ANSWERS: 21
  • Have you ever heard that there is such a thing as symbolism?
  • The christians have read it all wrong, Jesus was a cannibal!
  • It is all symbolism. The idea is that our bodies are washed through and cleansed by the divinity of his blood. If you read the bible, you would see that they eat bread and drink wine. No blood. No flesh. No cannibalism. No, I don't believe in God. Yes I do read the bible. Don't try and work me out.
  • He doesn't. It's a symbol of what He accomplished on the cross, lest we forget.
  • While others here point out that it is merely symbolic, I must admit that I find the whole thing rather disturbing. I think I speak for the majority of people here (of all faiths or none whatsoever) when I say that cannibalism and vampirism are frowned upon in most societies. Licking an ice cream cone or eating a hot bog or banana or even smoking could be considered symbolic for fellatio. Hell, anything could be symbolic for anything else with a little imagination! My personal belief is that is Jesus wanted his followers to take him into their hearts and all, he probably could have phrased it better. MUCH better.
  • He's got some unresolved sexual fetish issues?
  • Biblically ... Blood contains the life/essence of the person (or creature) and it imparts/communicates that life/essence to those who share in it - in this case the life of Christ. Also, the pouring out of blood remits sin. These are Biblical literary images arguably involving spiritual realities, not "material" ones. (In other words, we're not talking about "blood" as you or a biologist would define it, but as Biblical poets employ it.) The rending/breaking of a body and passing through the sundered flesh is the symbolic act of sealing a covenant (a blood-oath). It also defines a kindred/family. However, while I would not dispute that Jesus instituted the memorial rite/feast that is the Eucharist, I believe we miss the meaning of His words, "This is my body which is broken for you - do this in rememberance of me," as referring to the Eucharist. I would say He's telling us how we should live - and suffer and die - to save the lost, as He did.
  • So you can have piece of him inside you.
  • To my knowledge he instituted the sacrament, and we eath bread in REMEMBERENCE of his body, and dring in REMEMBERENCE of his blood. Its not literal, was never meant to be. Purely symbolic.
  • He wouldn't. All of that is a corruption to who Jesus really was. He was just an ordinary man who took the time and effort to learn how to preform magick. He was a man of good intentions who did care about humanity. His goal was to reveal how to achieve Godhead to the general population. He was killed in the process and his words have been corrupted. He never claimed to be the "son of God". Jesus was made into a being who he never was, to benefit the goals of selfish people and to cover up his true intentions. One of his goals was to expose the old testament for the Jewish magick that it was, and to teach the general population how to evolve by empowering their minds and souls. He has been corrupted and made into a Jewish tool to serve their magick (Christianity is a large part of it). This is obvious when you read the old testament and see how the false Jewish/Christian God favored the Jews over the Gentiles, for thousands of years. Gentiles were referred to as animals when you study the Talmud. To find out more about Jesus and who he really was, check out this link.http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/biblianazar/esp_biblianazar_24.htm
  • Ask a Catholic, as I believe that they believe when the priest consecrates the bread and wine it actually becomes the body and blood of Christ.
  • He did not mean it literally
  • Not as in cannibalism...he referred to Himself as "the bread of life" and his blood "washes away the sins of the world." Since Jesus is "the Word" made manifest as a human, he wants you to eat His body - read the bible! - and drink his blood - accept His atoning sacrifice (his death (his blood) by repenting of your sins and turning your life over to obedience to Him (God). He wants you to do this every single day - read the bible and obey what it/He teaches you/ and thank God for your salvation.
  • lol it's all symbolic. It's just like "born again", which doesn't mean you re-enter your mom and be born again, it's a renewing of spirit.
  • Jesus said: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; ... he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and ... abides in me, and I in him" (Jn 6:51, 54, 56). At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Take this bread. It is my body.” Then he said, “Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.” Catholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through a miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where God, acting through the priest, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics. By the way, the Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Lutheran and many Anglican Churches also believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. This is more than half of all Christians in the world. For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1322 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.shtml With love in Christ.
  • He was simply saying that if you accept his sacrifice he accepts(saves) you. His sacrifice on the cross is what he did to pay for or sins past present future. If you dont let him pay for all your offering your sacrifice you will be judged by (by the law). Jesus doesnt give out half insurance policys so if your accepting that you will end up in hell. His sacrifice covers all sins. Your faith has to be in him not self. Not your repentance, not you forgiving, but in Him. His sacrifice contained his blood and flesh tht is what he was refering to his atonement
  • It was the Passover festival when Jews celebrated God's angels doing terrible things to the Egyptians (in Exodus) so that Pharaoh would release his Hebrew slaves. At the first passover, the enslaved families killed a spotless sacrificial lamb and then painted its blood on their doorway as a sign to the angels to pass over that house and not hurt the residents. Many years later when the temple at Jerusalem was established, at passover families would still kill a sacrificial lamb - at least they would bring it to the temple to be sacrificed, but then they had to take it home and eat the lot that same evening. So when the twelve disciples sat down in the 'rented room' they might have expected Jesus (who pre-organised a room rental) to have pre-ordered a 'proper' passover feast, and were probably looking forward to their roast lamb. One of the most important parts of this enactment of the passover is that it was supposed to be for families, you were supposed to be with (pardon the pun) your own 'flesh and blood'. To take passover with someone was to call them your immediate family and to owe family loyalties to each other. This was a very strong, symbolic 'bonding together' of the twelve. So, when Jesus failed to rustle up a sanctified roast and came up with the vegetarian option(!) he did several really really important things. He prayed over the meal and offered it up to God, so in doing that he accepted and claimed the title of Priest. Remember that until then, only the Priests at the temple could offer up the sacrifices - men whose whole lives had been 'purified' down to the last detail, like only wearing linen, having washing rituals, lots of strict rules. Jesus did not attempt any sort of sanctification process before they all went in to that room so he was saying that his purity was inbuilt - that he was more of a Priest of God than all the priests up at the temple. Behind closed doors, without saying a word about it, he was still saying 'Yes, I am who you think I am'. Also, he explained the lack of a lamb by telling them that instead He was the sacrifice (meaning too that in Gods eyes he was acceptable, i.e. spotless, pure and holy). They were expecting to eat the lamb that was 'given for them' in memory that God did not punish their ancestors along with the Egyptians, to 'become one' with that contract and take it into themselves in a way that could never be undone. Instead they got to eat bread to symbolise the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, this time given for them for all sin, for permanent redemption. They would have understood that, like the lamb, this sacrifice would be to allow God to 'set them free' in some way, and when Jesus told them to do this as often as they eat it together, in remembrance of Him, he was saying "Don't let this be a once-a-year ritual memory, but hang on in there with me and focus on the fact that I am buying your freedom, all the time." Jesus didn't want them to be some sort of icky cannibals, but he was using the passover festival to explain to his disciples that He really was more holy than any priest, that He really was about to be sacrificed, and that they really could be protected from judgement by, spiritually, becoming one with Him. ....I think! I could have just said 'its all symbolic', but, meh. Hope this helps!
    • Jenny_Rizzo
      You've got quite an imagination there.
  • Symbolically, His body represents the Temple of the Holy Spirit, while His blood represents the forgiveness of sins. (John 2:20-21), (Matthew 26:28)
  • He didn't. In fact that was not invented until around 60 years after him.
  • to get closer to him

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