主的话意思很浅显，但意义却很深奥。祂先说，祂是生命的饼；这饼是麦子作的。然后祂又说，祂的肉是真正的食物，祂的血是真正的饮料。肉和血都是指羔羊说的。这就是说，一面祂是植物生命所预表的，是饼；另一面祂是动物所预表的，是羔羊。饼是为着喂养、繁生；羔羊是为着流血赎罪，而叫我们有分于祂。
一面，主耶稣是植物的生命，为着喂养、繁生我们。祂是一粒麦子，落在地里死了，再长出来，就结出我们这许多子粒，为着繁生我们（十二24）。祂这麦子作成饼，是为着使我们得喂养，叫我们因祂活着（六57）。麦粒种在田里，是为着繁生；麦粒磨成面粉作饼，是为着喂养。这就是主耶稣作为植物的生命所预表的。
另一面，主耶稣又是动物的生命，为着救赎，使我们有分于祂。祂是神的羔羊，为着除去我们的罪（一29）。不仅如此，约翰六章四节说，逾越节近了。逾越节最重要的事就是宰杀羊羔。这描绘出一幅图画，就是他们原是犯罪的，应该被神弃绝，遭神击杀。可是藉着羊羔的血，他们就蒙神救赎，使神逾越过他们。这样，他们就得着平安；在这平安里，他们能享受羊羔的肉。
在这个背景之下，主耶稣讲了关于吃祂肉、喝祂血的话。祂说，祂的肉是真正的食物，祂的血是真正的饮料。这意思是说，我们应该接受祂的血所成功的一切；这血能救赎我们，使我们免去灾祸，免去神的击杀，免去神的审判，并且把我们摆在一个平安的境地，使我们能安享祂作食物，作生命的供应，如祂的肉所预表的。
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True Food and True Drink – John 6:55-56
The Lord’s words may sound simple, but their meaning is profound. First, He said that He is the bread of life, which is made of wheat. Then He said that His flesh is true food and His blood is true drink. Flesh and blood refer to the lamb. This means that, on the one hand, He is typified by plant life as bread; on the other hand, He is typified by animal life as the lamb. Bread is for nourishment and multiplication; the lamb is for shedding blood for redemption so that we may partake of Him.
On one side, the Lord Jesus is plant life to nourish and multiply us. He is the grain of wheat that fell into the ground and died, then grew again to produce many grains – us — for multiplication (John 12:24). As the wheat made into bread, He is for our nourishment so that we may live because of Him (John 6:57). Grain sown in the field is for multiplication; grain ground into flour and made into bread is for nourishment. This is the Lord Jesus typified as plant life.
On the other side, the Lord Jesus is also animal life for redemption, that we may partake of Him. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Furthermore, John 6:4 says that the Passover was near. The most important matter in the Passover was the killing of the lamb. This portrays the picture that they, as sinners, deserved to be rejected and struck by God. Yet through the blood of the lamb, they were redeemed, and God passed over them. In this way, they obtained peace; and in this peace, they could enjoy the meat of the lamb.
In this context, the Lord Jesus spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. He said that His flesh is true food and His blood is true drink. This means that we should receive all that His blood has accomplished. His blood redeems us, delivers us from calamity, from God’s striking and from God’s judgment. It places us in a realm of peace so that we may safely enjoy Him as food, as the supply of life, signified by His flesh.