Faith Q&A › Catechism › 20. The Sacrament of the Eucharist

What does the Apostle mean by the words, “the cup of blessing” (1 Cor. 10:16)?

The answer

St. John Chrysostom says, “No mean title is that which was spoken. For when I call it ‘blessing,’ I mean thanksgiving, and when I call it thanksgiving I unfold all the treasure of God’s goodness, and call to mind those mighty gifts.”¹⁵²⁶

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Notes

¹⁵²⁶ St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the First Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians 24.3 (NPNF I/12:139).

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty, Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Volume 1, Books 1–3. First English Edition, 2023. Published by St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Sporting, Alexandria, and Queen St. Mary & Prince Tadros Coptic Orthodox Church, South Brunswick, NJ. Copyright © 2023. Translation and Editing: Youth of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Arabian Gulf, and Egypt.