Those who call themselves Catholic who belong to the Roman Catholic Church would have us believe that Jesus was talking about his physical flesh. This is in direct contradiction to Jesus own teaching.>p> Now let’s go to the next verse where Jesus begins to explain.
Let’s put the verse back into context and deal with what Jesus really told His apostles and us.
John 6:54 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.
Notice where He said “this is the breadwhich came down out of heaven? Jesus was not talking about His physical flesh. Jesus said His words are spirit, not flesh.
John 6:63 The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life,
It’s the spirit that giveth life, not the flesh.
2 Cor. 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Now let Jesus Himself tell us what that “bread” is.
Jesus puts the analogy into perspective by pointing to the metaphor of the manna from heaven which was a symbol of Jesus coming from heaven.
John 6:32 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.
Jesus Himself tells us that He is that bread which came down 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.
Do a study on the symbolism of bread, including unleavened bread, throughout the bible starting with the manna in the desert and you will understand that the focus on Jesus physical flesh is nothing more then a pagan practice.
Word for *flesh* in:
John 6:51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56
http://bible.cc/john/6-51.htm
John 6:63
http://biblos.com/john/6-63.htm
The word for *flesh* is the same in BOTH verses.
http://biblesuite.com/greek/4561.htm
sarx: flesh
Short Definition: flesh, body
Definition: flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred.
It is the exact same word used in Galatians 5 and Romans 8. There is also much more commentary at this link:http://biblesuite.com/greek/4561.htm
which I would post but would show up in HTML and mess up a simple post.
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However, it is NOT the same word as used in the Last Supper....
Matthew Mark 14:22, Luke 22:19, Matthew 26:26, 1 Corinthians 11:24, 27, 29
soma: a body
Short Definition: body, flesh
Definition: body, flesh; the body of the Church.
There is also a more in depth analysis of the word *soma* at this link: http://biblesuite.com/greek/4983.htm
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It goes to prove that what Jesus said in John 6 and during the Last Supper do not refer to the same thing. Therefore He did not mean the same thing. What He gave the disciples to eat and said was his body was not sarx but soma.
Therefore, by a brief study of the Bible, we can conclusively see that the Catholic teaching on the eating of the literal flesh of Jesus is wrong.