The Gospel reading in church today is:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."
What does all this mean? Should we take it literally? Or is it all symbolism?
In John Chapter 6 Jesus repeats this several times. So much so that some of His listeners decided not to follow Him any more and they left.
Jesus did not stop them. He did not call them back and tried to explain.
John 6:67 onwards:
So He asked the twelve disciples, "And you - would you also like to leave?"
Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God."
Well ... I guess that now, many years later, we too have to decide whether we believe this or not.
...for me it's symbolic.
ReplyDeleteI understand.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
Great message here, I too lean to symbolic, BUT have no problems with someone's heart felt beliefs...
ReplyDeleteLove from the next coast East.,
Sherry & jack
A mystery. Christ seemed so insistent at what He said. Even when people left Him.
DeleteGod bless, Jack.
I believe it and was taught that it's true but it is still one of the mysteries that you just have to have faith.
ReplyDeleteIndeed Bill, it is a mystery we have to accept through faith.
DeleteGod bless.
I believe it is symbolic.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people do.
DeleteGod bless, Happyone.
I think we're not being asked to understand; rather, to believe. Someday all will make perfect sense.
ReplyDeletePerfect comment, Mevely.
DeleteImagine this: you are one of the disciples. You have lived with Jesus, seen Him teach and preach in the synagogues and in the open. You were there at the sermon on the mount, and at the feeding of the five thousands. You witnessed His healing miracles and bringing people back from death. And now, out of the blue, He says something like this.
""Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."
Is this a step too far for you? Has He gone mad? Will you leave Him as some of His followers have done? Or will you stay, like Peter said, and believe even though you do not understand?
Thank you for your comment my friend. God bless.
I love what Mevely said here, Victor. It is by faith alone that we can even begin to understand. I always look forward to sharing communion at church.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
I agree with you and Mevely, Martha. We cannot possibly understand why Jesus said this, and insisted on it several times. We need faith to believe without understanding.
DeleteSee my response to Mevely above.
God bless you always.
The choice is ours. God does not make a person believe in His one and only truth, but for me, I accepted His truth!
ReplyDeleteGod Bless!
Amen Lon. The choice is ours.
DeleteGod bless.
Hi Victor, there is much that could be discussed regarding this, but just to put it in a sentence or two:- The scriptures are discerned spiritually, and just as the physical body is kept alive with food and drink, so the Spiritual body (once we have become a child of God by being born again of God's Spirit ) is kept alive spiritually with spiritual food and drink. Jesus was the Word of God made flesh when He spoke these words in John chl.6 vs. 51-58 and spiritually they speak of learning God's ways and having eternal life. In the physical man blood enables man to have life on earth. In the Spiritual man blood of Jesus allows us to have eternal life.
ReplyDeleteI understand what you're saying, Brenda.
DeleteGod bless always.
... I'm a day late!
ReplyDeleteStopping by to wish you (hope you had) a happy Sunday and a good new week.
All the best Jan
Best wishes to you and yours, Jan.
DeleteGod bless always.
thecontemplativecat here A strong verse with a strong message! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan.
DeleteGod bless.
I lean more toward Brenda's explanation, but i will fellowship with any who claim Christ as Savior and Lord, even if we disagree on a few things.
ReplyDeleteAmen Mimi.
DeleteGod bless you.