Did Jesus Institute Seven Sacraments?

Because of Jesus’ authoritative words recorded in the four gospels, and the early Church leaders’ authoritative teachings recorded in other New Testament books and transmitted via sacred Tradition, we can be sure that Jesus instituted the seven sacraments.

Included in the authoritative words of Jesus is that he promised to send the Holy Spirit to lead the Church into all truth (John 16:13). Jesus also tells Peter and the apostles, the leaders of the Church, that he is sending them as the Father sent him (John 20:21). How did the Father send Jesus? With full authority on heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18-20).

So we can have confidence in the Church in accurately transmitting Christ’s teaching on the sacraments in particular and faith and morals in general.

The word sacrament was used broadly in the early Church to also refer to practices that we would later distinguish as “sacramentals,” but the Church reaffirmed in time that Jesus instituted seven sacraments, whereas other practices are helpful to Church but not fundamental to Christian life as the seven sacraments Christ instituted.

For more on the sacraments and their origins, see our articles on “The Seven Signs” (and related scriptural footnotes in its CCC citations) and “To Be or Not to Be a Sacrament.”