[Greek] πόσις (posis), [Latin] potio: drink, a drinking, beverage; Rom.14:17, Jn.6:55, Col.2:16
The Last Supper: by Danish painter Carl Bloch (1834-1890)
Background Information:
Greek Hellenism: This term, meaning drink, is found in celebratory occasions, events, and ordinary situations. A symposium is an occasion where others meet together (sym-) to drink, converse, and eat together. Homer’s Odyssey 10,176 states, “Friends, not yet shall we go down to the house of Hades, despite our sorrows, before the day of fate comes upon us. Nay, come, while there is yet food and drink in our swift ship.” Polybius’ Histories 6.11 states that a Roman matron, forbidden to drink wine, was required to undergo a sort of breathalyzer test each day by having his her male relatives.
Old Testament: This term is predominately associated with drinking, feasting, and banqueting. The Law, purification rituals and regulations, and carnal ordinances governed the consumption of physical food and drink. However, upon God’s command for Moses to strike the rock at Horeb, water comes forth from the rock. These ordinances are imposed until the time of a new order is established by Christ. These rules and regulation will be set aside. Christ will later declare that all foods will become clean. Instead, what comes from inside, not from what is outside, will be unclean. Earthly food and drink, part of God’s creation, is still important.
It is he who allotted your food and drink (Dan.1:10). And he prepared a feast for them (Gen.19:3). In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants (Est.1:3). The king arose in his anger from drinking wine and went into the palace garden (Est.7:7). But a cheerful heart as a continual feast (Job.1:5). The Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain (Isa.25:6). So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink (Dan.1:16).
New Testament: This term, essentially meaning drink or drinking, makes reference to having the proper perspective regarding food and drink inside God’s dominion. The Colossians were encountering the heresies of false teachers and Gnosticism. The false teachers advocated worship of the supernatural principalities and promoted human traditions. Gnosticism advocated that dualistic notion that material world is bad and the spiritual realm is good. Paul states that natural food and drink are part of God’s creation. John relates that Jesus’ blood is true drink. Jesus’ blood provides everlasting life to those who partake of this.
Scripture:
“For My Flesh is true food, and My Blood is true drink.” Jn.6:55
Jesus’ Body and Blood provides everlasting life. Jesus was speaking literally, not figuratively.
“Let no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or Sabbath.” Col.2:16
Paul was addressing the notion of having a proper perspective with the natural food and drink. The Colossians were dealing with heresies and false human traditions regarding worship of supernatural principalities and human traditions.
Conclusion:
Potent, potion, symposium,
The ancient Greco-Roman drinking parties become the precursor to the modern day symposium. Yet despite the possibly frequent drunkenness and debauchery, these parties often had a business agenda.
The simpler Old Testament culture often had many occasions for drinking, banquets, and feasts. The Law also established many rules and regulations regarding concerning the cleanliness of food, drink, and utensils. The Law was more concerned with what enters the body.
When Jesus enters the scene, He upends and supersedes the existing purification laws. Jesus claims that all foods are clean. What is considered uncleans comes from inside the person. The Colossians were facing Gnostic beliefs that the physical world is bad (or evil). Paul states that the natural food and drink are part of God’s creation.
Jesus states that His Blood is true drink. When many of His disciples decided to walk away, Jesus did not plead for His disciples to remain. Jesus did not say, “I was just speaking figuratively. Come back!” Jesus was speaking literally about His Blood.
In Jn. 6:53, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you…” Or elsewhere in scripture, this is stated, “Amen, amen, I say to you.” This statement is a very clear clue that Jesus will state something very, very important. The remainder of Jn. 6:53 ends with, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you.”
Catholic perspective: At Mass, the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to change the offered bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. The communion host and the cup each contain both the Body and Blood Christ. That is why it is sufficient for Catholics can partake of either the Host or chalice. Or Catholics may partake of both species.
Perhaps the greatest and saddest irony of all is this. The Jews couldn’t drink of the blood because the life (of the flesh) is in the blood (Lev.17:11). But Jesus is offering everlasting life which is in His Blood. The Jews could not accept Jesus’ desire to satisfy our thirst for eternal life. This was a drink that the Jews could not take.