On the contrary, he declares, not that they must eat the _bread_ of the Son of man, but that they must eat _his flesh_ and drink _his blood_ (ver. 53); in a slightly different form, he reiterates this declaration in ver. 54; and finally, to avoid the possibility of the misinterpretation which substitutes his teaching for his personal presence and influence, he adds the emphatic declaration of ver. 55. If something more than accepting and following the teaching of Christ is not meant by these verses, then it would seem that Christ has embodied a very simple truth in very unnecessarily mystical language. That more than this is meant I take to be declared unmistakably by verses 53-55; what more than this is meant it is the object of verses 56-58 to show. The commentators have discussed at great length the question what relation the solemn assertions of these verses bear to the Lord’s Supper. There are three general opinions: (1) that no reference to the Lord’s Supper is intended; (2) that the whole passage exclusively relates to the Lord’s Supper prophetically; (3) that the idea involved in the Lord’s Supper, but not the ordinance itself, is referred to. For discussion of these opinions, see Alford’s note. To me it seems clear that Christ here teaches by a word-parable the same truth which he subsequently embodies in a parable in action in the ordinance of the Supper; whether he prophetically refers to it or not is a question of no great importance. 56 He that eateth[248] my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth[249] in me, and I in him. [248] Lam. 3:24. [249] ch. 15:4; 1 John 3:24; 4:15, 16. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so[250] he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. [250] 1 Cor. 15:22. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers[251] did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. [251] verses 49-51.