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To: CynicalBear
So between John 6:51 and John 6:63 He changed from talking about His flesh to “the flesh of this world” just like that ey?

The obvious "elephant in the room" with regards to our John 6 discussion is the context of the full passage. I am seeing a lot of quoting of the "eating" portions of the chapter. In the beginning of John 6 Jesus fed the multitudes. They followed Him and he rebuked them for only following Him to keep their stomach's full. Then we get to a very interesting point of John chapter 6:

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

But the above "that you believe in Him whom He has sent" was not enough for these hungry freeloaders. They wanted a sign and claimed they had Moses. Then Jesus taking "that you believe in Him whom He has sent" enters into using depiction, types/examples.

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

Then the Jews grumbled because of what Jesus told them above. Then Jesus tells them:

43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

So even before we get to the contentious flesh and blood verses Jesus points out that those the Father gives Him and believes in Him will have eternal life. It was after they all grumbled denying Him that Jesus' types/examples became more difficult for them to understand. It today's "lingo" that would be "hey I told you Who I Am and what you must do. You did not believe Me when I said it and you told me you have Moses and manna. So then I told you I AM the Bread of Life and those that ate manna died, but you won't die believing in My Work. Then when you did not believe that, I told you to eat My Flesh and Blood because My flesh and blood will deliver you from your sins. And then when most of you said 'eww eating flesh and blood' I told you I am speaking of spiritual matters and not fleshly matters."

IMO, that about covers John 6. A Masterful display of clear logic from The Master. He started out explaining in terms of spiritual but they were not listening, they were awed they could get a free meal from Him. Then it was the unbelieving Jews in the audience that started to bring up concrete things like manna and Moses (Hebrew is a VERY concrete language) so Jesus explained His message in the concrete things they knew. And when they went "eww flesh and blood we must eat", Jesus clearly states He is speaking of spiritual matters, which is where He started earlier in the chapter. I think that is an approach within context and expository.

256 posted on 10/13/2013 2:39:40 PM PDT by redleghunter
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To: redleghunter

Great points! Understanding spiritual things is off limits to some and we have been told that. Those who God is calling do get it however and it’s they we keep the word of God front and center for.


258 posted on 10/13/2013 2:49:20 PM PDT by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ)
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