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To: MEGoody; Marysecretary
There were many times Christ was speaking in a spiritual or symbolic sense where He didn't 'straighten out' those who misunderstood what He was saying.

In your anxiety to offer up some defense of your position, you must have missed the first sentence of my referenced post.

John 6:60 is the only record we have of any of Christ’s followers forsaking him for purely doctrinal reasons.

But he knew some did not believe. (It is here, in the rejection of the Eucharist, that Judas fell away; look at John 6:64.) "After this, many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him" (John 6:66).

By the way, do you think the 12 understood all that Jesus taught at the time He was teaching it, and where they didn't He 'straightened them out'?

John 6:30 begins a colloquy that took place in the synagogue at Capernaum. The Jews asked Jesus what sign he could perform so that they might believe in him. As a challenge, they noted that "our ancestors ate manna in the desert." Could Jesus top that? He told them the real bread from heaven comes from the Father. "Give us this bread always," they said. Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." At this point the Jews understood him to be speaking metaphorically.

Jesus first repeated what he said, then summarized: "‘I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.’ The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’" (John 6:51–52).

His listeners were stupefied because now they understood Jesus literally—and correctly. He again repeated his words, but with even greater emphasis, and introduced the statement about drinking his blood: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him" (John 6:53–56).

Twelve times he said he was the bread that came down from heaven; four times he said they would have "to eat my flesh and drink my blood." The Apostles may have been fishermen but they were not stupid. They got it and those who rejected it, walked away. Jesus did not call back these disciples. Sadly, the same is true today as it was 2000 years ago.

111 posted on 05/29/2008 6:52:24 AM PDT by NYer (John 6:51-58)
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To: NYer
your anxiety

Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
115 posted on 05/29/2008 7:07:58 AM PDT by Religion Moderator
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