ECT Did Jesus Christ expect us to literally eat his literal flesh?

oatmeal

Well-known member
Are we literally expected to eat his flesh?

John 6, which records Jesus speaking of himself as the bread of life is worthy of closer examination.

John 6:

After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
 
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oatmeal

Well-known member
14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.


16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one where into his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;

23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)

24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
 
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oatmeal

Well-known member
42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

48 I am that bread of life.


49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
 
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oatmeal

Well-known member
59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

One of the often recurring words is “bread”

What was Jesus Christ correcting?

What was he teaching?

Is Jesus Christ literally a loaf of bread?

Are we to ignore his words?

Why were the multitudes following him?

Was it the miracle of the bread? The bread they ate?

Or the words he spoke?

What did Jesus Christ want them to remember and believe?

That he fed them with bread? Or his words?

Did Peter understand what Jesus Christ meant by bread?
 
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oatmeal

Well-known member
Jeremiah 15:16

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

What did Jeremiah eat?

Why?

Did he eat the actual scrolls?

Or did he get his mental and spiritual sustenance from the words of God?

What was Jesus Christ's meat?

John 4:34

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

How did Jesus know the will of him that sent him?

What is scripture written in?

Words
 

chrysostom

Well-known member
Hall of Fame
Are we literally expected to eat his flesh?

there is all this talk about who is in the body of Christ
and
you ask this question

He is the bread of life
and
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood

dwelleth in me

without the blood, your part of the body will die
and
you have to drink it
 

oatmeal

Well-known member
there is all this talk about who is in the body of Christ
and
you ask this question

He is the bread of life
and
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood

dwelleth in me

without the blood, your part of the body will die
and
you have to drink it

If we are to live the lifestyle that Jesus Christ exemplified, we need to eat the same meat that he ate.

What was that meat that keep Jesus going?

doing the will of Him that sent him.

What should be our sustenance, our meat, our bread? doing the will of Him who sent Jesus Christ.

We eat his flesh and drink his blood as we do the will of the Father, like Jesus Christ did.

Jesus Christ lovingly, freely, completely and perfectly obeyed the will of the Father.

We have been called to a high and mighty calling

We have to start, baby steps, when need be
 

Bradley D

Well-known member
At the last supper Jesus was there. Therefore, the disciples were not eating Jesus' flesh or drinking His blood. Jesus often spoke in metaphors as He also did in the parables. Jesus told His disciples to do that ceremony in remembrance of Him. Paul later reiterated the importance of that ceremony. It is an important ceremony because it is to remind us of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for our sins. It should bring sorrow and gratitude.
 

oatmeal

Well-known member
At the last supper Jesus was there. Therefore, the disciples were not eating Jesus' flesh or drinking His blood. Jesus often spoke in metaphors as He also did in the parables. Jesus told His disciples to do that ceremony in remembrance of Him. Paul later reiterated the importance of that ceremony. It is an important ceremony because it is to remind us of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for our sins. It should bring sorrow and gratitude.

Yes, that is the best conclusion that fits with all scripture
 

Aimiel

Well-known member
Jesus is the True Manna. We eat The Living Word of God. We need to seek Him early, just like the Israelites did in the wilderness, collecting Manna before they did anything else. They needed fresh Manna every day. We need a fresh Word from God every day.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

We get fresh Manna from God when we hear what He hears and speaks to us. We need to wait on God and listen to the fresh Word from Him to us, every single day. No, we don't eat His literal flesh, but we do need to eat fresh Manna from Heaven every single day; otherwise our spiritual bodies will die of starvation.
 

jamie

New member
LIFETIME MEMBER
He is the bread of life
and
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood

It is my understanding that Protestants use grape juice to symbolize Jesus' blood. This is probably based on the Cana wedding story where Jesus turned water into grape juice which then must be refrigerated.
 

oatmeal

Well-known member
It is my understanding that Protestants use grape juice to symbolize Jesus' blood. This is probably based on the Cana wedding story where Jesus turned water into grape juice which then must be refrigerated.

The word "wine" Biblically is used for either the freshly squeezed juice of the grapes or the ferment grape juice.

Does scripture ever say what is in that cup?
 

jamie

New member
LIFETIME MEMBER
The word "wine" Biblically is used for either the freshly squeezed juice of the grapes or the ferment grape juice.

Does scripture ever say what is in that cup?

Jesus said, "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles else the bottles break and the wine runneth out and the bottles perish, but they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved."

How does new grape juice burst old wine skins?
 
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