John chapter 6 tells us about Jesus feeding the multitude and walking on water, both of which would cause you to stand in awe of who Jesus is. But in the midst of these miracles, Jesus realized many were following Him for the wrong reason, so He began teaching something that shocked them.

It started innocently enough. He compared Himself to the manna the Israelites received in the desert, the bread from heaven. But when He said that manna was His body, and if anyone wants eternal life, they must eat His flesh and drink His blood, many could not accept that, so they turned and walked away.

Was Jesus proposing that His followers literally eat His flesh? No. Eating human flesh is barbaric. But the atoning sacrifice that Jesus was about to make is best symbolized in His flesh and blood. According to Isaiah 52:14, it was His flesh that was marred more than anyone else’s. It was His blood that was shed to secure our salvation. Jesus was saying that His followers must receive His sacrifice in order to inherit eternal life.

Jesus reiterated this truth just before He was crucified when He observed the Last Supper with His disciples. Some foolishly believe that the bread literally becomes flesh and the wine literally becomes blood, but Jesus did not institute cannibalism; He was vividly illustrating just how great the sacrifice was. After the resurrection, Jesus showed His disciples the marks from the wounds in His hands and side. It was as if Jesus was saying, “This is the cost of human sin.”

When we partake of communion, we receive His body and His blood symbolically, for what they represent. The Holy Ghost connects us spiritually to Jesus in heaven and the sacrifice He made for us. It is a holy moment when we pause and remember.