Jesus was a Hebrew, raised in the Jewish religion, and well versed in the Scriptures. He knew the following: “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat” (Gen. 9:4). “Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people” (Lev. 7:26-27). “Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water” (Deut. 15:23). Yet, some have taken some words which Jesus spoke to imply, if not explicitly teach, that one is to eat his literal flesh and to drink his literal blood.
What words did Jesus utter that might bring one to conclude that he was teaching “cannibalism?” The context is where Jesus said: “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). From here it went on, “For I came down from heaven” (verse 38). This caused the people to question among them: “ Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?” (verse 42). Finally, after much talk they had another question: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (verse 52). It is here that Jesus uttered the words of debate: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (verses 53-54). The question is, just to what is the Lord referring?
Is he referring to the Lord’s Supper? There are some who think so. However, two key words should get the reader’s attention, which would remove their thinking from this context being about the Lord’s Supper. What two words, “eternal life!” Jesus said, “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life.” Does taking the Lord’s Supper, even faithfully for many years mean that one has “eternal life?” No, it does not! Anyone can come to the assembly of worship, take the Lord’s Supper for a lifetime, but never obey the gospel of Christ; or may live a totally unfaithful life outside the assembly of worship. It is easy to see, even though he has faithfully taken the Lord’s Supper for years, he is not prepared to receive eternal life. Obeying faithfully the word of life, of which taking the Lord’s super is a part, produces eternal life. Jesus’ words in verse 53 and in the larger context, do not refer to the Lord’s Supper!
However, there are some who believe and teach that the bread and the fruit of the vine used in the Lord’s Supper do become the literal flesh and blood of Jesus. This teaching is called transubstantiation, which means, the bread and fruit of the vine is changed into the literal body and blood of Christ. Now, if this were true, you can see how someone just might charge you with cannibalism! Well, there are some who so teach! Here is the teaching: “the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.” It goes into more detail, “it is transformed into the actual flesh of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of bread); and when he blesses the wine, it is transformed into the actual blood of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of wine).” So, the question of cannibalism is legitimate, if you so teach and believe this!
However, the question remains, just what was Jesus teaching when he uttered the words: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day”? It appears he was referring to his identity as the promised Christ, the Son of God, and his approaching death on the cross; and only those who believed and obeyed his gospel; thus, the figurative eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood.
It is as Peter said: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12)! Jesus came to give what the physical manna old Israel ate in the wilderness could not give, but which he could give: eternal life. Jesus’ use of the words “eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood” in John chapter five is figurative and is a reference to “eating” and “drinking” of the word of life, and it is done by obeying it; thus, ending in eternal life!
Jesus was not teaching cannibalism in John chapter five, nor did he teach it in giving the Lord’s Supper, nor elsewhere in Christianity!
— Frank R. Williams