在约翰福音6章，耶稣把自己比作以色列民在旷野获得的食物吗哪（参看出埃及记 16章）。祂接着说，人若要得到永生，他们就必须吃祂的肉和喝祂的血。
耶稣难道是在提议跟随祂的人真的去吃祂的身体吗？当然不是。
耶稣这样说，大概是因为祂想用令人震惊的话来获得人们的注意力，吃人肉的行为是野蛮的。然而耶稣将会舍弃祂的身体和流出宝血，成为为人类牺牲的赎罪祭，耶稣的肉和血象征着祂所说的永生；所以，跟随祂的人需要藉着信心愿意接受祂代赎的牺牲，才能从祂领受永生。
耶稣受死和从死里复活后，死亡不能再控制祂。然而祂却给祂的门徒看祂手上和肋旁的伤痕，真是出乎他们意料之外。祂似乎在说：“这是人类犯罪的代价。”此外，当祂伸开双手让他们看见自己被钉十字架的伤痕时，祂同时也是在说：“我对你们的爱如此长阔高深。”
在领受耶稣赐给我们的主餐时，我们象征性地，在灵里接受祂的身体和祂的血。圣灵叫我们与祂，就是复活后、有血有肉、现在回到天上的耶稣连结在一起，我们再次与祂为我们一次而永远的献祭连结在一起。
主耶稣，你所献上的祭让我们得到与你一起同在的丰盛和永远的生命，我们为此赞美你。求你帮助我们天天为你而活。阿们！
约翰福音 6:47-59
47我实实在在地告诉你们：信的人有永生。
48我就是生命的粮。
49你们的祖宗在旷野吃过吗哪，还是死了；
50这是从天上降下来的粮，叫人吃了就不死。
51我是从天上降下来生命的粮，人若吃这粮，就必永远活着。我所要赐的粮就是我的肉，为世人之生命所赐的。”
52因此，犹太人彼此争论说：“这个人怎能把他的肉给我们吃呢？”
53耶稣说：“我实实在在地告诉你们：你们若不吃人子的肉，不喝人子的血，就没有生命在你们里面。
54吃我肉、喝我血的人就有永生，在末日我要叫他复活。
55我的肉真是可吃的，我的血真是可喝的。
56吃我肉、喝我血的人常在我里面，我也常在他里面。
57永活的父怎样差我来，我又因父活着，照样，吃我肉的人也要因我活着。
58这就是从天上降下来的粮。吃这粮的人就永远活着，不像你们的祖宗吃过吗哪还是死了。”
59这些话是耶稣在迦百农会堂里教训人说的。
"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day." - John 6:54
In John 6, Jesus compares himself to the manna that the Israelites received in the desert (see Exodus 16). Then he says that if anyone wants eternal life, they must eat his flesh and drink his blood.
Was Jesus proposing that his followers literally eat him? No.
But perhaps Jesus wanted his words to be shocking to get people's attention. Eating human flesh in a literal way would have been barbaric. But since Jesus' eternal life was somehow symbolized in his flesh and blood, which he would give as an atoning sacrifice for human sin, his followers needed to be willing to receive his sacrifice into themselves by faith in order to receive eternal life.
After Jesus died and rose from the dead, death had no hold on him anymore. And yet he surprised his disciples by showing them the marks from the wounds in his hands and side. It was as if Jesus was saying, "This is the cost of human sin." But with his hands outstretched and showing the marks of his crucifixion, he was also saying, "I love you this much."
When we come to the meal Jesus gave us, we receive his body and his blood in a symbolic way and in a spiritual way. The Holy Spirit connects us to the risen, flesh-and-blood Jesus in heaven, and we are connected anew with his once-for-all sacrifice for us.
Lord Jesus, we praise you for your sacrifice, which gives us full, eternal life with you. Help us to live for you each day. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
