Eat my flesh and drink my blood
When you read “Eat my flesh and drink my blood” from the passage of scripture where it is mentioned, it could be extremely troubling if taken out of context. This statement from Jesus was troubling to the Jews He spoke to, yet not only to them but also to many of us today.
Was Jesus teaching cannibalism? If you want to understand what He was saying, you must pay attention to the context.
- Believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
- Believing in Jesus produces eternal life now. Whoever has believed on Him has everlasting life.
- Eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal lifeJohn 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
- This verse says that he that drinks His blood and eats His flesh has eternal life.
- John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
- Eternal life is not just living forever. All people will live forever but the difference is where they will live forever. Eternal life is knowing Jesus and God the Father. (John 17:3). Eternal life is rather a relationship with God through Christ Jesus.
- This eternal life comes only by faith in and of Jesus Christ. This is not speaking of physical eating of human flesh and drinking blood.
- Eating Jesus flesh and drinking His blood=Believing on Jesus.John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
- Verses 47 and 54 reveal that eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood is done by simply believing on Him hence eternal life.
- The word “believeth” and “eateth my flesh” and “drinketh my blood” are used interchangeably. Therefore, eating His flesh and drinking His blood is believing on Him which brings eternal life.
- Eateth me shall live
- John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
- John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
- One verse says that he that eats Jesus shall live and while the other says he that believes on Jesus shall live. These verses are not teaching multiple ways to have life.
- When we put these verses together, they tell us that life comes by eating Jesus—the bread of life and bread from heaven which is referring to believing on Jesus. The way we eat Jesus and drink His blood is by believing on Him as our personal Lord and savior.
Life & Everlasting life, both come by believing on the Lord Jesus.
Rich Kanyali