There is written evidence that the disciples obeyed Jesus: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galations 2:20)
You understand that Jesus did not die on the cross, correct? It is what happened when he was taken off the cross that lead to the disciples "act" of eating his flesh and drinking his blood as he commanded.
John 6:53 -
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.
On a re-read of that verse, two important things he said there stand out for me. The first to catch my eye was "son of man" and the next was "Verily, verily."
1. "Son of man" is who he referred to himself as ~ not son of god, ever. HE knew who he was.
2. When the man called Jesus said anywhere, "Verily" it meant "Truly." It meant that he was about to say something important. When, however, you see "Verily, verily," whatever came behind that was to be paid undivided attention to. A modern-day translation of "Verily, verily" might be something like, "Listen up for your own good, I kid you not, or you may face consequences..." Whatever followed "Verily, verily" was sure to be seriously profound and taken literally.
John 6:54 - Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.<p> </p>55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.<p> </p>56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Bear in mind that he issued that command before the Passover feast known as "the last supper" - way before.
You should be aware that in the verses prior to that, he had been addressing the crowd in parable mode, but then, you see he cut to the chase and made himself verily, verily crystal clear.
Again, what strikes me is that he said all that BEFORE the Passover observance commonly referred to as the "last supper." Long before. Of how much time elapsed between the two events, I am uncertain. The Passover incident was merely a reminder and a full practice-run for the disciples of what they were expected by him to do: eat his flesh and drink his blood.
So, it is obvious that he concisely made himself perfectly clear and we do especially get this point when we continue in our reading...:
John 6:60 - Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?
Verse 61 - When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
Well yes, wouldn't *you* be offended at first if you were just informed that you were required to eat your loved one and drink their blood?
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Note that there, again, he referred to himself as the son of man (not son of god). That portion of the 6th chapter of john contains popularly misinterpreted text that clearly requires no special interpretation in the first place. Here is what I mean: "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?" The question is obviously referring to his predetermined plan to appear to the disciples in astral form, which I can give a little more detail about - "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Jesus understood the mechanics of the Human body and it is obvious that he he knew the process involved in deliberate Out Of Body Experiences
John 6:64 - But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
It now lines up and makes sense when you see clearly how this piece fits into the age-old puzzle. After coming to understand that in order to receive what the man called Jesus had to offer, they would have to first eat his flesh and drink his blood, many *would* opt out of that plan, leave and stop following him. It weeded out the superficial and thin-skinned disciples from his die-hard friends-to-the-end, as it is written that after he said that, the number of disciples he wound up talking to had diminished to 12 when he started with "many" (hundreds). It was those remaining ones who sacrificed him, ate his flesh, drank his blood and "acted with power" when the pentecost occurred, who indeed are as alive today as he is through biblical text of the new testament and who will live as long as those texts are referenced by the masses.
vERSE 68 - Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
PETER proclaimed that the people thought he was the son of god, even though the man called jesus never said that, only referring to himself ever as the son of MAN, and if you observe carefully, you will note it was always only PETER who piped up calling him the son of god.
So yes, Jesus laid down his life for his friends. He laid it down on an alter, as was the Jewish traditionh of the sacrificial offering.
