Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
Gospel Trivia:
You might have the same question asked by the Jews: "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Firstly, it should be recalled that the gospels were written several decades after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Specifically, John's gospel was written sometime between 90-110 AD. Jesus was long gone (in the physical sense).
However, he continues to be present among the disciples NOT physically, but spiritually through His Eucharistic presence when Christians gathered together in "prayers and breaking of bread" (which is how the Mass was referred to at that time). This passage then is one occasion of emphasizing that the presence of Jesus is real in the bread and wine.
(Click here if you want to read more about what happens during consecration and the presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine).
Secondly, the phrase "flesh and blood" is a Hebrew idiom for the whole person, conveying that the union between Jesus (who is present in the bread and wine) and his disciples (who "drinks and eats" them) is not just a sacramental union but also a personal union.
In this particular passage, however, the main message is not so much the real presence of Jesus in the bread and wine.
The key message is his IMMANENT presence among his disciples.
The key verse in this gospel is John 6:56: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood REMAINS -- or "ABIDES" -- in me and I in him. The verb "abides" is one of John's favorite words and used it 40 times in his gospel (compared to three in Matthew, two in Mark and seven in Luke).
It suggests that two beings achieve the closest possible union without either person losing his personality. John emphasizes that Jesus is IN his disciples and the disciples are IN Jesus. Thus, the phrase "eating and drinking" captures this point vividly -- WE BECOME WHO WE "EAT".
Sources:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More (Manila: St. Paul's Publications, 1989), pp. 90-101.
- James McPolin, SJ, John (Manila: Daughters of St. Paul), pp. 106-107.
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