The early Christians were accused of cannibalism because they were said to, ‘eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus.’ This was obviously a misunderstanding of the meaning and action that the early Christian’s placed on the celebration of Holy Communion. In John’s gospel chapter six Jesus Himself said, 51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” 52 The Jews therefore quarrelled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you”.
The church over the years has discussed or argued about the meaning and nature of the eucharist/holy communion. Roman Catholics have been taught to believe in transubstantiation which is the belief that the bread and wine change when the priests prays over them. Anglicans have been taught that the bread and wine change on the recipients reception of the elements via the faith of the recipient. This teaching is called Consubstantiation.
Which version is correct?
Imagine that two ropes are hanging from the sky. As you look up you see the cloud masking the ropes. Here on earth we see clearly that the two ropes are separate but as we look up we cannot see where the ropes join paradoxically. That I think is the same for many Christian mysteries we cannot see as God sees where doctrines join together.
The New King James Version. (1982). (Jn 6:51–53). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.