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In John 6, Jesus asserts his real, true and substantial presence in the Holy Eucharist
Juan de Juanes, "The Last Supper," ca. 1562 (photo: Public Domain)
Protestant apologist Jason Engwer, in his online article, “You Ought To Believe In A Real Absence,” wrote:
Roman Catholics (and others) often criticize those who don’t believe in a physical presence of Christ in the eucharist by referring to that view as “the real absence”, in contrast to the real presence. ... But there’s nothing wrong with absence in this context, and it actually makes a lot more sense than the alternative.
The problem with this commentary is what Jesus taught in his great eucharistic discourse recorded in John Chapter 6. Was Jesus teaching only that “bread of life” was simply metaphor for belief in him and that there is no physical and sacramental substantial bodily presence in the Eucharist?
No; as I demonstrated in that article, both things are true: He used a metaphor for belief and faith in him (“I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst”: Jn 6:35, RSV), but also made it clear that he was talking about his literal Body and Blood (in a supernatural sacramental sense; not the “cannibalistic” sense):
Five Senses of Presence
Continued below.
Refuting the “Real Absence” Anti-Transubstantiation Argument
Juan de Juanes, "The Last Supper," ca. 1562 (photo: Public Domain)
Protestant apologist Jason Engwer, in his online article, “You Ought To Believe In A Real Absence,” wrote:
Roman Catholics (and others) often criticize those who don’t believe in a physical presence of Christ in the eucharist by referring to that view as “the real absence”, in contrast to the real presence. ... But there’s nothing wrong with absence in this context, and it actually makes a lot more sense than the alternative.
The problem with this commentary is what Jesus taught in his great eucharistic discourse recorded in John Chapter 6. Was Jesus teaching only that “bread of life” was simply metaphor for belief in him and that there is no physical and sacramental substantial bodily presence in the Eucharist?
No; as I demonstrated in that article, both things are true: He used a metaphor for belief and faith in him (“I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst”: Jn 6:35, RSV), but also made it clear that he was talking about his literal Body and Blood (in a supernatural sacramental sense; not the “cannibalistic” sense):
- John 6:51 (RSV) ... the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.
- John 6:54 ... he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, ... (cf. 6:56: “... abides in me ...”)
Five Senses of Presence
Continued below.
Refuting the “Real Absence” Anti-Transubstantiation Argument