John Chapter 6

vs 51

If Jesus didn't sound like some sort of wierdo cannibalist demon worshipper yet, he does now. If this is a fairly accurate recording of what he said, then I think we can understand the Jewish crowd's reaction - if you're reacting to the obvious truth, that is.

But even if they see past the obvious and to the fact that he is calling himself the Messiah, and saying that he's going to suffer and give up his body in this role, that is just as unpalatable to a lot of Jews.

vs 52

See, they didn't all just disagree or think he was an idiot - they argued. Probably the literalists against all the metaphoricalists, who in turn had different opinions about what he meant.

vs 53

So Jesus is going to clear it up for them... or not. He is pushing the metaphorical stuff all the way. This seems to be John's version of a parable - Jesus pushes a metaphor to the limit, and those who take it literally are those who miss out (sounds a bit like some modern conservative churches really).

Really, they are not going to fully understand, no one is going to really understand that Jesus is talking about a sacrifice in which we can partake spiritually (by accepting his death for our sins) but also a ceremony which would be celebrated as a breaking of bread and wine. They could have understood that he was speaking in metaphors, but they would never see the actual truth of the matter till it hit them after the fact.

vs 54

Jesus strongly links what he is talking about with eternal life, and the resurrection on the last day.

vs 55

I think the NIV obfuscates matters a bit here. The NASB says "My flesh is true food, my blood is true drink" or something like that. Rather than fighting over what is "real", it is much easier to accept Jesus saying that his body and blood are the "true" food and drink, which will sustain you eternally. I'm sticking to that, anyway. Perhaps a better translation would be "the real".

vs 56

Well, you could read that literally, in that you really have a bit of Jesus in you. But this is starting to unlock the truth of what Jesus is saying - that those who participate in Christ's sufferings, even by understanding and accepting, will have Christ in them.

vs 57

True life only comes through Christ. I mean, yes we all live now (again, only because of Christ) but our true eternal lives depend exclusively on Christ, and nothing else.

vs 58

Jesus is talking about true manna here, a spiritual manna that has really come down from heaven. It is a food that, when you eat it, you won't die eternally, but live eternally.

vs 59

Now, perhaps I've got this wrong, but I wouldn't stand up in a church and say this stuff - you know, it would just feel wrong. I'd do it out under a tree or something. But obviously Jesus thought that the people who needed to hear this were in the Synagogue, so that's where he went.

vs 60

Now by chapter 6, Jesus seems to have quite a few disciples. But they are having trouble either understanding this most recent statement of Christ, or they are getting a bit of an understanding (about him suffering) and they are unable to accept that. It's a hard teaching either way. Just what would we expect, when the result is eternal life?