The
following quotes regarding the importance of Catholic communion are taken from the
Catechism of the Catholic Church (Libreria Editrice Vaticana -- In the USA, Liguori
Publications, 1994), Imprimi Potest Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Bold emphasis not in
original.
The importance of communion for a Catholic is clearly shown from these quotes.
In short, Catholicism equates Jn. 6:53, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh
of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" to communion, and
thereby logically deduces that one must have it for spiritual life (or salvation).
Catholicism isn't the only group that does this. Briefly, this article objectively considers
this interpretation in the light of the New Testament as a whole to see if it is consistent
and therefore the true meaning of Jn. 6:53 or not. The following four observations are
critical in this endeavor:
In this two-verse synopsis of his entire gospel, the Apostle John writes on the
subject of spiritual life as included within it, and with absolute clarity it is shown that
there is no connection whatsoever with communion! This could hardly be the case
if Jn. 6:53, also written about spiritual life and just 14 chapters earlier, referred to
communion! Clearly then, John associated spiritual life with believing (trusting) on
Jesus without any connection whatsoever with communion.
Furthermore, their literal interpretation of Jn. 6:53 has, unfortunately, led to the
Catholic practice of worshiping the consecrated communion elements, which is still
carried on today, as the following quote proves:
By misapplying Jn 6:53-56, not only are hundreds of millions misled about spiritual life,
but faulty worship in the form of idolatry has been instituted because of such. See Jn. 4:23, 24 to
see how important our worship is to God.
In reality, Jn. 6:53-56 can only refer to something that one can accomplish entirely
without any connection whatsoever with communion based on the aforementioned
observations. As other times when the Lord spoke referring to Himself as "the true vine" (Jn.
15:1) and "the gate" (Jn. 10:9), we must not take these descriptions or Jn. 6:53 in any way but in
a figurative sense! This is the only possible consistent interpretation that can be correctly rendered
from Holy Writ.
What then is the actual meaning of Jn. 6:53-56? According to Scripture, when that
passage in question was first given, just a few verses prior to it, in verse 47, Jesus taught "I tell
you the truth, he who believes [continuous tense] has everlasting life." Therefore, from the
immediate context and all other data related to one receiving salvation contained in the entire
New Testament, the only possible consistent meaning of Jn. 6:53 is a continuous eating and
drinking of the Lord's body and blood in a figurative sense by continuously believing on Him,
that is, trusting Him to the point of submitting to Him. Regarding submitting to Christ, Gal.
5:24 says: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and
desires." See also Eph. 5:24a.
In conclusion, please know that we do not receive Christ when we receive communion.
According to Jn. 1:12, we receive Christ when we believe on Jesus' name, that is, trust on
Him for our soul's salvation. Also, "the work of our redemption" is no longer still being carried
on, as present-day Catholicism teaches. Jesus said, "It is finished" from the cross (Jn. 19: 30)
meaning the sin debt for all of mankind (Rom. 5:6; 1 Jn. 2:2) has been paid in that one act, never
to be repeated (Heb. 7:27; 9:26-28; 10:10-12). It is through His blood shed on the cross that we
have peace with God and redemption (Col. 1:20; Eph. 1:7). Now that salvation has been provided
by the Lord, we must individually appropriate our own personal salvation by trusting on Jesus
for our soul's salvation (Acts 16: 31). This means we must repent (turn from our sins),
according to Paul's message: "I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to
God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus" (Acts 20: 21). The Lord Himself defined
the saved in Lk. 8:21, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into
practice." (Please note: The Lord did not say, "My mother and brothers are those who at one
time in their lives believed on Me but now might be living ungodly lives," as Charles Stanley,
Robert Thieme, Adrian Rogers, Tony Evans, June Hunt and many other eternal security teachers
understand salvation!) A continuous submission to Jesus -- an unashamed following after Him is
implied in believing on Him (Lk. 9:23-26). In Rev. 17:14 those who actually enter the kingdom are
described as "... his called, chosen and faithful followers." Finally, as the Lord clearly stated to
those already saved (His "disciples," not Israel): "All men will hate you because of me, but he
who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Mt. 10:22).
"There is no surer pledge or clearer sign of this great hope in the new heavens
and new earth 'in which righteousness dwells,' than the Eucharist. Every time
this mystery is celebrated, 'the work of our redemption is carried on' and
we 'break the one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote
for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ'" (p.354).
"Taken literally (epi-ousios: 'super-essential'), it refers directly to the Bread of
Life, the Body of Christ, the 'medicine of immortality,' without which we have
no life within us" (p.681).
"The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the
sacrament of the Eucharist: 'Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of
the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you' " (p.349).
"In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the Church offers those who are about
to leave this life the Eucharist as viaticum. Communion in the body and blood
of Christ, received at this moment of 'passing over' to the Father, has a particular
significance and importance. It is the seed of eternal life and the power of
resurrection, according to the words of the Lord: 'He who eats my flesh and
drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day' "
(p.381).
When Jn. 6:53 was spoken, the Lord's Supper had not yet occurred! In John's gospel, it
isn't recorded until chapter 13 and without any emphasis at all on communion. If Jn.
6:53 really refers to communion, then no one could have life in himself without it from
the time these words were spoken until it was instituted! But this is not what the Biblical
record shows! Zacchaeus is a case in point. In Lk. 19:9, he got saved, yet the Lord's
Supper never occurred until Lk. 22:15-20, that is, until after Zacchaeus received his
personal salvation! Apparently then, Zacchaeus ate the flesh of the Son of Man and
drank His blood without having communion, since salvation [or spiritual life] came to
him! See also Lk. 7:48-50.
If communion is necessary for salvation, then how did the repentant, dying thief get
saved without it after it was instituted? Again, please bear in mind that the first Lord's
Supper was already passed at this point. He never celebrated communion, yet got
spiritual life! See Lk. 23:42,43. Obviously, he met the condition of Jn. 6:53 to get
spiritual life, but again, as with Zacchaeus, it came without communion!
The Apostle John clearly cites the purpose of his gospel in chapter 20:30,31: "These
[the miraculous signs Jesus performed] are written that you may [or may continue to]
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have
LIFE in his name."
Also, if Jn. 6:53 is to be literally understood, as in Catholicism, then one is actually
eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus during a Catholic mass. This is their
doctrine of transubstantiation. If this has truly occurred, as claimed, then the
communion elements should taste like human flesh and human blood. In contrast to
this teaching and what a Catholic really tastes during communion, we have an actual
God-given transubstantiation (change in substance) in Jn. 2:7-11 to learn from. (This is
where Jesus changed the water into wine.) After that real transubstantiation
occurred, the water no longer tasted like water! Instead, it now tasted like the thing
it was changed into (the wine)! If the Catholic church had a true transubstantiation, then
their product would, likewise, taste like the finished product, but it does not! (This is an
irreconcilable problem for a literal interpretation of Jn. 6:53.) Please note the following
quote from Vatican Council II regarding this:"We believe that the Mass which is celebrated by the priest in the person of
Christ in virtue of the power he receives in the Sacrament of Order, and which is
offered by him in the name of Christ and of the members of his Mystical Body, is
indeed the Sacrifice of Calvary sacramentally realized on our altars. We
believe that, as the bread and wine consecrated by the Lord at the Last Supper
were changed into his Body and Blood which were to be offered for us on the
Cross, so likewise are the bread and wine consecrated by the priest changed
into the Body and Blood of Christ now enthroned in glory in heaven" (Vol.
2, p.393).
"Worship of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in
the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among
other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the
Lord. 'The Catholic church has always offered and still offers to the
sacrament of the Eucharist the cult of adoration, not only during Mass, but
also outside of it, reserving the consecrated host with the utmost care, exposing
them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in
procession' " (Catechism of the Catholic Church, p.347).