Grailhunter
Well-Known Member
I think Catholics misunderstand those passages. It says do in remembrance of me. Key point is remembrance. It doesn't say you're eating the Lord's body and drinking his blood. I see we're going to disagree on that.
Devin, sorry about your dizzy.
As far as the bread and wine ritual, you need to re-read John chapter 6 carefully.
Granted there has been much disagreement on the bread and wine ritual, what it means and what happens during it and the ramifications. That aside and cutting to the chase...whatever it is, is extremely important and serious because of what happened during this conversation and what Christ said about it.
Christ is talking to a multitude and at least some are Jews, and it appears to be a discussion because they going back and forth. And they asked in verse 28 “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Christ's answer to that pretty much takes up the next 30 verses, so it is not a vague set of scriptures.
In His answer he makes it clear if you do not to this....“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. Verse 53 The words Truly truly means matter of fact. Then...He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. Verse 54 This one is interesting because does it mean that if you do not do what He said, He will not raise you on the last day and you will not have eternal life. .Then verse 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. Is it important that Christ abides in us and we in Him? Do we want Christ to abide in us and we in Him? If you do not perform this ritual does either happen? One thing is clear, there is no hint of a symbology here, it is not a thought, it is an action, because Christ performs this ritual.
Of course they have been debating this for a long time, but the ramifications and seriousness of it is clear in the context of what happened...What Christ said set everyone back. It stopped the conversation He was having with the people. His own disciples were aghasted....verse 60 And when it was all said and done....Many of His disciples no longer walked with Him....verse 66 Serious enough that He asked His Apostles if they were going to leave too....verse 67.
For one there are no other scriptures like this. So the understanding or interpretation varies, but what is clear is what Christ said,...no life in you...and eternal life depends on it.
I do not think that this ritual is fully understood, but I highly recommend participating in it.