And then He goes on to say, John 6:63 " It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
He said it was SPIRITUAL eating.
HE recognized the the cup was only wine.
Matthew 26:29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Mark 14:25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 22:18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
Recall that when God instituted the Passover to the Israelites in Egypt, He specifically commanded them to eat the lamb. (Exodus 12:8-10)
To anticipate the Lamb of God and show a spiritual truth. They weren't really eating Jesus then and the bread and the wine aren't really Jesus now.
It was looking forward, in a picture to the spiritual reality just as communion is looking back at the same spiritual reality.
Recognizing it as a remembrance causes NO conflict with consistent interpretation of Scripture.
Claiming they ate the actual blood of Jesus is totally inconsistent with the rest of reveled Scripture and is what requires all kinds of *interpretation* to make it fit and explain it away.
Recall that when God instituted the Passover to the Israelites in Egypt, He specifically commanded them to eat the lamb. (Exodus 12:8-10)
Recall that the blood was NEVER, EVER to be eaten. It was poured out for atonement, just as Jesus' blood was.
Therefore, if Catholics are eating the blood, they are NOT participating in the same sacrifice. And a bloodless sacrifice is useless.
Nor did Jesus die on an altar. He died on a cross. And He giving His life and shedding His blood is not the same as what the Catholic church claims that He gives us Himself to offer to God for atonement for our sins.