Was Jesus speaking literally when He said you must eat His flesh and drink His blood?
No, Jesus was not speaking literally about eating His physical flesh and drinking His physical blood. His words described a spiritual communion of His shed blood and broken body. Many followers could not comprehend that saying, could not accept it, and left, because they misunderstood what He meant.
Les teaches that Jesus was not speaking of literally eating His flesh or drinking His blood. In His earthly ministry He said that unless they ate His flesh and drank His blood, they could not partake with Him. Many followers were repulsed and left; they could not comprehend it because they were ignorant. Jesus was actually talking about a spiritual communion of His shed blood and broken body. The bread and cup of the Lord's table picture that communion, and Paul later explains its practice in the local church.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
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Why did many of Jesus' followers leave when He said unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you cannot partake with Him?
When Jesus said unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you cannot partake with Him, many of His followers could not comprehend it and left — but that literal eating of flesh is not what Jesus was talking about.
What did Jesus mean by 'unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood'?
Jesus said that unless a person eats his flesh and drinks his blood, they cannot partake with him.
Was Jesus speaking literally about eating his flesh and drinking his blood?
Jesus was not talking about literally eating his flesh and drinking his blood when he gave that teaching.