True Food and True Drink

Lesson #114

Who could possibly understand what Jesus was saying about eating his flesh and drinking his blood in order to have eternal life? It was only natural for the Jews to think about his physical flesh and blood, but Jesus presses on saying, “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:55 – 56 ESV). This is an even greater mystery because if we eat his flesh and drink his blood he abides in us and us in him. What is being said is really difficult but important so it needs to be understood.

Without food the body will waist away and without heavenly bread the soul will be famished and will perish with hunger. Jesus Christ is saying that he is the source of life and this nourishment our soul needs is found in his flesh. The life in his flesh he gave through his death and resurrection. That life given on the cross becomes our life through faith. We must embrace his death on the cross and die to self with him and then in Christ his life becomes ours. This is eating his flesh.

Jesus continues by saying that his blood is true drink. Since blood is part of his flesh why might he mention it? Since food and drink are necessary for life I believe Jesus is being complete here by mentioning both flesh and blood. Both are mentioned in the Lord’s Supper: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV). This verse supports the connection of eating his flesh and drinking his blood with his death on the cross and our belief in how he shares his life with us. This eating we are asked to do, in a way, as Calvin says, implies that “faith alone is the mouth and the stomach of the soul” and as we come to Jesus Christ by faith he then abides is us and we in him.

Prayer

Father, as I study my way through John I realize how little we know about the Jesus of the Bible and his provision for present and eternal needs. I believe this deficiency is reflected in a Barna survey which indicates that 40% of born-again Christians said they believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Father, my heart aches over how lukewarm the western church is becoming in their desire to learn and apply the word to their lives and in their love for the Lord.