Jesus shed his blood “for many”?
One of the changes made to Roman Catholic Mass in English was in the Eucharistic Prayers. It used to say, “…my blood… will be shed for you and for ALL [my emphasis]…” (previously from 1973, it said “…for all men”). Now (since 2011) English-language Roman Catholicism has changed it so that Christ’s blood is “poured out for you and for MANY [again, my emphasis]”.
Did Jesus die “for many”? Or did Jesus die “for all”?!
The earliest account of Jesus’ last meal (1 Cor 11:25) mentions neither “shed” (Luke & Matthew) nor “for you” (Luke) nor “many” (Matthew and Mark) nor “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew)!
The difference between a kleptomaniac and a fundamentalist is that: a kleptomaniac takes things, literally; a fundamentalist takes things literally. Good luck to fundamentalists trying to work out what Jesus actually said at his last meal…
In any case, the presumption is that Jesus was speaking Aramaic where, if he used a “for many/all” word, it (like the Hebrew רבים rabbim) would have meant a large number, without any distinction whether it was “many” or “all”.
There have been (and are!) theological movements that Jesus didn’t die for all, that Jesus only died for the “elect”, for those who are “saved”. Within Catholicism, that’s usually referred to as Jansenism; within Protestantism, it’s TULIP Calvinism. Jansenism is named after the Dutch bishop of Ypres, Cornelius Jansen (1585 – 1638). He (like Jesus!!!) wouldn’t have recognises what his followers made of his teachings. Much was made of limited atonement (the “L” in TULIP) and irresistible grace (the “I” in TULIP). I’m not going to cherry pick biblical verses to argue that Jesus died for all (do your own work; you could start here) – certainly, cards on the table, I’m at the Pope Francis end of the spectrum: there might be a hell, but, if so, I suspect it’s empty. [If that tendency towards Universalism makes you ask what drives me to live well and spread Christ’s Good News, that’s a conversation we won’t be able to have if you’re still at Kohlberg’s Stage 1 of moral development!]
Jansenists imaged Jesus on the cross as at the top of this post. In usual crucifixion imagery, Jesus stretches his arms horizontally, welcoming all. The Jansenist image shows a much narrower embrace. Jansenist Jesus died for few. [You can see this influence, for example in Low Country artists, e.g. Rubens].
Some people were so extreme about the “for all” English translation of the Eucharistic Prayer that they claimed it is invalid and cannot consecrate the bread and wine (such RCs are unaware that the Vatican RC tradition accepts the validity of a Eucharistic Prayer with Jesus’ final meal story missing completely!!!)
The Old Catholic Church (an episcopal church that, like Anglicanism, has a complex history – and incidentally is now in full communion with Anglicanism) has been connected historically to Jansenism, so much so that it has sometimes been referred to as the Jansenist Church of Holland. One might think that it, hence, would translate this text as “for many”, but no – the Oud-Katholiek Kerkboek (Old Catholic Prayer Book, 1993) uses “velen” (“many”) in 8 Eucharistic Prayers, “u en alle mensen” (“you and all people”) in 3, and “voor u allen” (“for you all”) in one. So, it is unconcerned about this. [Incidentally, you will find incorrect information online (surprise!): Dutch Roman Catholicism uses “door allen” (“for all”) in both the 1973 and 1980 (current) translation].
[Incidentally, NZ Anglicanism in the Eucharistic Prayers formularies uses “many” 8 times, “all” twice, simply “for you” twice, and neither “many” nor “all” twice.]
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