Old Testament helps us understand the intimate connection between Old Testament and the celebration of the Lord's Supper in the Mass.

The connections to the New Testament Mass is marked in italics

Part 1: The Old Testament Tent and Temple

• Holy of Holies
  • Ark of the covenant.
  • Covering of the ark, called the kapporet, propitiatory, or mercy seat.
  • Inside the ark, the tablets of the 10 Commandments, the vessel containing the Manna, and Aaron’s staff.
  • The cherubim.
  • The Ark of the Covenant and the Holy of Holies is related to the Tabernacle that contains the Eucharist.
• The sanctuary
  • Altar of incense.
  • Table for the loaves, called the showbread or the bread of the presence.
  • Ten candlesticks.
  • These items relate to the incense, the Eucharistic bread, and the candles used in the Sanctuary.
• Vestibule
  • Bronze altar of sacrifice.
  • Bronze sea of water for purification.
  • These items relate to the washing of the priest's hands at the offertory and the altar of sacrifice.

• Holocaust, from the verb “to go up”
  • A burnt offering, entirely consumed.
  • An unblemished male animal.
  • The one offering the animal lays hands on the animal. The priest slits its throat, pours the blood around the altar, and burns the sacrifice.
  • May be accompanied by flour (mixed with oil) and wine.
  • The Eucharistic sacrifice commemorating the crucifixion is a kind of Holocaust in that the unblemished lamb of God is completely offered, though Jesus was not consumed with fire.
• Peace offering, also called a communion sacrifice
  • The sacrifice is divided three ways, part burnt up on the altar, part given to the priest, and part given back to the one offering.
  • The animal may be offered with unleavened cakes.
  • The Eucharist is also called Communion, commemorating Jesus who was offered on the cross, and the sacrifice that is received both by the priest and by the people who offered the gifts.
• Sin offering
  • The offering varied according to the status of the sinner. Priests and leaders must offer greater sacrifices.
  • According to the type of sinner, the blood is gathered, sprinkled in the sanctuary, on the veil in the temple, on the horns of the altar of incense, and on the altar of holocausts.
  • The sinner received no part of the sacrifice.
  • The sense of the offering was not to forgive sin, but rather to reconsecrate the sacred objects that had been profaned by sin.
  • Jesus' offering on the cross takes away in the sins of the world. The blood that was shed paid the price of our sin. Unlike the sin offering that could not take away sin, Christ's offering does remit sins.
• Guilt offering, very similar to the Sin offering
  • The Guilt offering does not change based on the status of the sinner.
  • The Guilt offering may have more of a sense of redeeming the individual person.
  • Christ's offering takes away the guilt of our sin.
• Wave offering, also called an elevation offering
  • Wave offering was lifted up to the Lord, and then given to the priests.
  • The Eucharist is elevated by Jesus as he "gives thanks" at the Last Supper.  This is similar to the Multiplication of the loaves and fish which were lifted up by the Lord as he gave thanks before feeding the multitude.  At Mass, the priest elevates the host and the chalice at the moment of consecration.
• Other objects offered
  • Cereal offerings, such as flour mixed with oil and incense, baked flour but no leaven, the first fruits from the harvest.
  • Libation of wine poured out on the altar.
  • Incense offering burnt on the altar with perfume.
  • The Eucharist, like the cereal offering, is unleavened bread made from flour.  The Eucharist, like the libations, is offered under the form of wine.  During the Mass, Incense may also be burnt, like the incense offering.

• Daily offering
  • Two lambs offered, one in the morning, and one in the evening, with flour, oil, wine, and incense.
  • Daily Mass perpetuates the Eucharistic offering by which each day is consecrated by the Lord.
• Sabbath
  • A weekly feast and a day of rest.
  • Sunday becomes the new Sabbath as the celebration of the Lord's resurrection, dating back from the earliest days of Apostolic times.
• Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread
  • Marked the beginning of the barley harvest, and a foretaste of the harvest to come.
  • Connected with the Exodus from Egypt.
  • Offering of an unblemished male one-year lamb, roasted and eaten as though in flight with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
  • The blood of the lamb is sprinkled on the doorposts and window lintels.
  • No priest is required in this offering.
  • The passover feast is connected with the offering of the blood of the Lamb of God on the cross and the salvation from the angel of death.  This feast is related to the celebration of the triduum and Easter.
• Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks
  • Marked the spring harvest of wheat.
  • Offering of leavened loaves from the new wheat.
  • Connected with the arrival at Mt. Sinai and the reception of the law.
  • The feast of Pentecost, fifty days after Passover, is related to the New Testament Pentecost, fifty days after Easter.  While the Israelites received the law at Mt. Sinai, the apostles received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
• Feast of Tents or Tabernacles (Sukkot)
  • Marked of thanksgiving celebrating the ingathering at the end of the year of all the produce, including the products from the threshing floors, wine presses, and oil presses.
  • Connected with the time when the Israelites lived in tents during the journey in the desert.
  • The people built temporary dwellings, like the tents in the desert, or like the temporary shelters a worker might use for refuge while resting during the harvesting of the fields. Temporary dwellings were also built near the temple as a sign of the people’s desire to be near the Lord.
  • The verb “to dwell” literally means “to pitch one’s tent,” and is used in the Gospel verse, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). The Incarnation marks Jesus’ decision to dwell or tabernacle with us on earth.
  • The notion of Jesus dwelling with us relates the feast of Tabernacles to the celebration of the Lord's Nativity at Christmas.
• Day of Atonement
  • A day of rest, penance, and fasting.
  • A bull was offered and the blood was sprinkled in the holy of holies to reconsecrate it.
  • A scapegoat was sent into the desert after confessing the sins of the people over it.
  • The idea of a day of penance is related to Ash Wednesday or any other penitential day.
• Hanukkah
  • A celebration of the dedication of the temple after it was profaned by the Greek Antiochus Epiphanies.
  • Lamps are lit reminding the people of the lighting of the candelabra in the Temple.
  • In New Testament times, Jesus cleanses the temple.