John 6:52-59 – Eating and Drinking
Let’s look, first of all, at what these verses don’t mean. They don’t mean a literal eating and drinking of Christ. And they don’t refer necessarily to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. We may eat the Lord’s Supper, and yet not eat and drink Christ’s body and blood. We may eat and drink Christ’s body and blood, and yet not eat the Lord’s Supper. How do we know these verses aren’t to be taken literally? Three reasons. First, Jewish law forbids cannibalism. This idea is completely revolting to all Jews. Secondly, Scripture repeatedly teaches that only repentance and faith are necessary to be saved. We are never told that we need to perform some physical act such as eating and drinking in order to be saved. Finally, to take this literally means that the thief who dies on the cross is never saved. Does Christ lie to him when He tells the thief he will be in paradise? The thief never eats or drinks before he dies. In addition, many eat and drink the Lord’s Supper who have no faith at all. Do they automatically go to heaven?
So, what does it mean? The “flesh and blood of the Son of Man” means the sacrifice of His own body which Christ offers up on the cross when He dies for sinners. The “eating and drinking” refers to when a man believes on Christ crucified for salvation. It is an inward act of the heart, and has nothing to do with the body. Whenever a man, feeling his own guilt and sinfulness, lays hold on Christ, and trusts in the atonement made for him by Christ’s death, at once he “eats the flesh and drinks the blood of the Son of man.” His soul feeds on Christ’s sacrifice by faith, just as his body feeds on bread.
Questions
- Do we literally eat and drink Christ?
- What is Jesus talking about here?
- What must we do to be saved?
Prayer Points
- Pray for wisdom in understanding the Word of God.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.