‘I have not come to abolish, but to make complete.’ (Mt 5:17)1: Christian Liturgy as the Fulfilment of Synagogal Jewish Rituality

Abstract

One of the sources of Christian liturgy is Jewish rituals. These were celebrated in three key moments, which were: temple worship in Jerusalem, the domestic meal ritual and especially the Passover feast, as well as synagogue rituals. It is not straightforward to determine which of these was the prototype of Christian celebrations. It is clear, however, that the role of Passover and the Temple is dominant. The question of the role of the synagogue remains unanswered. Does it play an equal role to the other two sources, or does its role have a marginal impact? This article aims to demonstrate the existence of a complementary relationship between the aforementioned sources and that no single source can be considered dominant. In order to achieve this objective, the first part of the work employs a historical-evolutionary method, as well as the analysis of source texts, to elucidate the historical development of the synagogue liturgy in relation to the Temple liturgy in Jerusalem. The second part, using a descriptive-analytical method incorporating elements of a comparative method, to investigate the manner in which the synagogue liturgy influenced the development of Christian liturgy. Thus, in the final section, a synthetic method was used to address the fundamental research problem of the paper, which is to demonstrate how all rituality is fulfilled in perfectly in Christ and in the Church he founded. An understanding of the historical process of adaptation of synagogue forms of worship enables a better comprehension of the liturgical forms that are encountered in contemporary celebrations. This is a crucial aspect for more meaningful participation in the Mysteries.