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Jesus fed five thousand men in John 6:1-14 by miraculously multiplying five barley loaves and two fish.
The next day:
They did not think that. They did not think in terms of transubstantiation.
How should we understand this then?
Jesus explains;
How does the physical bread turn into the physical flesh of Christ?
It doesn't. The bread is a sign for us to believe so that we can grow—not fleshly—but spiritually.
See also This is my body or represents my body?.
The next day:
Note that the Jews did not ask: How does the bread turn into his flesh?35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. ...
50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
They did not think that. They did not think in terms of transubstantiation.
How should we understand this then?
Jesus explains;
We are to understand this in terms of spiritual life. Jesus multiplied the bread. We should believe this as a sign of his being the bread of life. Such a belief would cause us to grow spiritually. It feeds our spirit.63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.”
How does the physical bread turn into the physical flesh of Christ?
It doesn't. The bread is a sign for us to believe so that we can grow—not fleshly—but spiritually.
See also This is my body or represents my body?.
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