WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN AND DRINK HIS BLOOD?
(John 6:53-58 KJV) 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. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 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 6:60 KJV) Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
(John 6:66 KJV) From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
What does it mean to eat the flesh of Son of Man and to drink His blood? Believers and commentators say different things about this passage and many literally assume the passage to mean eating Christ's flesh and blood to the extent that they proclaim that the bread and wine used in the Eucharist (or Holy Communion) transforms to Christ's real body and blood (in a process called transubstantiation). This is the same mistake that those disciples that stopped following Jesus made. They literally took Jesus words. They said, how can this man give us His body to eat.
(John 6:52 KJV) The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
However, Jesus answered their misunderstanding in subsequent verse and pointed out to them that it is the Spirit that gives eternal life and that His flesh cannot benefit them. In other words, they should stop thinking that He was literally asking them to eat His flesh and drink His blood. He equally told them that the words He had told them have spiritual meaning (in other words, they shouldn't be taken literally) and words of eternal life.
(John 6:63 KJV) 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 6:63 HCSB) The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn't help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
(John 6:63 GWT) Life is spiritual. Your physical existence doesn't contribute to that life. The words that I have spoken to you are spiritual. They are life.
Now, just like all the previous statements of our Lord Jesus Christ, the meaning of this statement in John 6:53 can be found in the context. If you equate John 6:40 and John 6:54 you will notice that Jesus said He will give everlasting life as well as raise from the dead to everyone who (1) looks to Him and believes in Him; (2) eats His flesh and drinks His blood. The two set of actions are equivalent. In other words to eat His flesh and drink His blood is simply to look to Jesus and believe in Him.
(John 6:40 NIV) For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."
(John 6:54 NIV) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
The reference Jesus made to eating his flesh and drinking His blood is a metaphorical way of describing the person who accepts, receives, appropriates, assimilates and believes His sacrifice.
Notice that in the Old Testament, God commanded that the sin offering (an animal sacrifice) must be eaten. The Priests eat the sin offering on behalf of the people in order to substitutionally bear the guilt (iniquity) of the people. By eating the flesh of the animal in the holy place, they accept/ assimilate that the animal is the sacrifice for their salvation and atonement of sin.
(Leviticus 10:17 KJV) Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?
Similarly, Jesus was the sin offering (though they did not know it at that time). So He said to them in John 6:53, you must eat my flesh for you to have salvation (everlasting life). In other words, you must look up to me and accept me as the sacrifice (sin offering) in order for you to have eternal life and for me to raise you at the last day.
Now, in respect of drinking of His blood, also notice that in the Old Testament "blood" was used to signify the juice of grapes.
(Genesis 49:11 KJV) Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
(Deuteronomy 32:14 KJV) Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.
The most natural substitute for the drinking of blood would then be the use of wine. Remember that later at the last supper, Jesus signified that the bread is His body (flesh) and the fruit of the vine (grapes), His blood.
In the Old Testament, Leviticus tells us that the repurchased wine offering etc (particularly the second tithe) can be consumed on the alter as sacrifice by the people.
(Deuteronomy 14:23-26 KJV) And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
In other occasions, the people were commanded to offer to the Lord, a Drink Offering which is a small quantity of wine, part of which was to be poured on the sacrifice or meat offering, and the residue kept by the priests.
(Exodus 29:40 GNT) With the first lamb offer two pounds of fine wheat flour mixed with one quart of pure olive oil. Pour out one quart of wine as an offering.
The priests offering this blood of the grape accepts and assimilates it as the sacrifice for their blessings. Jesus is also saying, you must drink my blood to have eternal life. In other words, you must accept the shedding of my blood as the sacrifice (drink offering) for your blessings.
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