Why is that Protestant Catholic bashers who claim to believe in literal interpretation of scripture?

Question

insist that the bread and wine served at communiom are simply symbols of the body and blood of Christ. When Jesus said at the last supper:
"This is my body which is given to you" in Luke 22:19 and
"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" John 6:53 and
"For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats MY flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." John 6:55-56

Just wondering how that is explained. Thanks.

Yours in Christ

Sam, I probably should have worded it this way: Why is it that Protestants who bash on Catholics....
I am FULLY aware that these are two distinct groups.

Creamy, I have studied the references you made. The Jews are arguing, "hey is this for real" and Jesus clearly states
"Truly, Truly... "

Reverent, by your logic, John 6:63 could be construed to mean that Christ's physical death on the cross meant nothing. This is clearly not the case.

Answer 1

the bible is full of references to the eucharist, all of john 6 is one of the main ones,for a full list you can find at www.scripturecatholic.com

i have wondered this aswell,from the origional language that it was written in we can clearly see it is not symbolic. i find it weird how john is interpreted symbolicly here yet revelations is often interpreted as literal when it is obviously a symbolic and apocalytic style of writing. hopefully our seperated brothers and sisters in christ start to see the importance of the eucharist as one of gods greatet blessing to his church.

Answer 2

The apostles, who received the grace, power, and truth of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and who experienced the Last Supper with Jesus, never doubted that the bread and wine they consecrated indeed became the real and authentic, body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.

The Lord's Supper, complete with the authentic Eucharist, which is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus, was always at the center of their Sunday worship, just as it is for Catholics and Orthodox, today.

The Catholic Church has always known this to be true, simply because it is true.

The Last Supper was the fulfillment of the Jewish Passover.

Any attempt at using a merely symbolic lamb at the first Passover would have resulted in death.

Any attempt at receiving a purely symbolic Christ will eventually have the same result.

This simply proves, once again, that those who attempt to rely on their flawed and incomplete interpretation of scripture alone, for their entire understanding of the Christian faith, are missing much more than the half of it.

They're missing the truth of it ... which is Jesus Christ ... in the flesh.

Answer 3

Yes, He is clearly speaking literally. When Jesus spoke symbolically about food, as He did in Jn 4:31-34 and Mt. 16:5-12, the disciples interpreted Him literally. Jesus show them the He is only speaking figuratively. In Jn 6, when Jesus is speaking of the Eucharist and the disciples interpreted Him literally and could not believe He did not correct them. As a matter of fact He repeats Himself stating in clearest possilbe language the we must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life,

Also, in the Aramaic language that Our Lord spoke, to symbolically "eat the flesh" or "drink the blood" of someone meant to persecute and assault them, as in Ps 27:2; Isaiah 9:18-20; Isaiah 49:26; Micah 3:3; 2 Sam 23:15-17; and Rev 17:6,16. So if Jesus is speaking symbolically then He would be telling us "whoever persecutes and assaults me will have eternal life." That makes no sense.

God bless,
Stanbo

Answer 4

Your reference to John I think is the best understanding of this. Read/ study John 48 to 58 and Jesus himself tells us the the symbolism/truth of the lord's supper.

We do it on the first day of the week
Acts 20:7 (which by the way there is a first day every week)

Answer 5

You your self have used the image image "Jesus" to symbolize our Lord and Savior. Do you worship that image - those letters, J-E-S-U-S? I doubt you worship the written image that all of us understand is the call of our Lord, yet you do not basically say the Lord's call out loud, do you? the place in the Bible does it say you would be able to make a image image of the call of the Son of God? you're making a picture of His holy call - you utilize ink and paper, or digital pulses on a working laptop or computer, to make a picture of the call of God. How is a sculpture diverse? Catholics do not worship any mere actual merchandise. we don't worship statues or artwork to any extent further than you worship ink and paper with the written call of Jesus. Others have spoke back in great ingredient, fantastically Father Joe. you have adequate guidance to come returned to the surprising end approximately this. i desire you will think of very intently approximately how plenty you sound like a pharisee using the regulation to sentence others, twisting the regulation and interpreting it selectively to attempt to make it say what you desire to have self belief. i desire in case you're interpreting The Bible which you're taking a glance on the e book of Acts, fantastically financial disaster 13 verse 10. i'm Roman Catholic. Peace be with you.

Answer 6

Let me ask you this:
If Jesus meant literally "this is My body" when He handed them the bread - what was it that was handing them the bread?
As for John chapter 6, why did Jesus conclude His teaching with this statement:
" "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." (John 6:63)

I was raised Catholic, received communion many times, yet never had any spiritual life in me.

I received spiritual life through a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ over 36 years ago, when I was born again after the Lord spoke this simple word into my heart: "Maybe Jesus really did die for you sins."
My life was instantly and totally changed.
It was at that moment I "ate His flesh" - that is partook of the sacrifice of His body on the cross, and just as bread is consumed and destroyed for the benefit of the one eating, I became spiritually alive at the cost of His flesh.
In the same manner I "drank His blood", received spiritual life, at the cost of the loss of His soul, (as it is written "the soul (life) is in the blood") poured out for me at Calvary.
Now I do believe quite literally what the Apostle Paul taught, after teaching on the subject of communion in I Corinthians chapter 11, that "You (that is, all believers) are Christ's body, and individually members of it." (I Corinthians 12:27)

Christ is a Spirit, and He dwells in His people, and not in a piece of bread.

Answer 7

It's the REAL body and blood of Christ. Look at the bread under a microscope. It's cardiac tissue.

Answer 8

I see the person about me didn't quiet get what you were saying. They do bash the Catholics and I am not even Roman Catholic and I am getting sick of it. You are right, of course. They have no answer unless they want to admit that the bible can not be taken literally.

Answer 9

Pastor Billy says: this is going to sound too simple but if you reject the valid ministrial priesthood as Protestants have done then how can you have a valid communion? Answer, you can't and first Protestants understood this therefore rejection of the priesthood led to a denial of the Eucharist as you can't have one without the other.

Ignatius bishop of Antioch 4 quotes for ya read them all in order ;)

"Take care to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God, and with the presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles, and with the deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted with the business of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father from the beginning and is at last made manifest" (Letter to the Magnesians 6 [A.D. 110]).

"Make certain, therefore, that you all observe one common Eucharist; for there is but one Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and but one cup of union with his Blood, and one single altar of sacrifice—even as there is also but one bishop, with his clergy and my own fellow servitors, the deacons. This will ensure that all your doings are in full accord with the will of God" (Letter to the Philadelphians 4 [A.D. 110]).

"Let no one do anything of concern to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop or by one whom he ordains [i.e., a presbyter]. Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church" (Letter to the Smyrneans 8:2 [A.D. 110]).





"Take note of those who hold heterodox opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us, and see how contrary their opinions are to the mind of God. . . . They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and which that Father, in his goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes" (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2–7:1 [A.D. 110]).


Fact is the poster claiming Jesus only talks spiritually is entirely missing the point as Jesus did not correct himself when those listening did not understand or more correctly understood and didn't want to accept the teaching of John 6. These followers leave Jesus because they take Jesus by his word and say "this is a hard thing". They correctly understand Jesus to mean we must eat of him. What they do not wish to discover is how God will make that available to us in the Eucharist undered the presence of bread and wine.

Love your question as it is at the heart of our division, a rejection of the ministrial priesthood starting with Jesus Christ himself, our Protestant brothers just don't see the obvious as they make excuses so as to claim they are the better followers of Christ when in reality the doctrine they have chosen moves further away from Christ.

Answer 10

I know Catholics say it is the body and blood, not symbols.

Protestant Catholic is an oxymoron. They're two different groups, and not exactly friends.