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LORD'S SUPPER
I) THE MESSAGE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER IN THE GOSPELS AND PAUL'S WRITING IS NOT ABOUT HOW TO BE SAVED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE. IT IS ADDRESSED TO ALREADY SAVED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR REMEMBERING WHAT OUR LORD DID FOR THEM TO BE SAVED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
A) THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE LAST SUPPER WERE ALREADY SAVED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE EXCEPT FOR JUDAS WHO NEVER BECAME A BELIEVER AND BETRAYED JESUS. SINCE JUDAS EVIDENTLY PARTOOK OF THIS SUPPER AND WAS NEVER SAVED, IT WAS EVIDENTLY NOT FOR THAT PURPOSE
1) [Compare Jn 13:5-11, 18, 21-26]:
(Jn 13:5 NASB) "Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
(Jn 13:6 NASB) So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, 'Lord, do You wash my feet?'
(Jn 13:7 NASB) Jesus answered and said to him, 'What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.'
(Jn 13:8 NASB) Peter said to Him, 'Never shall You wash my feet!' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.'
[i.e., 'If you, Peter, do not live your life in service for the Lord Jesus Christ you will not have a part - a share - of the blessings, rewards and inheritances which a faithful believer, a disciple, receives for an obedient, serving, faithful life, (cf. Dt 12:12)]
(Jn 13:9 NASB) Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.'
(Jn 13:10 NASB) Jesus said to him, 'He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you [plural] are clean, but not all of you.'
[So he whose sins are forgiven unto eternal life needs only to 'wash' clean his daily sins relative to fellowship. So all (plural) of them but one were permanently saved unto eternal life.
This ceremonial washing by our Lord was nothing new to the disciples who would, as Jews, be familiar with the ceremonial washings under the Mosaic Law which dealt with the ritual cleansing of daily sins of the Aaronic and Levitical priests in order to establish temporal fellowship with Jehovah God so as to serve Him within the bounds of their priesthood duties, (cp Ex 30:19-21; 40:11-12; 30-31). This ritual was never done to be saved]
(Jn 13:11 NASB) For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, 'Not all of you are clean,' (cf. Ps 41:9).
Jn 13:18 NASB) [Jesus said] I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.' [cf. Ps 41:9].
(Jn 13:21 NASB) When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.'
(Jn 13:22 NASB) The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking.
(Jn 13:23 NASB) There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
(Jn 13:24 NASB) So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, 'Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.'
(Jn 13:25 NASB) He, leaning back thus on Jesus' bosom, said to Him, 'Lord, who is it?'
(Jn 13:26 NASB) Jesus then answered, 'That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.' So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.' "
Since Judas evidently partook of this supper and was never saved, it was evidently not for that purpose.
2) LUKE'S ACCOUNT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER SAYS 'DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME' NOT DO THIS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE. SINCE JUDAS EVIDENTLY PARTOOK OF THIS SUPPER AND WAS NEVER SAVED, IT WAS EVIDENTLY NOT FOR THAT PURPOSE
a) [Lk 22:14-21]:
(Lk 22:14 NASB) "When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.
(Lk 22:15 NASB) And He said to them, 'I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
(Lk 22:16 NASB) for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
[Notice several things: Our Lord had not yet gone to the cross - so His blood was not yet shed. This Passover - Lord's Supper will be celebrated by Him when He comes again to rule in the Kingdom of God. So a literal consumption of His human flesh and blood cannot be in view on this alone. For His body and blood had not yet been sacrificed on the cross; and He promised to celebrate this very ceremony in His Kingdom]
(Lk 22:17 NASB) And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, 'Take this and share it among yourselves;
(Lk 22:18 NASB) for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.'
(Lk 22:19 NASB) And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'
[Note that the phrase, 'Do this in remembrance of Me,' which points to an action done in symbolic remembrance rather than an action done to provide eternal life. If it had been an action to contribute to the reception of eternal life, He would have said so.]
(Lk 22:20 NASB) And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
(Lk 22:21 NASB) But behold, 'the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table,' " (cf Ps 41:9).
Since Judas evidently partook of this supper and was never saved, it was evidently not for that purpose.
3) MATTHEW'S ACCOUNT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER IS FIGURATIVE AS WELL. SINCE JUDAS EVIDENTLY PARTOOK OF THIS SUPPER AND WAS NEVER SAVED, IT WAS EVIDENTLY NOT FOR THAT PURPOSE
a) [Mt 26:21-29]:
(Mt 26:21 NASB) "As they were eating, He said, 'Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me,' [cf. Ps 41:9].
(Mt 26:22 NASB) Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, 'Surely not I, Lord?'
(Mt 26:23 NASB) And He answered, 'He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me.
(Mt 26:24 NASB) 'The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.'
(Mt 26:25 NASB) And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, 'Surely it is not I, Rabbi?' Jesus said to him, 'You have said it yourself.'
(Mt 26:26 NASB) While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.'
(Mt 26:27 NASB) And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you;
[Again, His blood had not yet been shed for us on the cross in payment for the sins of the whole world, (1 Jn 2:2; Mt chapter 23) - so a literal transformation of the wine into His shed blood is not in view because He hadn't shed it yet! But a symbolic meaning pointing to His future sacrifice for our sins is - a point of remembrance, not a point of supernatural provision of real blood from wine to consume in order to receive eternal life]
(Mt 26:28 NASB) for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
(Mt 26:29 NASB) But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.' "
[Notice several things:
Our Lord had not yet gone to the cross - so His blood was not yet shed. This Passover - Lord's Supper will be celebrated by Him when He comes again to rule in the Kingdom of God.
So a literal consumption of His human flesh and blood cannot be in view on this alone. For His body and blood had not yet been sacrificed on the cross. Furthermore, Jesus promised to celebrate this very ceremony in His Kingdom which is yet to come - confirming it as a point of remembrance]
4) THE ACCOUNT OF OUR LORD'S LAST SUPPER IN MARK IS FIGURATIVE AS WELL
a) [Mk 14:18-25]:
(Mk 14:18 NASB) "As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, 'Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me - one who is eating with Me,' (Ps 41:9).
(Mk 14:19 NASB) They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, 'Surely not I?'
(Mk 14:20 NASB) And He said to them, 'It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl.
(Mk 14:21 NASB) For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.'
(Mk 14:22 NASB) While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, 'Take it; this is My body.'
(Mk 14:23 NASB) And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
(Mk 14:24 NASB) And He said to them, 'This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
(Mk 14:25 NASB) Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.' "
Finally, since Judas evidently partook of this supper and was never saved, it was evidently not for that purpose.
5) THE ACCOUNT OF OUR LORD'S LAST SUPPER IN PAUL'S WRITING INCLUDES JESUS' WORDS, "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME"
a) [1 Cor 11:23-29]:
(1 Cor 11:23 NASB) "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
(1 Cor 11:24 NASB) 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.'
(1 Cor 11:25 NASB) In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'
(1 Cor 11:26 NASB) For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
[Notice that Paul describes the significance of celebrating the Lord's Supper: 'You proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.', i.e., as the text says, 'Do this in remembrance of Me.' There is no mention of an actual transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of our Lord nor partaking of this ceremony for the purpose of attaining eternal life - and here would have been a good time to do just that]
(1 Cor 11:27 NASB) Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
[Note that Paul is saying here that one who unworthily celebrates the proclamation of our Lord's death is sinning against His "body and blood" in the sense of his improper remembrance of what our Lord did on the cross for him.]
(1 Cor 11:28 NASB) But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
(1 Cor 11:29 NASB) For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly."
The phrase rendered, "if he does not judge the body [of the Lord] rightly" is not a statement that implies that the bread and wine have been transformed into the body and blood of our Lord. It does refer to the body of Christ - the church, which consists of individual believers, (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12, 27), which each believer is to judge one another in the body of Christ, the church rightly. It is recognizing that what one is doing when one eats the bread and drinks the wine is one of, in Paul's own words, 'proclaim[ing] the Lord's death until He comes', i.e., of doing this in remembrance of Him - of what He did on the cross, His body broken and His blood shed for you, for the sins of the whole world.
[The Grace New Testament Commentary, p. 749, Vol. 2, Editor Robert N. Wilken, Grace Evangelical Society, Denton, Tx, 2010]
"Paul addresses the manner in which the meal should be conducted. The person who participates in this meal 'in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.' In other words those believers who disregard the poorer believers at the meal come to the meal in an unworthy manner. Therefore each member should 'examine' (test or approve) 'himself' before eating the bread and drinking the cup. The one who does not examine himself 'eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning Lord's body.' The verb discern means 'to distinguish.' The one who takes part in the Lord's Supper without proper self-examination does not make a distinction between the Lord's Supper and an ordinary meal. Because of this abuse, which reflected a selfish carnality., 'many are weak and sick among you' - experiencing ill health - 'and many sleep' - have died (1 Cor 15:18; 1 Thess 4:15-16). If believers judge themselves, they will 'not be judged' by God. Believers who 'are judged ... are chastened by the Lord.' This is a temporal judgment, not something that is eternal."
6) ALTHOUGH JUDAS EVIDENTLY PARTICIPATED IN THE LORD'S SUPPER, HE WAS NEVER SAVED BY THAT PARTICIPATION, HE WAS DECLARED BY JESUS AS ONE WHO WOULD NOT BE SAVED AT ALL BUT BE DESTINED TO CHOOSE TO BE A 'SON OF PERDITION'
a) [Jn 17:12]:
(Jn 17:12 NASB) "While I was with them [disciples], I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished [i.e., lost to perdition] but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled."
[The Grace New Testament Commentary, p. 459]:
"The exception [to all of the disciples being kept from perishing in the sense of not being lost / not saved unto eternal life] regarding Judas should not be read as a failure on Jesus' part. Judas never believed in Jesus. Judas was 'the son of perdition,' a Semitism referring to his eternal destiny. The word for perdition is the noun form of the verb just used in 'none of them is lost' [NASB renders it "not one of them perished"] The OT Scriptures that predicted the betrayer ('that the Scripture might be fulfilled) include Ps 41:9 (cf. John 13:18) and Ps 109:8 (cf. Acts 1:16-20)."
b) [Compare Acts 1:16-20]:
(Acts 1:16 NASB) ''' "Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
(Acts 1:17 NASB) For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.
(Acts 1:18 NASB) (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.
(Acts 1:19 NASB) And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
(Acts 1:20 NASB) For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his homestead be made desolate, and let no one dwell in it.' and 'let another man take his office,' " ''' (cf. Ps 109:8).
II) CHRIST'S MESSAGE IN JOHN CHAPTER SIX IS ABOUT TRUSTING ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE AND RECEVING HIM IN ORDER TO BE SAVED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE, IT DOES NOT HAVE THE LORD'S SUPPER IN VIEW
A) JESUS INDICATED THAT THE MANNA BREAD WAS GIVEN BY GOD THROUGH MOSES WHICH WAS PERISHABLE AND ONLY SUSTAINED THE PHYSICAL LIVES OF THE ANCIENT ISRAELITES; BUT SO MUCH THE MORE, JESUS WAS THE TRUE BREAD OF GOD FROM HEAVEN WHO HAD COME DOWN TO GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO ALL LIFE TO ALL WHO BELIEVED - A FAR GREATER MIRACLE WHOM THEY HAD SEEN BUT IN WHOM THEY DID NOT BELIEVE
(Jn 6:27 YLT) "Work not for the food that is [the] perishing [kind], but for the food that is [the] [enduring] [kind] to life [eternal] which the Son of Man will give to you, from Him did the Father seal - [even] God.' (Jn 6:28 NKJV) Then they said to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?' (Jn 6:29 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He sent.'... (Jn 6:32 NAS) Jesus then said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father Who gives you the true bread out of heaven.' (Jn 6:33 YLT) For the bread of God is that which is coming down out of the heaven, and giving life to the world.' (Jn 6:34 NAS) Then they said to Him, 'Lord, always give us this bread. (Jn 6:35 NKJV) And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. [The {one who} comes] to Me shall never hunger, and [the {one who} believes in Me shall never thirst [at any time]. (Jn 6:36 YLT) But I said to you, that [you] also have seen Me, and [you] believe not." =
Jesus then said to them [the Jews], 'Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father Who gives you the True Bread out of heaven' " (Jn 6:32). He implied by this that the manna from Moses was given to their fathers, the ancient Israelites, by God. Furthermore, the manna bread was perishable and only sustained the physical lives of the ancient Israelites which perished and needed to be received every day. But Jesus indicated that so much the more it was not Moses but His Father Who had given them and the world His Son, the True Bread out of heaven which never perished but provided eternal life to all those who expressed a one time moment of faith alone in Jesus Christ alone Who endured in them to eternal life, (Jn 6:27-29, 33). There is never in view a literal, physical eating of the flesh of Jesus Christ. The meaning in Jn 6:50 corroborates seven previous statements in John chapter 6 of what one must do to have eternal life: a moment of faith alone in Christ alone, the Bread of life that came down from heaven, (Jn 6:48-50).
B) FOR THE EIGHTH TIME IN JOHN CHAPTER SIX, JESUS INDICATED THAT A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE IMMEDIATELY RESULTED IN ETERNAL LIFE FOREVER. WHEREUPON, JESUS REITERATED, "I AM THE BREAD OF [ETERNAL] LIFE.' HE THEN COMPARED THE LITERAL / PHYSICAL MANNA BREAD WHICH ONLY SUSTAINED THE TEMPORAL LIVES OF THE ANCIENT ISRAELITES WITH REPEATED INGESTION - HENCE THEY ALL DIED AS ALL MEN DIE - TO THE FIGURATIVE / SPIRITUAL BREAD OF ETERNAL LIFE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN - HIMSELF - WHO ONLY NEEDED TO BE RECEIVED ONE TIME BY A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE. NOTE THAT A LITERAL PHYSICAL EATING OF THE FLESH OF JESUS CHRIST IS NOT IN VIEW
(Jn 6:37 NIV) '''All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me [lit., the coming ones to Me] I will never drive away, [lit., 'never cast out']. (Jn 6:38 NIV) For I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Him Who sent Me, [lit., the One having sent Me] (Jn 6:39 YLT) And this is the will of the Father Who sent Me, that all that He [has] given to Me I may not lose of it, but may raise it up in the last day. (Jn 6:40 NKJV) And this is the will of Him who sent Me, [alt. "of My Father"] that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (Jn 6:41 NAS) Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, "I am the Bread that came down [lit., having come down] out of heaven." (Jn 6:42 NAS) [And] they were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? [alt. Therefore] How does He now say, 'I have come down out of heaven?' " (Jn 6:43 KJV) Jesus therefore answered and said [to] them, "Murmur [lit., grumble] not among yourselves. (Jn 6:44 YLT) No one is able to come [to] Me, if the Father Who sent Me may not draw Him, and I will raise him up in the last day; (Jn 6:45 NKJV) It is written in the Prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' [Isa 54:13] Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. (Jn 6:46 NKJV) Not that anyone has seen the Father, except [save] He Who is from God; He has seen the Father. (Jn 6:47 NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. (Jn 6:48 NKJV) I am the Bread of Life. (Jn 6:49 NAS) Your Fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. (Jn 6:50 YLT) This is the Bread that out of heaven is coming down, that any one may eat of it, and not die.''' =
For the eighth time in John chapter 6, Jesus indicated that in a present tense moment of faith alone in Him alone, the individual becomes the believer, ("ho pisteuon" = lit., the believing one), whereupon he receives a present tense possession of eternal life which once begun is forever by definition, (Jn 6:27, 29, 35, 37, 40, 44, 45, 47).
And once more Jesus said, 'I am the Bread of [eternal] life,' (Jn 6:48; cf. Jn 6:41). Since the context does not support Jesus referring to Himself as literal / physical bread; He was being figurative. He then compared the literal / physical manna-bread which was perishable and which was provided by God through Moses in the desert to sustain the temporal lives of the ancient Israelites with repeated ingestion - hence they all died as all men die - to the figurative / spiritual Bread of Eternal Life from heaven - Himself - Who provided eternal life through a one time moment of faith alone in Him alone, (Jn 6:48-50).
C) MOST OF THE CROWD REFUSED TO BELIEVE IN WHAT JESUS SAID DESPITE HIS SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONY, MIRACLES AND FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY. WHEN HE SAID 'IF ANYONE EATS OF THIS BREAD, HE WILL LIVE FOREVER AND THE BREAD THAT I SHALL GIVE IS MY FLESH, WHICH I SHALL GIVE FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD,' THEY MAINTAINED THAT JESUS' MESSAGE WAS LITERAL - IMPLYING CANNABALISM. BUT THE RULES OF LANGUAGE, CONTEXT AND LOGIC DO NOT PERMIT THIS, THEY RESTRICT HIS MESSAGE TO BEING FIGURATIVE FOR A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE
(Jn 6:52 NASB) "Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give usHis flesh to eat? (Jn 6:53 NASB) So Jesus said to them, "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. (Jn 6:54 NASB) He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. (Jn 6:55 NASB) For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. (Jn 6:56 NASB) He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. (Jn 6:57 NASB) As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. (Jn 6:58 NASB) This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever. (Jn 6:59 NASB) These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. (Jn 6:63 NASB) [Jesus said] It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." =
From the beginning, most of the crowd that followed Jesus, refused to believe in what He said, despite His Scriptural testimony, corroborating miracles and fulfillment of Prophecy. Nevertheless, He continued to confront the unbelieving crowd. After reiterating that He was the Living Bread Which came down from heaven, (Jn 6:51a; cf. Jn 6:35, 38, 48, 50); He said, "If anyone eats of this bread, [i.e., believe in Him; cf. Jn 6:27, 29, 35, 40, 44, 45, 47]; he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life [i.e., eternal life] of the world," (Jn 6:51). His message was deliberately misinterpreted by most of the crowd to be literal which gave them "cause" to reject Him. They would neither accept Him as mankind's exlusive source of eternal life despite His testimony, miracles and fulfillment of prophecy nor would they continue to follow Him as disciples, (Jn 6:66).
Although most maintained that Jesus' message was to be taken literally, (even today); the normative rules of language, context and logic do not permit it. The context had already been established that Jesus said He was the True Bread from heaven in a figurative and spiritual sense. He was not referring to Himself as a literal loaf of bread to be physically consumed, (Jn 6:35). The reception of the Living Bread of Eternal Life from Heaven in previous verses was stipulated to be via a moment of faith alone in Christ alone; not by physical ingestion, whereupon one would receive eternal life, (Jn 6:27, 29, 35, 37, 40, 44, 45, 47).
Furthermore, a literal interpretation of physically eating the actual bodily flesh of Jesus violated God's commandment against cannibalism, (Lev 17:12, 15-16).
Finally, Jesus said, "This Bread is My flesh, which I will give for the [eternal] life of the world" depicting a future, one time sacrifice of His physical body for the sins of the whole world as an atoning sacrifice, (cf. Jn 1:29; 3:15-18); ruling out an offer to the crowd to consume His physical body.
Since there was no actual bread indicated in this passage that was supernaturally transformed into the flesh of Jesus and offered to the crowd to physically ingest as is falsely maintained to be incorporated in the celebration of the Roman Catholic Mass;
and since cannibalism is forbidden, (Lev 17:12; 15-16);
and since Jesus at the time of this passage had not yet given of His physical body in an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world;
then the concept of a literal, physical ingestion of the flesh of Jesus in any format or form is not in view, neither at the time of this passage nor at any time.
The context must therefore remain figurative and spiritual for a moment of faith alone in Jesus Christ alone to receive eternal life and not literal and physical. This is specifically corroborated in later verses, (cf. Jn 6:63).
[BKC, Victor Books, Walvoord & Zuck, Eds, 1988, USA, p. 297]:
"Just as good food and drink sustain physical life, so Jesus, the real (reliable) spiritual food and drink, sustains His followers spiritually. His flesh and blood give eternal life to those who receive Him...[by faith alone in Him alone]... One who partakes of Christ enjoys a mutual abiding relationship with Christ. He remains (menei) in Christ, and Christ remains in him. MenO is one of the most important theological terms in John's Gospel... The Father "remains" in the Son (14:10), the Spirit "remains" on Jesus (1:32), and believers 'remain' in Jesus and He in them (6:56; 15:4). The implications of this 'remaining' are many. A believer enjoys intimacy with and security in Jesus. Just as He has His life from the Father, so believers have life because of Jesus."
D) AUGUSTINE DECLARED THAT OUR LORD WAS SPEAKING FIGURATIVELY AND NOT LITERALLY RE: EATING OF HIS BODY AND BLOOD
[http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/augustine/ddc3.html]:
ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
By St. Augustine
Translation from Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers
Book III:
Interpretation required by the ambiguity of signs
'''CHAP. 16.--RULE FOR INTERPRETING COMMANDS AND PROHIBITIONS.
24. If the sentence is one of command, either forbidding a crime or vice, or enjoining an act of prudence or benevolence, it is not figurative. If, however, it seems to enjoin a crime or vice, or to forbid an act of prudence or benevolence, it is figurative.
"Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man," says Christ, "and drink His blood, ye have no life in you."
This seems to enjoin a crime or a vice; it is therefore a figure enjoining that we should have a share in the sufferings of our Lord, and that we should retain a sweet and profitable memory of the fact that His flesh was wounded and crucified for us.
Scripture says:
"If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;"
and this is beyond doubt a command to do a kindness. But in what follows,
"for in so doing thou shall heap coals of fire on his head,"
one would think a deed of malevolence was enjoined. Do not doubt, then, that the expression is figurative; and, while it is possible to interpret it in two ways, one pointing to the doing of an injury, the other to a display of superiority, let charity on the contrary call you back to benevolence, and interpret the coals of fire as the burning groans of penitence by which a man's pride is cured who bewails that he has been the enemy of one who came to his assistance in distress. In the same way, when our Lord says,
"He who loveth his life shall lose it,"
we are not to think that He forbids the prudence with which it is a man's duty to care for his life, but that He says in a figurative sense, "Let him lose his life"
- that is, let him destroy and lose that perverted and unnatural use which he now makes of his life, and through which his desires are fixed on temporal things so that he gives no heed to eternal.
It is written:
"Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner."
The latter clause of this sentence seems to forbid benevolence; for it says, "help not a sinner." Understand, therefore, that "sinner" is put figuratively for sin, so that it is his sin you are not to help.'''
E) EVEN TODAY, THERE ARE MANY WHO BELIEVE THAT THE BREAD AND WINE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER ARE TRANSFORMED INTO THE LORD'S LITERAL FLESH AND BLOOD
Even today there are those who believe that the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper become our Lord's literal flesh and blood. They willfully miss the obvious:
The Lord's Supper in the upper room took place a year after the discourse in John chapter 6.
There was no transformation of any bread or wine into our Lord's flesh and blood during the discourse so that one could partake of eternal life that way.
It is evident that our Lord was not offering up His flesh to eat at the time of the discourse, nor at any other time. There was neither bread nor wine provided to be transformed into His flesh and blood; and certainly He was not expecting them to literally devour Him as He stood. For this would be a violation of the Mosaic Law against cannibalism and eating of blood. Note that despite Augustine's specific comments on the discourse in John chapter 6, many contend that his comments have to be edited to agree with what he wrote in other documents. Finally, the John chapter 6 discourse was given to unbelievers about eternal life; and the Last Supper had in view already saved disciples, i.e, believers, about remembering what our Lord did to provide the salvation that they had already received.
III) TO OBEY THE COMMAND TO CELEBRATE THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER LEADS TO BLESSINGS OF GREATER KNOWLEDGE AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LORD AND WITH FELLOW BELIEVERS
****** EXCERPT FROM 1 JN CHAPTER 2 ******
(1 Jn 2:3 NKJV) "Now by this we know that we [have known] Him, if we [are careful to] keep His commandments." =
Author and apostle John transitions from the subject of children of God, born of God having fellowship with God and with His Son Jesus Christ through walking in the Light of God's Absolute Righteousness and confessing sins, (1 Jn 1:1-2:2), to their knowing God / Jesus Christ in a more intimate sense beyond their salvation / fellowship experience, beginning at 1 Jn 2:3 with when they are careful to keep God's commandments, not the least of which was the command to celebrate the Lord's Supper.
Since 1 Jn 2:3
has in view children of God, born of God who are already saved unto
eternal life and who have known God at those times when they are careful
to keep God's commandments; and since salvation unto eternal life is
received only by a moment of faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for it
wherein the one believing in Him may know Christ as ones Savior, (1 Jn
5:1, 9-13 
.Jn 3:15-18); then 1 Jn 2:3 does not
have in view what an individual must do and/or know in order to acquire /
keep eternal life.
So 1 Jn 2:3 has in view a child of God, born of God having a certain knowledge of God commensurate with the manner in which he is carefully keeping God's commandments beyond the saving knowledge he receives when he believed in the Son of God, Jesus Christ for eternal life. It is a measure of an already saved believer's spiritual maturity, (cf. Jn 14:15; 15:10; 1 Jn 3:22, 24). Further details of this greater knowledge of God depend specifically upon the circumstances in the mortal life of each child of God, born of God - a measure of the extent to which he is careful to keep God's commandments.
So whatever
children of God, born of God do in the name of God while they walk in the
Light of God's Absolute Righteousness albeit in accordance with that which
they have properly learned from Scripture .,
their deeds will be purified from all unrighteousness and be acceptable to
God for eternal rewards .
****** END OF EXCERPT FROM 1 JN CHAPTER 2 ******
The celebration / remembrance of the Lord's Supper is the remembrance of the crux of the matter - the propitiation of the Lord for the sins of all mankind, so that men may choose to have eternal life and be resurected unto a restored humanity to enjoy the rest of eternity in a perfectly restored universe.
1) [Compare 1 Jn 2:2]:
(1 Jn 2:2 NASB) "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."
The blood and body of Jesus Christ was given not only for those who would believe in His sacrifice and become children of God, born of God, but also for those of the whole world. Hence what is celebrated and remembered when one partakes of the Lord's Supper is His unlimited atonement for the sins of the whole world.
For the only way for God to restore the world to its original condition and have His Justice / Holiness remain intact - and God is Absolute Justice / Holiness and cannot change because He is Absolute Immutability, is for the sins of all mankind to be paid for by man to whom God gave the world dominion so that that restoration might take place without impugning God's Holiness and Justice. Hence the sacrifice of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
2) [Compare Eph 2:8-9]:
(Eph 2:8 NASB) "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
(Eph 2:9 NASB) not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Furthermore, sinful man cannot participate in God's restoration of mankind and the world, because this would violate the Justice and Holiness of God. For anything that man could do would come out of his flawed nature and not be acceptable without impugning the Justice and Holiness of God. So salvation unto eternal life which includes the believer's restoration to the Righteousness of Christ in resurrection must come solely from God. This too is part of the celebration of the Lord's Supper - a celebration of salvation unto eternal life solely by the grace of God through a moment of faith alone in Christ alone via the body and blood of the Son of God.
3) [1 Cor 10:16]:
(1 Cor 10:16 NASB) "Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?"
Notice that the partaking of the Lord's Supper was evidently a celebration which was repeatedly made and which implied a fellowship with fellow believers. It was more than sipping a small amount of grape juice and chewing on a tiny morsal of bread while sitting in a church pew and then departing the service for home. It involved the breaking of bread, i.e., sharing a meal with the brethren in remembrance of the sacrifice of the Lord for their sins, encouraging one another, exhorting one another to serve the Lord.
The celebration / remembrance of our Lord's propitiation for all mankind is to bring to mind the sure hope of the return of our Lord to finish His work in the restoration of the world which includes the restoration of each child of God, born of God to His Righteousness in resurrection. And the result of this sure hope, prompted by the celebration of the Lord's Supper is a blessing from the Lord of purification from all sins in ones temporal life at that time.
4) [1 Jn 3:3]:
(1 Jn 3:3 NASB) "And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."