This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Easter. Many Catholic scholars (Raymond Brown, Jerome Kodell, Eduard Schwizer, etc.) see a part of John’s Eucharistic theology in the metaphor of the “Vine and the Branches” – specifically serving as the cup, as a type of parallel to the “Bread of Life” discourse in John 6. The vine was a recognized Eucharistic symbol at the time the Gospel according to John reached its final written form. We read in the Didache: “And concerning the Eucharist, hold Eucharist thus: First concerning the Cup, ‘We give thanks, our Father, for the Holy Vine of David your child, which you make known to us through Jesus your child…” (IX:1-2). Continue reading →