704. In these passages, flesh does not mean flesh, and blood does not mean blood, as all who are enlightened from heaven can sense within themselves. Both terms in their earthly meaning relate to the Lord's suffering on the cross, which people were to remember. This is why the Lord said, as he simultaneously celebrated the supper of the last Jewish Passover and instituted the supper of the first Christian Passover, "Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25).

Likewise, the bread does not mean bread or the wine wine. In their earthly meaning, these terms have the same import as flesh and blood - that is, the Lord's suffering on the cross. We read that "Jesus broke bread and gave it to his disciples and said, 'This is my body'; and he took the cup and gave it to them and said, 'This is my blood'" (Matthew 26:[26-28]; Mark 14:[22-24]; Luke 22:[19-20]). For this reason he referred to his impending suffering on the cross as a "cup" (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44; Mark 14:36; John 18:11).