'Rightly Dividing the Word'
The Blood of Jesus
John 6:53-54 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
It was only after His disciples had seen His many signs and wonders, believed that He was the prophesied Messiah and they wanted to make Him their King that our Lord Jesus began to explain His mission on earth. He did not come to be their King but their sacrificial Lamb of God for the atonement of their sin.
Jesus was the Word made flesh. Since our Lord Jesus told them that:-
1. 'unless they eat His flesh' meaning that unless they keep His words, they will not have eternal life.
2. 'unless they drink His blood' they will not have eternal life. Since God has forbidden men to eat blood, then what is the truth?
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Meaning of 'Drink My Blood'
John 6:55 "For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed."
Since our Lord said that His blood was a drink indeed, then it could not be His actual blood poured out at the cross.
Note: eat His flesh means to keep His word
So drink His blood will be to believe in Him.
John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
New Covenant in His Blood
I Cor 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
At the last supper just before His crucifixion, Jesus made the New covenant in His blood. He told them to drink from the cup the wine, which symbolised His blood. So each time we partake of the holy communion, we are reminded to believe the Word was made flesh.
As a human, out of His great love, He overcame the temptations of the world and of the devil, persevered the trials, sufferings and persecutions of the religious leaders and finally endured the anguish of the cross for sake of salvation of men.
I Cor 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
Living Water from the Heart
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
The most important work of a Christian is to believe Jesus, the Almighty God, who out of His great love, came in the form of man to suffer and die for men's salvation.
If we love one another as Jesus had loved us, then living water will flow out from our hearts giving lives (conversion) to the unreached, and touching lives by encouraging brethren to walk in faith thereby strengthening their faith in Christ.
John 7:37-38 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
Summary
Drink His Blood is to believe Jesus and the gospel of Christ
Eat His Flesh is to abide in Jesus by keeping His word, which includes His teachings, commandments, instructions, sayings and parables.
The Unbelieving Disciples
John 6:63-64 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
Our Lord specifically mentioned that His words are spirit and life. Christians not keeping His words will be without the spirit and life. Because of unbelief, they are walking in the flesh and they will betray the Lord by distorting His words.
