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Malachi
Most notably, the Old Testament prophesy most often attributed to the Eucharist comes from Malachi: “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it when you say the Lord’s table is polluted, and the food for it may be despised” (Mal 1:11-12).
The prophecy of Malachi foresaw the destruction of the old temple sacrifice to be replaced by an offering acceptable to God, “in every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me” (Mal. 1:10-11).
Thus, Protestant early Church historian J. N. D. Kelly writes that in the early Church “the Eucharist was regarded as the distinctively Christian sacrifice from the closing decade of the first century, if not earlier. Malachi’s prediction (1:10–11) that the Lord would reject Jewish sacrifices and instead would have ‘a pure offering’ made to him by the Gentiles in every place was seized upon by Christians as a prophecy of the Eucharist…
It was natural for early Christians to think of the Eucharist as a sacrifice. The fulfillment of prophecy demanded a solemn Christian offering, and the rite itself was wrapped in the sacrificial atmosphere with which our Lord invested the Last Supper. The words of institution, ‘Do this’ (touto poieite), must have been charged with sacrificial overtones for second-century ears; Justin at any rate understood them to mean, ‘Offer this.’ . . . The bread and wine, moreover, are offered ‘for a memorial (eis anamnasin) of the passion,’ a phrase which in view of his identification of them with the Lord’s body and blood implies much more than an act of purely spiritual recollection” (J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines [Full Reference], 196–7).
In fact, when Jesus spoke the words “Do this in memory of me”, (Luke 22:19) the Greek translation can also mean “offer this as a memorial offering.” Touto poieite tan eman anamnasin.
Refer to the section on the “The Mass as a Sacrifice” and you will see that one of the first collections of early Christian writing called “The Didache”, uses the word thusia, a Greek term for sacrifice, when referring to the Eucharist.
Melchizedek
It is interesting to note that in the very first book of the Old Testament, we meet a mysterious character who would later be understood in Psalm 110-4 and in the New Testament book of Hebrews as pre-figuring the long awaited Messiah.
Melchizedek, whose name means “King of Righteousness”, was both King and Priest. Yet, Melchizedek was not a priest in the line of Aaron. The order of Aaron was a priestly division in which the priests conducted animal sacrifices according to the laws and regulations of the old covenant. Because Aaron was a Levite, the order of Aaron is also called the Levitical priesthood. On the contrary, Melchizedek offered to Abraham gifts of bread and wine.
Abraham first meets Melchizedek after his defeat of Chedoriaomer and his three allies. We read in Genesis 14:17-20: “ When Abram returned from his victory over Chedorlaomer and the kings who were allied with him, the king of Sodom went out to greet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). Melchizedek, King of Salem (traditionally identified with Jerusalem), brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
It is in the Psalms of King David where Melchizedek appears again: The Lord says to my lord:[a]
1“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”
2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying,
“Rule in the midst of your enemies!”
3 Your troops will be willing
on your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy splendor,
your young men will come to you
like dew from the morning’s womb.[b]
4 The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”
– Psalm 110:1-4
This prophesy states not only will this King rule with God at His right but that he will be a priest and offer sacrifices to God. This is clearly referencing Jesus, the long awaited Messiah who come to free all from sin and death. Since Melchizedek offered bread and wine, so too this priest-king will also offer something, His own Body and Blood of the “New Covenant”. Thus it is at the Last Supper where he offers His own Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine, declaring “take, eat this is My Body.”
Clement of Alexandria in the Third Century A.D., was among the first to make the written connection with the bread and wine offered by Melchizedek as prototypes, as elements of the Eucharist. He writes in the Stromata, “Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who gave bread and wine, furnishing consecrated food for a type of the Eucharist. And Melchizedek is interpreted righteous king; and the name is a synonym for righteousness and peace.”
For an in-depth and fascinating understanding of the Priesthood of Melchizedek and its pre-figurement to Jesus and the Eucharist please see: https://www.hprweb.com/2018/09/christ-melchizedek-and-the-eucharistic-sacrifice/