Catholics see the Son in the Eucharist

[kaycee]

When Jesus said he was the vine, and us the branches, or when he said he was the gate, none of his followers said a word. Yet, when he calls his flesh real food and his blood real drink, the Jews grumble and his disciples walk off. If it’s a mere metaphor, then why did Jesus repeat it four times? When Nicodemus was confused about the nature of being born again, Jesus set him straight. Yet, when the Jews grumbled, He didn’t say “you misunderstand, I’m simply talking about eating a cracker and drinking grape juice as a symbol.”

Because those who left were not believing followers! They were not seeking after Jesus! They wanted another meal.

John 6:25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26** Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.**27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe."

 

[Randy_Carson]

Ok.

When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "

That he had a preexistant nature and was not merely a man.

That the formerly special and exclusive place, receiving the mana, does not matter because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we will have life. I believe this verse foreshadows the Holy Spirit.

The only way to come to the Father is through Christ. It is really an accumulation of hard sayings Randy. If they had left after he was talking about eating his flesh you would have a point, but they do not.
The jist of the whole thing is that eternal life comes through Christ. No doubt they took him literal at first, it is not the first time people had left Christ confused.

 

[runandsew]

Augustine believed in a eucharistic presence, but he defined that presence in a way that contradicts transubstantiation. )

Transubstantiation had not been defined yet. The beliefs which the Church fathers held to before that item has been officially defined by the Church does not make them heretical.

But if you think about it, he was a priest and celebrating the Eucharist, so if he believed personally that the Eucharist was just a symbol, while leading his congregation to believe that it was the real presence then he would have been very hypocritical.

 

[Nicene]

It appears you are incorrect. Jesus taught almost exclusively in parables and symbols! Is Jesus also a real Vine with real branches? Is Jesus also a literal wooden gate? Is Jesus also a literal woolen lamb with 4 legs?

Unfortunately when he speaks in parables he explains the parables, sometimes at length. He doesn’t explain anything further here does he?

As well a parable is a religious story which illustrates a moral truth. I can’t help but notice he doesn’t tell a story here. Thus not a parable.

Clement of Alexandria
“Elsewhere the Lord, in the Gospel according to John, brought this out by symbols, when He said: ‘Eat ye my flesh, and drink my blood,’ describing distinctly by metaphor the drinkable properties of faith and the promise, by means of which the Church, like a human being consisting of many members, is refreshed and grows, is welded together and compacted of both,–of faith, which is the body, and of hope, which is the soul; as also the Lord of flesh and blood. For in reality the blood of faith is hope, in which faith is held as by a vital principle.” - Clement of Alexandria (The Instructor, 1:6).

St. Clement of Alexandria The Instructor 2,2,19,4
And the blood of the Lord is twofold. For there is the blood of His flesh, by which we are redeemed from corruption; and the spiritual, that by which we are anointed. And to drink the blood of Jesus, is to become partaker of the Lord’s immortality; the Spirit being the energetic principle of the Word, as blood is of flesh. Accordingly, as wine is blended with water, so is the Spirit with man. And the one, the mixture of wine and water, nourishes to faith; while the other, the Spirit, conducts to immortality. And the mixture of both–of the water and of the Word–is called Eucharist, renowned and glorious grace; and they who by faith partake of it are sanctified both in body and soul. For the divine mixture, man, the Father’s will has mystically compounded by the Spirit and the Word. For, in truth, the spirit is joined to the soul, which is inspired by it; and the flesh, by reason of which the Word became flesh, to the Word.

**St. Clement of Alexandria The Instructor 1,6,41,3 **
The Word is all to the child, both father and mother and tutor and nurse. “Eat ye my flesh,” He says, “and drink my blood.” Such is the suitable food which the Lord ministers, and He offers His flesh and pours forth His blood, and nothing is wanting for the children’s growth. O amazing mystery

Peace and God Bless
Nicene

 

[Nicene]

Augustine believed in a eucharistic presence, but he defined that presence in a way that contradicts transubstantiation. For example:

Augustine also said

“You know that in ordinary parlance we often say, when Easter is approaching, ‘Tomorrow or the day after is the Lord’s Passion,’ although He suffered so many years ago, and His passion was endured once for all time. In like manner, on Easter Sunday, we say, ‘This day the Lord rose from the dead,’ although so many years have passed since His resurrection. But no one is so foolish as to accuse us of falsehood when we use these phrases, for this reason, that we give such names to these days on the ground of a likeness between them and the days on which the events referred to actually transpired, the day being called the day of that event, although it is not the very day on which the event took place, but one corresponding to it by the revolution of the same time of the year, and the event itself being said to take place on that day, because, although it really took place long before, it is on that day sacramentally celebrated. Was not Christ once for all offered up in His own person as a sacrifice? and yet, is He not likewise offered up in the sacrament as a sacrifice, not only in the special solemnities of Easter, but also daily among our congregations; so that the man who, being questioned, answers that He is offered as a sacrifice in that ordinance, declares what is strictly true? For if sacraments had notsome points of real resemblance to the things of which they are the sacraments, they would not be sacraments at all. In most cases, moreover, they do in virtue of this likeness bear the names of the realities which they resemble. As, therefore, in a certain manner the sacrament of Christ’s body is Christ’s body, and the sacrament of Christ’s blood is Christ’s blood,’ in the same manner the sacrament of faith is faith.” (Letter 98:9)

Here is a much shorter one:

St. Augustine Explanations of the Psalms, 33,1,10
Christ was carried in His own hands, when, referring to His own Body, He said 'This is My Body

Pretty compact and succinct.

Peace and God Bless
Nicene