John 6:55 and Genesis 9:4

[Sextoned]

except that flesh with blood you shall not eat.
Genesis 9:4 CPDV

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
John 6:56 CPDV

In apologetics how do we, as Catholics, stand up to what we believe the Eucharists is and those who believe it to be just a symbol? I had some JW’s stop by my house today and tried to show me how it would conflict with Gods laws in Genesis 9:4.

 

[CapitalistCatholic]

If it is only a symbol, then the passover sacrifice is not finished. In order for the sacrifice to be finished, the lamb must be eaten. If we have not eaten his body, then his sacrifice is null and void.

 

[BartholomewB]

For a start, the Jewish dietary laws are not binding on Christians. This was decided at the Council of Jerusalem, reported in Acts 15.

 

[po18guy]

Get a copy of the Essential Catholic Survival Guide, or other reliable source, and read up on the JWs. Put them on the defensive. They have a litany of failed prophesies and their “bible” is constantly changing to be brought in line with their peculiar views.

As to the question at hand, ask them if Jesus is the new covenant or not. If he is, we must take him at his word, as understood and taught, and handed on by the Apostles - 2,000 years of consistent practice of the Church.

They fail to understand even their own bible! The OT prohibition was against the killing and drinking (taking) of animal blood. We do not kill Christ, and we do not take, but receive His Body and Blood - at his command.

The Holy Eucharist is our Lord present Sacramentally - which the JWs have no idea what you are talking about. I express my regrets to them for their wrong and extremely limited understanding of Christianity.

 

[Thom18]

In addition to the Jewish dietary laws not being binding on us, we need to consider why the prohibition on drinking blood existed in the first place, and (if I remember correctly), the verse from Genesis that you bring up doesn’t simply say, “You shall not consume blood”, but also explains itself by adding “because the life is in the blood”.

With this in mind, why does Jesus tell us to drink His blood? So that we may be raised up on the last day, so that we may be given life. In other words, it’s precisely because Jesus’ life “is in His blood” that we must consume it.

 

[questioner21]

If you continue reading in John 6:60 some of the disciples say it is to hard and stop following him. Jesus does not back down. He tells them, “Does this shock you, …” In John 6:66 many of those disciples who could not stomach it decided to leave. Jesus turns to Simon Peter and asks him, “Do you also want to leave?”

John 6 makes it really clear at least to me, that Jesus was serious about his real presence in the Eucharist. That is the reason I have been attending daily mass nearly for the last 25 years.