DOI Artikel:
Demchuk, Stefaniia: Two Suppers: Illustrations by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen to Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi (1523) and the eucharistic controversy of the early Reformation
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44918#0046
of rulers may wreak havoc or even jeopardize their people. Researchers have al-
ready related the latter thought to the religious and political mood in Amsterdam
whereas the former idea has been overlooked. Nonetheless, we consider it crucial,
taking into account its disposition and the then Eucharist disputations, and we will
analyse it in the upcoming paragraphs.
The caption to the Last Supper is much shorter, taking up a single page, and
it portrays two scenes: firstly, Christ is pointing at the traitor, and then he is in-
troducing the sacrament of the Eucharist, preaching to his disciples that his Flesh
and Blood are sacrificed to redeem their sins. Alardus puts particular emphasis on
transformation, the Transubstantiation, of the bread and winę34 that does not seem
to be accidental, especially in the context of the scenes depicted in the engraving.
The idea of the humanist and the logie underlying the inclusion of the two suppers
instead of just one becomes evident once we look at the Eucharist disputations that
had been taking place in 1520S and the doctrines opposed by Alardus of Amsterdam
and his associate, Jacob Cornelisz. The Reformation moods and Luther s ideas start-
ed to gain popularity at that time, thanks to the booming book printing. According
to catalogue of “Netherlandish books”35, all prominent early works had been going
to print and translated on a large scalę. Several Luther s treatises may have affected
Alardus of Amstedam and then - van Oostsanen: “The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy
and True Body of Christ and of the Brotherhood” (“Em Sermon von dem hochwilrdi-
gen Sacrament des heiligen wahren Leichnams Christi und von den Brilderschaften”,
1519), “Sermon on the New Testament” (“Em Sermon von dem Neuen Testament, das
ist von der heiligen Messe”, 1520), “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church” (“De
captivitate Babylonica ecclesiae”, 1520) and “De Abroganda Missa Privata” (1521).
Even before entering the Eucharistic discussion with treatises written for this pur-
pose, Luther discussed the difference between the Passover and the Last Supper and
their sacrifices. In his Lectures on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Luther States that “He
[Christ] makes a beautiful distinction between the two kinds of sacrifice [that is of the
Old Testament and the New], when he says that in the sacrifices of the law a remem-
brance of sins used to be madę, but in our sacrifice there was and is madę a remem-
brance of the remission of sins through the word [... ] In the former covenant, the
knowledge of sins abides and inereases: in the latter, it passes away and diminishes”.36
In the first treatise that opened the Eucharistic controversy for Luther, “The
Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Body of Christ and of the Brotherhood”
(1519), he highlighted the role of the Holy Sacrament (“ communio”) as a basis for
community of believers. Luther argued the need to introduce the Communion under
both kinds, making parallels at once with Christ s will to support all His disciples
during the Last supper, and with the Jewish Passover.37 Here the reformer avoids
34 “Nec ubi dicta dedit, palmis sibi frangere pane: / Divisque dehunc tradit: sanctusque precatus, /
Discipulos docuit sanctum se tradere corpus. [...]/ Gratis sanctificat verbis: potuque ministrat.
/ Edocuitque suum se divisisse cruorem. / Atque ait, hic sanguis populi delicta remittet. / Nunc
potate meum, eternae haec foedera pacis...” Cit. from A. Amstelredamus, J.C. van Oostsanen,
D. Pietersz, Ritvs Edendi Paschalis Agni.
35 Netherlandish Books: Books Published in the Low Countries and Dutch Books Printed Abroad
Before 1601, A. Pettegree, M. Walsby (eds.), vol. 2, Leiden-Boston 2011, p. 868.
36 Cit. from J. Atkinson, Lectures on the Epistles to the Hebrews, in: J. Atkinson (ed.), Luther: Early
Theological Works, Louisville 2006, p. 186.
37 “Just as the Jews were required to eat the Passover with bitter herbs, standing and in hastę,
which also signifies that this sacrament demands souls that are desirous, needy and sorrowful.”
44
ARTICLES
Stefaniia Demchuk
ready related the latter thought to the religious and political mood in Amsterdam
whereas the former idea has been overlooked. Nonetheless, we consider it crucial,
taking into account its disposition and the then Eucharist disputations, and we will
analyse it in the upcoming paragraphs.
The caption to the Last Supper is much shorter, taking up a single page, and
it portrays two scenes: firstly, Christ is pointing at the traitor, and then he is in-
troducing the sacrament of the Eucharist, preaching to his disciples that his Flesh
and Blood are sacrificed to redeem their sins. Alardus puts particular emphasis on
transformation, the Transubstantiation, of the bread and winę34 that does not seem
to be accidental, especially in the context of the scenes depicted in the engraving.
The idea of the humanist and the logie underlying the inclusion of the two suppers
instead of just one becomes evident once we look at the Eucharist disputations that
had been taking place in 1520S and the doctrines opposed by Alardus of Amsterdam
and his associate, Jacob Cornelisz. The Reformation moods and Luther s ideas start-
ed to gain popularity at that time, thanks to the booming book printing. According
to catalogue of “Netherlandish books”35, all prominent early works had been going
to print and translated on a large scalę. Several Luther s treatises may have affected
Alardus of Amstedam and then - van Oostsanen: “The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy
and True Body of Christ and of the Brotherhood” (“Em Sermon von dem hochwilrdi-
gen Sacrament des heiligen wahren Leichnams Christi und von den Brilderschaften”,
1519), “Sermon on the New Testament” (“Em Sermon von dem Neuen Testament, das
ist von der heiligen Messe”, 1520), “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church” (“De
captivitate Babylonica ecclesiae”, 1520) and “De Abroganda Missa Privata” (1521).
Even before entering the Eucharistic discussion with treatises written for this pur-
pose, Luther discussed the difference between the Passover and the Last Supper and
their sacrifices. In his Lectures on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Luther States that “He
[Christ] makes a beautiful distinction between the two kinds of sacrifice [that is of the
Old Testament and the New], when he says that in the sacrifices of the law a remem-
brance of sins used to be madę, but in our sacrifice there was and is madę a remem-
brance of the remission of sins through the word [... ] In the former covenant, the
knowledge of sins abides and inereases: in the latter, it passes away and diminishes”.36
In the first treatise that opened the Eucharistic controversy for Luther, “The
Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Body of Christ and of the Brotherhood”
(1519), he highlighted the role of the Holy Sacrament (“ communio”) as a basis for
community of believers. Luther argued the need to introduce the Communion under
both kinds, making parallels at once with Christ s will to support all His disciples
during the Last supper, and with the Jewish Passover.37 Here the reformer avoids
34 “Nec ubi dicta dedit, palmis sibi frangere pane: / Divisque dehunc tradit: sanctusque precatus, /
Discipulos docuit sanctum se tradere corpus. [...]/ Gratis sanctificat verbis: potuque ministrat.
/ Edocuitque suum se divisisse cruorem. / Atque ait, hic sanguis populi delicta remittet. / Nunc
potate meum, eternae haec foedera pacis...” Cit. from A. Amstelredamus, J.C. van Oostsanen,
D. Pietersz, Ritvs Edendi Paschalis Agni.
35 Netherlandish Books: Books Published in the Low Countries and Dutch Books Printed Abroad
Before 1601, A. Pettegree, M. Walsby (eds.), vol. 2, Leiden-Boston 2011, p. 868.
36 Cit. from J. Atkinson, Lectures on the Epistles to the Hebrews, in: J. Atkinson (ed.), Luther: Early
Theological Works, Louisville 2006, p. 186.
37 “Just as the Jews were required to eat the Passover with bitter herbs, standing and in hastę,
which also signifies that this sacrament demands souls that are desirous, needy and sorrowful.”
44
ARTICLES
Stefaniia Demchuk