Passage To
Study:
John 6:41-59
[41]
The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread
which came down from heaven.” [42] And they said, “Is not this Jesus,
the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He
says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” [43] Jesus therefore answered
and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. [44] “No one can
come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him
up at the last day. [45] “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they
shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and
learned from the Father comes to Me. [46] “Not that anyone has seen the
Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. [47] “Most
assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. [48]
“I am the bread of life. [49] “Your fathers ate the manna in the
wilderness, and are dead. [50] “This is the bread which comes down from
heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. [51] “I am the living bread
which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live
forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give
for the life of the world.” [52] The Jews therefore quarreled among
themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” [53]
Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat
the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
[54] “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I
will raise him up at the last day. [55] “For My flesh is food indeed,
and My blood is drink indeed. [56] “He who eats My flesh and drinks My
blood abides in Me, and I in him. [57] “As the living Father sent Me,
and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because
of Me. [58] “This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your
fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live
forever.” [59] These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in
Capernaum.
What are the facts of the passage?:
What do those facts mean?: (Verse
41 and 42) -
the ''you're clearly too stupid and/or ordinary to do anything but accept
the party line" argument is the last resort of those who have no
response to an argument. It takes the tack of saying that I'm smarter and
more important than you and so you can't be right. It is obviously without
merit except that it demonstrates that minds are closed and made-up and
that there is no real chance of making any progress. This is interesting
because this is the very group that was asking for miracles and for Him to
give them the bread. (Verse
43-44) - Jesus perceives that they are murmuring among themselves
(itself an indicator of His identity) and tells them that only those who
the Father draws can come. Jesus is addressing the real issue with His
listeners and not their voiced objection. The real matter is that they
have not believed. (Verse
45-46) The
appeal to OT authority at this point is very appropriate. These folks have
made very clear that they will not be swayed by arguments. The only
possible response here that has a chance of being effective is an appeal
to authority. The people themselves appealed here, erroneously. Christ
makes this appeal correctly and powerfully. Note
that there is a clear statement here. Everyone who is truly taught by God
comes to Christ. This has double force. First, it tells us that only
those who are instructed by God come. If someone is not instructed by God,
they don't come to Christ. Secondly, all who are truly instructed by God
come to Christ, and only to Christ! (Verse
47) Jesus
once again makes the point that believing is that which demonstrates that
eternal life is present. In this section we see a clear presentation that
God must do a work in order for man to believe. This is very difficult for
most people to grasp. We are so indoctrinated in the other direction that
it is had for us to even think in terms of prevenient grace. Of all of the
concepts of the doctrines of Grace this is the most difficult for us to
swallow. Yet, swallow it we must if we are to be the church God wants us
to be. (Verse
47-51) Christ
makes the point that the true bread of heaven is His broken body and His
shed blood. Anyone who partakes of His body and blood will live forever.
This is obviously speaking of partaking of the fruit of His sacrifice. It
is certainly not talking about communion. (Verse
52) That He
is not speaking in any way literally is borne out by the fact that the
Jews misunderstood and thought He was speaking literally and were
corrected. (Verse
53-58) The
way in which He corrects them is interesting. Without giving up the simile
that is at the root of the passage, He makes it clear that He is speaking
of something that surpasses the manna and the very idea of food and moves
into the realm of profound Theology. (Verse
59) An interesting historical note interjected telling us exactly
where all of this took place. How do those facts apply to my life?: Once again we say that this is the basic ground for all theology. As such it must serve as the foundation upon which I build and then preach my theology as well. What should I do in response?: Do it! |
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