At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” —John 6:52
When Jesus Christ was talking about his flesh and blood in John 6, some of the Jews were taking him literally.
For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. (John 6:55)
Let’s compare these scriptures to Catholic Church dogma:
The Body and the Blood of Christ together with His Soul and His Divinity and therefore the Whole Christ are truly present in the Eucharist. A List Of The Dogmas Of The Catholic Church | Traditional Catholic Priest (189).
Some Catholics, especially the Catholic leadership, believe the presence of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine “is a true, real and substantial presence.” This is called transubstantiation. Because of this belief, many Protestants believe that Catholics are re-crucifying Jesus Christ during the Mass. But even 70% of Catholics say the bread and wine are a “nice symbol” but don’t believe they’re the literal body and blood of Christ. The Catholic leadership is aware of this, and they’re trying to keep the doctrine of transubstantiation alive.
In this teaching, we’re going to prove that transubstantiation is error but not heretical. However, we should be careful of anyone who might base their doctrine on literary symbolism.
Let’s begin by looking at transubstantiation from paragraphs 24-26 of the Apostolic Letter of Pope Paul VI from 1968:
Sacrifice of Calvary
- We believe that the Mass, celebrated by the priest representing the person of Christ by virtue of the power received through the Sacrament of Orders, and offered by him in the name of Christ and the members of His Mystical Body, is the sacrifice of Calvary rendered sacramentally present on our altars. We believe that as the bread and wine consecrated by the Lord at the Last Supper were changed into His body and His blood which were to be offered for us on the cross, likewise the bread and wine consecrated by the priest are changed into the body and blood of Christ enthroned gloriously in heaven, and we believe that the mysterious presence of the Lord, under what continues to appear to our senses as before, is a true, real and substantial presence.(35)
Transubstantiation
- Christ cannot be thus present in this sacrament except by the change into His body of the reality itself of the bread and the change into His blood of the reality itself of the wine, leaving unchanged only the properties of the bread and wine which our senses perceive. This mysterious change is very appropriately called by the Church transubstantiation. Every theological explanation which seeks some understanding of this mystery must, in order to be in accord with Catholic faith, maintain that in the reality itself, independently of our mind, the bread and wine have ceased to exist after the Consecration, so that it is the adorable body and blood of the Lord Jesus that from then on are really before us under the sacramental species of bread and wine,(36) as the Lord willed it, in order to give Himself to us as food and to associate us with the unity of His Mystical Body.(37)
- The unique and indivisible existence of the Lord glorious in heaven is not multiplied, but is rendered present by the sacrament in the many places on earth where Mass is celebrated. And this existence remains present, after the sacrifice, in the Blessed Sacrament which is, in the tabernacle, the living heart of each of our churches. And it is our very sweet duty to honor and adore in the blessed Host which our eyes see, the Incarnate Word whom they cannot see, and who, without leaving heaven, is made present before us. Solemni Hac Liturgia (Credo of the People of God) (June 30, 1968) | Paul VI (vatican.va)
Paragraph 26 says that Jesus doesn’t leave heaven but “is made present before us.” They call this a mystery, maintaining that the real bread and wine (which are still present) have ceased to exist and have become the “adorable body and blood of the Lord Jesus.” We know that Jesus Christ is not physically present during the Eucharist because he’s at the right hand of the Father. We partake of the Lord’s supper, the bread and wine, the body and blood, to remember the Lord by proclaiming his death until he comes. Here’s the apostle Paul:
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Jesus hasn’t come yet. Now let’s compare these scriptures to the parallel scriptures of the Last Supper from the synoptic gospels. Here’s Matthew:
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28)
Here’s Mark:
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.” 23 Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. (Mark 14:22:24)
Here’s Luke:
17 After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you. (Luke 21:17-20)
All these scriptures say, “This is my body.” But is Jesus speaking literally or figuratively? Jesus also says, “Do this in remembrance of me.” If Jesus is literally present in the Eucharist, then why would we have to remember him? Again, we take the body and blood of Jesus to proclaim his death until he comes. Now let’s go back to Scripture to find out why I believe God will be merciful for the belief of transubstantiation. In the following scriptures from John 6, the Jews (and even some disciples) took Jesus literally when he was speaking of his flesh and blood:
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.” 52 At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:51:58)
In verse 51, Jesus is talking about his crucifixion. We already know that Jesus is not speaking about real food by going back to verse 27:
Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
Let’s continue with verse 59:
59 Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60 On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before? 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.) 65 Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.” 66 From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. (John 6:59-66)
Jesus knew that his words would offend some of them. He was testing them. Those who turned back in verse 66 failed the test. Jesus wasn’t being literal when he was talking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood because in verse 63, he tells us that the flesh profits nothing and the words he has spoken are spirit and life. Since Jesus spoke like this, will God be forgiving if some believe the bread and wine are literally changed into the body and blood of the Lord? At the Last Supper, Jesus says, “My body” and “My blood.” Yet, we have to ask ourselves why anyone would take this literally. The fact that 70% of Catholics believe that the bread and wine are simply a nice symbol of the body and blood of the Lord tells us that common sense is prevailing.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)
Let’s remember that the Lord knows those who are his, wherever they may be.
In these last days, the most important church to be in is the church in Philadelphia from Revelation 3. Let’s keep Jesus’s words of patient endurance no matter what happen in this dying world.
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains. (James 5:7)
Peace to all through Jesus Christ our savior, and may the Lord literally come soon.
Futile World 