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More John commentaries
John 3:1-12
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John 6:1-15
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John 6:56-71
Confussion of the Body and Blood of Christ
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John 7:25-36
Blinded to the Truth
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Confussion of the Body and Blood of Christ
John 6:56–71
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
For nearly a year, Laddie Marshack, picture editor of TV Guide, has had a running correspondence with the gas company. One month she would get a note informing her she had underpaid her bill; the next that she had overpaid. Finally, the whole thing was cleared up. Laddie received … More
This was a very shocking message; to eat flesh and drink blood. The idea of drinking blood, let alone human blood, was disgusting to the religious leaders (v. 56). The Jews had been taught that they cannot eat any meat that has not had all the blood drained from it (Lev. 17:10). Some interpreters say that Jesus was speaking about the Lord’s supper. However, I do not believe that He had communion in mind. Why would he discuss the Lord’s supper with a group of disagreeable unbelievers? They are thinking in the physical realm and Jesus is speaking to them in the spiritual (vv. 56-58). Jesus was teaching in a Jewish place of worship in Capernaum when he said these things (v. 59). Many of His disciples, when they heard this, said” This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (v. 60) Christ asks them if they would accept the fact that He came from heaven when they see Him return to heaven (vv. 61-62). Christ now explains. He did not intend for them to eat physically of His flesh; that would profit nothing. Rather, it is His spirit (person) which gives life (v. 63). They did not accept His words and, consequently, they would not be drawn to Him (vv 64-65). Many of those who were impressed by the signs, now left Christ because of their unbelief (v. 66).
This is a turning point in our Lord’s ministry, where He confronts the twelve with the question, “Will you also go away” (v. 67)? Many people start out the Christian life and seem to do very well for awhile, but then they drop out of sight and nobody seems to know what happened. Peter had understood the teaching of his Master (v. 68). The message of Christ was not dead words to Peter, but they were full of spirit and life, and were the words of eternal life if we believe and are sure (v. 69). The Twelve affirm their confidence through Peter, but even one of them is a devil and will eventually betray the Bread of Life (vv. 70-71).
Application
I need to take the Lord at His Word and not be confused by what I think or others say.
John 6:56-71 (English Standard Version)
"Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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