But consider John:6:54–57:
"Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them."
Does this mean cannibalism? How can anyone eat his flesh and drink his blood?
Ok, let’s put this back in the context of the passage. People rip scripture out of context all the time. Jesus also says this at the last supper.:
Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took
some bread, and bafter a blessing, He broke
it and gave
it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave
it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
[1]
OK, Jesus is still alive here and states this, so we know it can’t actually be his body and blood.
Let’s move on. Put the verses of John back in context;
John 6:29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”30So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?31 “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’ ”
32Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.33“For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world. ”34Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”35Jesus said to them, “
I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.36“But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.37“
All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.38“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.39“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.40“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
[2] 41Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”42They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”43Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves.44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.45“It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.46“Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.47“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.
48“I am the bread of life.49“Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.50“This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.51“
I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”52Then the Jews
began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us
His flesh to eat?”53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.54“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.55“For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.56“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.57“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.58“
This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”
[3]
Jesus is comparing Himself to the Manna that God gave the children of Israel for 40 years to provide life for them. Jesus declares Himself as the Manna. We know for certain that the blood and body can’t mean to actually eat his flesh and drink His blood. But was His body sacrificed for us, yes. And let’s not forget His words: ”abides in Me, and I in him” (56) This shows up in John 16 an17, “you in me and I in you”.
Jesus becomes life for us.
Sorry for the length, but it needed to stay in context.
[2] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Jn 6:29–40.
[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Jn 6:41–58.
