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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 [John 6:53].

That means to partake of Him spiritually, which is more real than a physical partaking.

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:407

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

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

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

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

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life [John 6:59–63].

There was definite reaction to what Jesus had said and differences of opinion. Jesus tells them that they are not going to eat Him literally because He is going back to heaven. It is the Spirit that makes alive; the flesh profits nothing. So obviously, friend, He is not talking about His literal body. We are to appropriate the Lord’s Supper by faith. The juice in the cup is sweet, and I always taste the sweetness, remembering that He bore the bitter cup for me on the cross so that I might have this sweet cup. That sweet cup is to remind me that He shed His blood for me, and there is a spiritual blessing there.

“The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” During my ministry, I have always read to the congregation from the Word of God during the Lord’s Supper. I find that the Word of God ministers to the hearts of the people. Why? Because the words of the Lord Jesus are spirit and they are life.

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:408

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you [Luke 22:19–20].

The Lord took two of the most frail elements in the world as symbols of His body and blood. Bread and wine—both will spoil in a few days. When He raised a monument, it was not made of brass or marble, but of two frail elements that perish. He declared that the bread spoke of His body and the wine spoke of His blood. The bread speaks of His body broken—not a bone broken but a broken body because He was made sin for us (see 2 Cor. 5:21). I do not believe He even looked human when He was taken down from that cross. Isaiah had said of Him, “… his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14); and “… there is no beauty that we should desire him” (Isa. 53:2).

For centuries the Passover feast had looked forward to the Lord’s coming and His death. Now He is in the shadow of the cross, and this is the last Passover. The Passover feast has now been fulfilled. We gather about the Lord’s Table and search our hearts. What we do at this Table is in remembrance of Him. We look back to what He did for us on the cross, and we look forward to His coming again. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Cor. 11:26).

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:344-345

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body [1 Cor. 11:27–29].

What does he mean to “discern” the Lord’s body? Looking back in church history you will find that the churches had a great problem in determining the meaning of this. What does it mean to discern the Lord’s body? The answer of the Roman Catholic church is that transubstantiation takes place, that when the priest officiates at the altar, the bread actually becomes the body of Christ, also that the juice actually becomes the blood of Christ. If this were true, to eat it would be cannibalism. (Thank the Lord, it does not change; it is still bread and juice). But they were wrestling with the problem. How do you discern the Lord’s body in this? In the Lutheran church (Martin Luther didn’t want to come too far, as he had been a Roman Catholic priest), it is consubstantiation. That is, it is in, by, with, through, and under the bread that you get the body of Christ. It is not the body, but it is the body. You can figure that one out—I can’t. Then Zwingli, the Swiss Reformation leader, came all the way. He said it was just a symbol. And the average Protestant today thinks that is all it is, a symbol. I disagree with that explanation as much as I do with the other two. It is more than a symbol.

Follow me now to the Emmaus road, and I think we shall find there recorded in Luke’s gospel, chapter 24, what it means to discern Christ’s body and His death.

Two of Jesus’ disciples, two believers, are walking home after having witnessed the terrible Crucifixion in Jerusalem and the events that followed it. Are they down in the dumps! As they walk along discussing these things, our resurrected Lord joins them and asks what they are talking about that makes them so sad. Thinking Him to be a stranger, they tell Him about Jesus’ being condemned to death and crucified and about the report of the women who went to the tomb. “And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he [Christ] said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.” He acted as if He were going through the town without stopping. “But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” It was dangerous to walk those highways at night.

“And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them ….” A few days before He had eaten the Passover with His own, now these are two other disciples, and here is the first time after His resurrection He is observing the Lord’s Supper.“And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.” Wasn’t that wonderful to have Him present for the meal! In the meal He takes the bread, He breaks it, He blesses it, He gives it to them. “And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us …” (Luke 24:24–32). He had a meal with them. Then what did He do? He revealed Himself. That was the Lord’s Supper.

Oh, friend, when you observe the Lord’s Supper, He is present. Yes, He is! This is not just a symbol. It means you must discern the body of Christ. You have bread in your mouth, but you have Christ in your heart. May God help us to so come to the table that Jesus Christ will be a reality to us. God forgive us for making it a dead, formal ritual!

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:55-56

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? [1 Cor. 10:16–19].

Paul’s argument here is quite logical. He says that an idol is nothing. So if you offer meat to an idol, it is nothing—the meat is not affected at all.

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:46

Response to comment [from a Catholic]: "Believe what it says in the bible, and you will become Catholic..."

Roman Catholics kept the word of God from the people and murdered Christians.

"Catholics believe all the Bible."

It is good to test all things according to the Bible. Regrettably, some respond with hostility toward God's word. Trust in a church cannot save you. Trust in Christ can (Isa 45:21,22; 59:16; Ac 4:12).

It comes down to the heart. Men respond to the word of God like wax or clay when exposed to sunlight. Wax melts. Clay hardens (Jn 12:48).

"You [Protestants] leave out the tough parts."

Bible churches teach the whole Bible verse by verse from cover to cover (Ro 1:16). Have they ever preached the epistle to the Galatians at your church?

"And the protestants say: 'On hearing it, many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'"

You wrote his disciples. Do you understand that he was speaking to believers?

And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them [Luke 20:19].

We can see that the religious rulers certainly got the point of His parable. The problem is that too many people in our churches today miss the point.

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:337

Response to comment [from a Catholic]: "Why does Jesus say my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink?"

Jesus has been described in the Bible as: a branch (Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5, Jech 3:8; 6:12), bread (Jn 6:32-35), a star (Re 22:16), a stone (Isa 28:16, Ps 118:22; Eph 2:20, 1 Pe 2:6), a door (Jn 10:9), a light (Jn 8:12), a water (Jn 4;10; 7:38), a dayspring (Lk 1:78), a horn (Lk 1:69), a seed (2 Ti 2:8), a plant (Eze 34:29), a root (Isa. 11:10), a rose (Song 2:1), a scepter (Num. 24:17), a vine (John 15:1) and of course, the Word (1 John 1:1).

Do you also worship: branches, stars, stones, doors, light bulbs, water, springs, horns, seeds, plants, roots, roses, scepters, vines and words?

1 Cor 11:23-27 states: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till he Comes." On that night he took bread. At that supper he took bread. When we take communion, we do it in remembrance of him.

"John 6:56: 'He who [trogo: gnaws] my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.'”

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

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

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 [John 6:54–58].

Friend, this is an amazing statement. Our Lord is preparing these men for that Last Supper and the institution of the Lord’s Supper. This, obviously, is something that is not to be taken literally because He was right there before them. He is not saying for them to begin to eat Him and to drink His blood! What He is saying is that He is going to give His life. In that Upper Room He made it very clear that the blood is the symbol of life. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood … ” (Lev. 17:11). God had taught the Israelites that truth from the very beginning when He called them out of the land of Egypt. There at Mount Sinai Moses gives them this great axiom, “the life of the flesh is in the blood,” which is also medically true, by the way. The life of the flesh is in the blood. And Jesus is giving His life. He will shed His blood upon the cross and give His life. Salvation is by accepting and receiving Him in a most intimate way.

This is the basis for the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Friend, there has been just as much disagreement among believers in the churches down through the ages over the interpretation of the Lord’s Supper as there has been over baptism. I don’t think they have fought over it quite as much, but the disagreement is there.

Hoc est meus corpus—“This is my body.” When He gave them the bread at the supper in the Upper Room, He said, “ … This is my body … ” (Luke 22:19). Now there have been different emphases put on that.

The Roman Catholic church puts the emphasis upon this. This is My body. They say that transubstantiation takes place, that the bread becomes the flesh of Christ. Well, I don’t think our Lord taught cannibalism in any form, shape, or fashion. I think, of course, that is a wrong emphasis. Then there are those who have taken the position of the Lutheran church, which is consubstantiation. This means that by, with, in, through, and under the bread you get the body of Christ. Again, may I say, I think that falls short of what our Lord really means. Then there are those who take Zwingli’s position. He was the Swiss Reformation leader who gave it a spiritual interpretation. He felt it was just a symbol, just a religious ritual, and that is all. I think that is probably the interpretation that most of Protestantism gives to it today. Frankly. I feel that falls as far short of the interpretation of the Lord’s Supper as the other two do. Calvin put the emphasis on is—“This is my body.” The Reformed faith has always put the emphasis there, and the early church put the emphasis there. The bread is bread, and it always will be bread. It cannot be changed. The wine is always just what it is, and there is no miracle that takes place there. You don’t get the body of Christ by going through the ritual. And yet, it is more than a ritual. I had a seminary professor who taught us that in the Lord’s Supper it is bread in your mouth, but it is Christ in your heart. Friend, I believe that there is a spiritual blessing that comes in observing the Lord’s Supper. I think that He ministers to you spiritually through your obedience in observing the Lord’s Supper. There is no such thing as a hocus-pocus there. Nor is it just an idle ritual that we go through. It is meaningful, and it has a spiritual blessing for the heart.

I think that is what our Lord is saying to them here. An intimate, real relationship with Him is the important thing. When they ate manna in the wilderness it was only a temporary thing. Jesus has something that is eternal—life which is eternal. We are told at the beginning of this gospel, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:407-408

"Either Christ gave the worst sermon in the history of Christendom, nearly insisting the people misunderstand him (couldn’t he read the crowd?) or Christ gave a sermon that demanded a radically altered paradigm of how God would commune with Man in the Gospel Age..."

Or, you are believing lies. Someone said that the church is a history of heresies. If you seek truth, it is found in God's word. Both Peter and Paul in their swan songs (2 Pet) and (2 Ti) respectively put the emphasis on the word of God. The gospel is one of grace not works. We come to God by faith not ritualism or ceremonialism.

See:

Have You Ever Been Deceived?

"Protestants claim the crowds missed the symbolism. Catholics claim the people rejected the radicalness of Christ, wanting him only on their terms..."

Protestants claim that Catholics pervert the symbolism of the bread. Roman Catholics officially teach that faith comes by the Eucharist. Faith is the gift of God (not the church) [Ro 12:3; Eph 2:8; 6:23; Php 1:29]. Faith is the work of God (not a priest) [Ac 11:21; 1Co 2:5]. The Bible says that faith comes by the word of God (Joh 17:20; Ac 8:12; Ro 10:14,15,17; 1Co 3:5).

Works before salvation (e.g. mass attendance) mean nothing. Faith is the only thing that honors God (Isa 63:9; Eph 5:23, Isa 45:21,22; 59:16; Ac 4:12).

Understand ritualism and ceremonialism.

See:

Dealing with Spiritual Blindness Pt 2