Big Idea

What did Jesus mean when He said that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood? Certainly, this is one of the hardest sayings of Jesus. But, He made it clear that eternal life depends on it, for if we do not eat and drink His flesh and blood, we have no life in us. So, what did He mean, and how are we to do this?

Jesus' teaching here is hard because the image is so contrary to our sense of right and wrong. The image of cannibalism is hard to overcome. While Jesus no doubt intended the image to be shocking, He did not intend the image to be taken that way. In the bigger context, Jesus declared that He is the bread of life. That is the image we must begin with. But He does add that His flesh and blood are the bread. This connection is unavoidable because it was only by His death on the cross and the shedding of His blood that His life can sustain us as spiritual food. While the image is harsh, Jesus' explanation is clear. What Jesus meant by eating His flesh and drinking His blood is that 1) He is the only food that can satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst, 2) We eat and drink by believing in Him and in His sacrifice for us, and 3) this kind of belief is the result of a deep understanding of all that Jesus is for us and to us.