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1richardbsmith
John 6:56-69
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.”
He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?”
But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them,
“Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.”
For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.
So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
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.”
He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?”
But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them,
“Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.”
For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.
So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
2richardbsmith
Beginning with verse 60, the disciples are having a rough time with Jesus' teaching. It is not however directly explained what teaching is difficult, except that the immediately preceding talk is about Jesus giving his body as food which gives unending life.
But in verse 62 Jesus seems to address their unease by speaking about the son of man going back up from where he came. Jesus does not address at all any upset over the concept of eating his body.
This jump back in the reference from 62 to 41 suggests to me that the verses from 48 to 59 are an inserted parallel. It may be that the repetition of "I am the bread of life" in 48 supports that conclusion, as perhaps also the repetition of "murmuring" in 41, 43, and 61.
If so, then it seems best to consider this week's reading from 60 to 69 as concluding the discussion after the feeding, from 22 to 47.
In this approach, the bread from heaven is the teaching from the one who knows and the one believing in him (40) will have life unending and access to the spirit that makes life.
The insertion of the sacramental verses from 48 to 59 seems to me to interrupt that line of teaching about Jesus coming from the Father.
But in verse 62 Jesus seems to address their unease by speaking about the son of man going back up from where he came. Jesus does not address at all any upset over the concept of eating his body.
This jump back in the reference from 62 to 41 suggests to me that the verses from 48 to 59 are an inserted parallel. It may be that the repetition of "I am the bread of life" in 48 supports that conclusion, as perhaps also the repetition of "murmuring" in 41, 43, and 61.
If so, then it seems best to consider this week's reading from 60 to 69 as concluding the discussion after the feeding, from 22 to 47.
In this approach, the bread from heaven is the teaching from the one who knows and the one believing in him (40) will have life unending and access to the spirit that makes life.
The insertion of the sacramental verses from 48 to 59 seems to me to interrupt that line of teaching about Jesus coming from the Father.
3richardbsmith
Glad to see that the group has picked up a few members. :)
William Barclay in his Daily Study Series makes a couple points that I like. First Barclay makes clear that the saying that is difficult is that Jesus came down from heaven.
Barclay spent two sections on the sacramental passages that I think are insertions (51-59), and which are so difficult for so many in verse 52. But it is clear in Barclay's mind that the difficult sacramental language is not at issue in verse 60.
Barclay makes a point about the Greek word for "hard" that does not seem quite accurate. "The Greek word is skeros, which means not hard to understand; but hard to accept." There is no such distinction in the meaning on the word itself, which just means hard.
But I think Barclay is right that it is acceptance rather than understanding that is difficult with the saying.
Second Barclay points to what is difficult in that statement, that Jesus "had claimed to be the very life and mind of God come down to earth; their difficulty was to accept that as true." The claim in this statement is the claim of deity.
The saying in question is "I am the bread of life" which "comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
The disciples understood the statement. many though could not accept it and left for their previous things.
William Barclay in his Daily Study Series makes a couple points that I like. First Barclay makes clear that the saying that is difficult is that Jesus came down from heaven.
Barclay spent two sections on the sacramental passages that I think are insertions (51-59), and which are so difficult for so many in verse 52. But it is clear in Barclay's mind that the difficult sacramental language is not at issue in verse 60.
Barclay makes a point about the Greek word for "hard" that does not seem quite accurate. "The Greek word is skeros, which means not hard to understand; but hard to accept." There is no such distinction in the meaning on the word itself, which just means hard.
But I think Barclay is right that it is acceptance rather than understanding that is difficult with the saying.
Second Barclay points to what is difficult in that statement, that Jesus "had claimed to be the very life and mind of God come down to earth; their difficulty was to accept that as true." The claim in this statement is the claim of deity.
The saying in question is "I am the bread of life" which "comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
The disciples understood the statement. many though could not accept it and left for their previous things.
4richardbsmith
Two sayings that call for thought.
"The spirit is the maker of life, the flesh does not benefit anything."
This statement seems emphatically dualistic. How does that dualism fit with other Christian or Jewish thought?
"No-one comes to me without it had been given to him from the Father."
How should we as believers understand this statement?
"The spirit is the maker of life, the flesh does not benefit anything."
This statement seems emphatically dualistic. How does that dualism fit with other Christian or Jewish thought?
"No-one comes to me without it had been given to him from the Father."
How should we as believers understand this statement?
5dinamo
The explanation given to me for this statement is that God calls us first. Not one person will become or has become a child of God that was not called first by him. God initiates the relationship.
6richardbsmith
dinamo,
The line "the spirit is the maker of life, the flesh does not benefit anything" seems to fall in line with our discussion of Jesus the King, where Jesus tells Pilate, "my kingdom is not of this world."
John seems to minimize this world in favor of the spiritual.
The line "the spirit is the maker of life, the flesh does not benefit anything" seems to fall in line with our discussion of Jesus the King, where Jesus tells Pilate, "my kingdom is not of this world."
John seems to minimize this world in favor of the spiritual.
7dinamo
I agree, this world will pass away, but the spirit world will not. This also indicates that our relationship with God is more important than with anyone on this planet.
But then again, our treatment of everyone on this planet is in direct relation to our following of Jesus and abiding in God.
But then again, our treatment of everyone on this planet is in direct relation to our following of Jesus and abiding in God.
