Symbolic Communion or Eucharistic Real Presence?

Most Christians believe that communion is simply a symbolic act. It is unfortunate that included in this group are some Catholics. The bread and wine (or grape juice) are mere symbols of our Lord's death. Is this Biblical?

Any analysis of the Eucharist must focus on the Gospel of John, chapter six. It is here where Christ speaks about the sacrament that He will begin at the Last Supper.

The chapter begins with the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. After the feeding, Jesus leaves the multitude to go to the hillside to be alone. By night, the disciples go down to the lake without Him and sail across the lake for Capernaum. Jesus catches up with them some time later by walking on the water. The multitude thinks Jesus must still be with them, yet the next morning they discover that He is nowhere to be found. So the multitude embark for Capernaum where they find Him. They ask, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" Jesus answered them:

"I assure you, you are not looking for me because you have seen signs but because you have eaten your fill of the loaves. You should not be working for perishable food but for food that remains unto life eternal, food which the Son of Man will give you; it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." (Jn 6:26-27)

This is the beginning of the dialogue about a supernatural bread in contrast to the natural bread Jesus had provided them the day before.

In the synagogue at Capernaum, the Jews ask Jesus, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" (v. 28) Jesus replied, "This is the work of God: have faith in the One whom he sent." (v. 29) Then the Jews ask, "What sign are you going to perform for us to see? What is the 'work' you do?" (v. 30) Jesus said to them, "I solemnly assure you, it was not Moses who gave you bread from the heavens; it is my Father who gives you the real heavenly bread. God's bread comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (v. 32,33) Jesus further explains to them, getting more explicit, as follows: "I myself am the bread of life. No one who comes to me shall ever be hungry, no one who believes in me shall ever thirst. But as I told you -- though you have seen me, you still do not believe." (v. 35, 36)

At this point, the Jews still think Jesus is speaking metaphorically. They complain because Jesus claimed that "He is the bread that came down from Heaven." Jesus repeated what He said before in verse fifty-one, having said very plainly, "I myself am the living bread come down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever; the bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world." It is at this point that we have the first indication that this bread is, indeed, the flesh of Jesus!

At this, Scripture says the Jews were quite agitated and quarreled among themselves. Logically, this indicates that they now no longer think Jesus is speaking metaphorically. If they thought He was, why quarrel? The Jews ask, "How can He give us His flesh to eat?" (v. 52) Jesus replies, "Let me solemnly assure you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. He who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood real drink. The man who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him." Subsequent verses indicate to us how many of His disciples essentially walked away from Jesus upon understanding His words. Of the Twelve that Jesus chose, Jesus asks, "Do you want to leave me too?" (v. 67) Simon Peter answered Jesus, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (v. 68) Wow! How much more plainly could Jesus have spoken!