If you do not eat the flesh. John 6:63 shows us these words are symbolic. The very thought of drinking blood was offensive to the Jews, who were forbidden to taste blood (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:10-14); and this was reaffirmed for Christians (Acts 15:20). To "eat the flesh and drink the blood" of the Son of God, is to "reach out through faith to seize the sacrifice of Christ and make yourself part of it." See note on Acts 2:38. No reference to the Lord's Supper[Holy Meal] is here intended! Origen, Basil, Zwingle, Calvin, Luther, Melancthon, et. al., are agreed on this. The flesh and blood of Jesus symbolize the same fact which the Lord's Supper [Holy Meal] symbolizes - union with God! Jesus is implying in these words that his death is necessary to the world's life. McGarvey says: "It was difficult to bring home to their carnal minds so spiritual a thought, and therefore Jesus clothed it in carnal metaphors and made it as plain as possible. Christians today, being more spiritually minded, and more used to spiritual language, are somewhat confused by the carnal dress in which Jesus clothed his thought."

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Old Testament