15, 16. (a) How was the feeding on Jesus’ flesh to be done? (b) According to John 6:53-59, how did Jesus make this point still stronger?

¹⁵ Jesus wanted his Jewish listeners to understand that the eating of his flesh would be done in a figurative way. So, to make this point still stronger, he next said something that would be still more objectionable if taken in a literal way. We read:

¹⁶ “Accordingly Jesus said to them: ‘Most truly I say to you, Unless you [my Jewish listeners] eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.

We can imagine the impact of Jesus’ words when he spoke, not only of feeding on his flesh, but also of drinking his blood. “Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said: ‘This speech is shocking; who can listen to it?’” (John 6:60) This statement shows that not all of Jesus’ disciples were shocked by his speech. Besides the shocked ones, there were more “disciples,” including the 12 apostles. (John 6:61-66) Thus Jesus’ words in John 6:53 were directed in large part to his disciples and, by extension, to those who would become his disciples before the “last day.” These became spiritual Jews, spiritual Israelites.​—Rom. 2:28, 29.

18, 19. (a) To whom did the blood of the sacrificial victim belong, and therefore the making of a meal upon Jesus’ blood and flesh meant what? (b) How was such a meal referred to by Jesus because of the faith of a Gentile army officer and also by a certain Jew commenting on Jesus’ words at a dinner?

¹⁸ The Jews in the Mosaic law covenant knew that the blood as well as the fat of a sacrificial victim belonged to Jehovah. (Lev. 3:16, 17) When Jesus ascended to heaven and appeared in Jehovah’s presence, he offered to Jehovah his “blood” or the value of it as a redemption price. (Heb. 9:12-14; John 6:61, 62) Since the blood belonged to Jehovah, the drinking of it and the eating of the flesh of Jesus would indicate having a meal with Jehovah. God would thus be sharing the blood of his Lamb Jesus Christ with the disciples of this Lamb. Jesus spoke of such a meal with Jehovah as the Greater Abraham, when he foretold that many Gentile believers (like the believing Gentile “army officer”) would come from all parts of the earth and “recline at the table with Abraham [Jehovah] and Isaac [Jesus Christ] and Jacob [the spirit-begotten Christian congregation] in the kingdom of the heavens.”​—Matt. 8:5-12.

¹⁹ Once when speaking of a dinner having real merit because of those who were invited to attend, Jesus explained why it had merit, saying: “You will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones.” This brought to a person’s mind the privilege of having a meal with Jehovah God, for we read: “On hearing these things a certain one of the fellow guests said to him: ‘Happy is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 14:12-15) In response to this exclamation Jesus gave the parable of the “grand evening meal” spread by a certain householder. By this Jesus showed that not all would have the happiness of dining with God in the Kingdom.​—Luke 14:16-24.

“LIFE IN YOURSELVES”

20. Those who gain ‘life within’ themselves by eating Christ’s flesh and drinking his blood have life in what measure, and where and when will they use this capacity?

²⁰ In John 6:53 Jesus said: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.” Because the similar expression occurs here as appears in John 5:26, An American Translation renders John 6:53: “I tell you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no self-existent life.” So Jesus here meant “life” with a specific capacity when he went on to say: “He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I shall resurrect him at the last day.” (John 6:54) That everlasting life is to be enjoyed by the one gaining it, not on earth, but in the heavenly kingdom with Christ. He will enter into such life when he is resurrected by Jesus Christ at “the last day.” Those who, with Christ in the heavens, have such ‘life in themselves’ will be able to impart to others the benefits of Christ’s human sacrifice. They will do so when the redeemed ones of mankind are called out of their memorial tombs on “the last day.”​—John 5:28, 29.

25. (a) Will those feeding on Christ’s sacrifice on earth continue to do so in heaven? (b) In what sacred office will they serve, and with what benefit to mankind?

²⁵ In heaven, when having ‘life in themselves,’ the resurrected spiritual Israelites will no longer need to feed on Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood. (John 6:53) They will be privileged to serve as “priests of God and of the Christ” and will thus be able to pass on to mankind the lasting benefits of Christ’s atoning sacrifice. (Rev. 20:6) Because in heaven they have everlasting life, they will need no successors in the priestly office. Like the High Priest, Jesus Christ, they will be able to serve as underpriests continuously throughout the whole millennium. In this way they will share with Christ in uplifting mankind to human perfection on earth.