One of the hotly debated changes in the new English
translation of the Roman Missal is the change of “for all” (Latin, pro omnibus) into “for many” (Latin, pro multis) in the last supper narrative
as found in the Eucharistic Prayers of the Mass.
The present prayer reads: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is cup of my blood, the
blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all, so that sins may be forgiven.
Do this is memory of me.
While the new prayer reads: Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my
blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for
you and for many for the forgiveness
of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Although this change does not affect the response of the
congregation, yet it touches on the meaning and significance of the self-giving
love of Jesus on the cross, of which the Eucharist is a memorial. Didn’t Jesus
die ‘for all’? Isn’t the Lord’s offer of salvation ‘for all’? Why replace it
with ‘for many’?
Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter to the German Bishops’
Conference dated April 14, 2012. In the letter the Pope expounds on the
Church’s preference to use the literal translation “for many” rather than the
interpretation “for all.” At the same time, affirming the value of “for all” in
the complete understanding of “for many.” This write up is a humble attempt to
present the highlights of this enlightening work of the Pope (for the full text of the letter see the archive).
The Pope starts by unequivocally asserting the fundamental
faith of the Church that truly Jesus died for all; that his offer of salvation
is for all. This is attested by numerous passages from the sacred scriptures.
Allow me to cite a couple: first, from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans
8:32. It says, “He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us
all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” God the Father has handed over the Son for
us all. Second, also from St. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians 5:15,
it says, “He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no
longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Jesus Christ indeed died for all of us. His
offer of reconciliation and forgiveness is truly universal. Then, we may
ask, why replace “for all” with “for many”?
When one goes to the original Latin text of the Last Supper
narrative, one sees that the original text uses pro multis which in English is translated as “for many” and not pro omnibus which in English is rendered
as “for all.” It is presupposed that the Latin text pro multis is a faithful translation of the original language of
the New Testament which is Greek. The use of pro multis in the Last Supper narrative is found both in the
gospels of Mark (14:24) and Matthew (26:28). This is not found in gospel of Luke,
since Luke uses pro vobis, i.e. “for
you.” While in the gospel of John, the story of the washing of the feet takes
the place of a last supper narrative. Thus, in Mark and Matthew, Jesus described
his self-giving love as expressed in the last supper, as “for many.” Why?
The Pope explains that Jesus during the Last Supper was
aligning himself to the great prophet Isaiah. Jesus knew the Law and the
Prophets. Several times in the gospel, Jesus commented on them. He even
corrected interpretations about them in light of the coming of the Messiah. And
so, in the last supper, in anticipation of the great sacrifice of the cross,
Jesus was connecting himself to the prophesy of Isaiah, particularly the prophesy
on the suffering servant of the Lord.
In Isaiah 53:11-12 we read: Because of his affliction he
shall see the light in fullness of days; Through his suffering, my servant
shall justify many, and their guilt
he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the great, and he
shall divide the spoils with the mighty, Because he surrendered himself to
death and was counted among the wicked; And he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their
offenses.
Without even going deeply into these words of Isaiah, one
can easily relate this description to Jesus: through his suffering, my
servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear… he surrendered
himself to death and was counted among the wicked… he shall take away the sins
of many, and win pardon for their offenses.
In the Last Supper, Jesus was being faithful to the words of
Isaiah. Thus, proclaiming that he is the fulfillment of the words of Isaiah;
that indeed, he is the suffering servant of the Lord.
By using “for many,” Jesus respects the words of Isaiah. In
the same way, by using “for many,” the Church is being faithful to the words of
Jesus. The Pope calls this “double faithfulness.” By using “for many” the Church
does not want to break this reverent chain of fidelity. Here is the heart of
the Church’s insistence in using “for many.”
Yet, the Pope does not readily dimiss “for all” for in his
mind “for all” is the correct interpretation of “for many.” Telling us as it
were, that even though in the Holy Mass we hear the priest proclaims that Jesus
offers his blood “for many,” in truth, he does so “for all.”
So, how should we understand “for many”? First, it is
scriptural; “for many” is what we see in Isaiah, in the gospels of Mark and
Matthew. Second, it is historical. When Jesus gathered his apostles in the
Upper Room and offered to them bread and wine as memorial of his
self-sacrifice, he used “for many.” Third, it is concrete; that in fact, in the
last supper, not everybody was there, not all were there, Jesus was giving
himself concretely “for many.” Lastly, it is missionary. Because the salvific
love of Jesus is “for all” and Jesus was giving himself concretely at the last
supper only “for many,” the “many” has received the mission to reach out and go
forth so that the universality of Christ’s salvation may be fulfilled in “all.”
I admit that for the most part this “for many” in the
Eucharistic Prayer of the Holy Mass can easily pass without anyone stopping and
asking “why.” But for those who mind, for those who truly pray the Mass, for
those who care for how the Church expresses the truth of her faith in the
prayers of the liturgy, may these words of Pope Benedict XVI aid us in renewing
our intimacy with the living God.
