Christians: What is this mean?

Question

John 6:51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Answer 1

It means what it says. That is why we have the Eucharist at Mass. The Body and Blood of Christ. Many of His followers left when He said that and still He never said it was 'just symbolic'.

Cheers :-)

Answer 2

Christ used agrarian terms of the day for the people he spoke to. Everyone knew U needed "Bread" to live so Christ spoke of Himself as being Necessary to Live Spiritually Forever. His flesh or body would be a Sacrifice to provide this "Bread" for the World. John

Answer 3

For the people who lived in Israel at that time, Bread was pretty much a very important food source as rice is to the Chinese and Oriental Asians. By declaring himself a simple yet and important food source, accessible to the poor and chooseable by the rich, This verse showed Jesus in all his Humility, Selflessness and Compassion, showing that he wanted to give the very essence of his heart to nurture and make happy all people of the world, and show them the way to eternal life irregardless of whether they are born of Kings or born of beggars.

All over the bible, metaphors of the Israelite's daily food source are aplenty. Metaphors like Bread and Honey for example... Remember, the general population of that time were neither scribes nor scholars, so metaphors and parables were Jesus' ingenius way to bring a point across that is graspable by the uneducated and still inspiring for the learned.

Answer 4

If you ask Protestants they will say this is just symbolic talk and so such a solemn self statement is symbolism! I don`t think so, Atticus and Chekeir have it right, because this is the revealed truth of the Holy Eucharist in which Jesus is truly present with us until the end of the world, just as He promised.

Answer 5

To eat living bread means to accept Christ into our lives and become united with him. We are united with Christ in two ways (1) by believing in his death {the sacrifice of his flesh} and resurrection and (2) by devoting ourselves to living as he requires, depending on his teaching for guidance and trusting in the Holy Spirit for power.

Answer 6

In the same way that people eat bread to live..

Jesus is the spiritual bread that can enable us to live eternally spiritually..

Answer 7

Jesus was the savior he came down for our salvation and the bread and wine were given as a sacrament for forgivness if you have faith in him and believe that he came down died and rose again for your sins then you have eternal life and salvation in heaven.

Answer 8

Symbolism
The people of that time knew the value of bread. They lived in desert places. Without bread they would die.
He compared himself to bread because they would understand the analogy. He is the one that will grant us eternal life if we follow His commandments.
Hence, He is the substance that will lead us to eternal life.

Answer 9

Jesus is the Son of God come from heaven. If anyone believes Jesus is the Son of the Living God and follows His examples He will have eternal life in heaven. Jesus gave His mortal life to save us from eternal damnation.

Answer 10

That means if you accept God's word in the Bible, and let Jesus be in your heart, you will spend the rest of your life in paradise. In other words, with Jesus in your life, you love and accept other people as they are as God loves you.