Which is it now, I wonder? Is it drinking water that brings life or drinking blood?
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.
Looks like John couldn't make up his mind...or was it really John?
Looks like John was quoting Jesus so your confusion should be with his words and not the one who wrote down his words.
My point, and I believe Metmom's as well, is that Jesus used many metaphors to express his teachings. He refers to himself as a door of the sheepfold and the shepherd of the sheep. He is the way, the truth and the life and one who will make others "fishers of men". He's the Son of Man and the Son of God. He asks for all to come to him and says his "yoke" is easy and his "burden" is light. He says if we want to follow him, we should "take up our crosses". He is the "capstone" that the builders rejected. He is the Great Physician and the bridegroom. He is "Lord of the Sabbath" and "Lord of the harvest", the foundation of stone, not shifting sand. He is master and servant.
So, when Jesus speaks about being the "bread of life", the "water of life" and his blood the "New Covenant", why is he suddenly speaking of literally drinking him or eating him? He obviously, to me, is speaking metaphorically and when we believe in him, receive him, trust in him, have faith in him, we are partaking of him and in return we have eternal life.