Hocus Pocus

Martin Luther was born in Medieval times when few could read or write. Superstition was rampant. Most people believed they were at the mercy of fate and had no hope of improving their situation. Those who could read were unlikely to have read Latin. The only Bible translation available was in Latin. Some of the more educated priests had been trained in Latin, but many village priests had not. The best they could do was memorizing the Mass in Latin. They may not have been sure what they were even saying. It was basically just ritual by rote. The Catholic Church taught that as the priest performed the Mass the bread and wine were turned into the very body and blood of Christ. This “transubstantiation,” which became official church doctrine in 1215 at the Fourth Council of the Lateran, was supposedly a sacrament that imparted grace to the recipient. It was, in reality, superstitious mumbo-jumbo with no Scripture to back it up. The priest would say the Latin phrase “hoc est corpus” which translates “this is my body.” It is believed that the phrase “hocus pocus” came from this magical idea that bread became flesh and wine became blood, hoc est corpus, hocus pocus.

Thankfully Christ does not have to be offered as a sacrifice again and again. His work of redemption is finished. When we take the Lord’s Supper we “do it in remembrance of Him.” No hocus pocus necessary.