That sounds good, but what about the part of that same verse that says "the flesh profiteth nothing."
I think it means that our own bodies, our own flesh, will not profit from taking the Eucharist.
This might be viable if the phrase was ...... nothing profits the flesh ...But, that isn't what it says. It says ...... the flesh profits nothing ...Flesh is the subject (effector) ... profits is the verb (effect) ... nothing is the object (effectee).
So, what JESUS is saying is that ... the flesh (whose flesh ... His flesh ... that's the flesh that He's been talking about) ... profits ... nothing (or nobody).
JESUS goes on to say ...... the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.Just to be sure ... I checked this against the following translations ...King James Version
6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.
American Standard Version
6:63 It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, are are life.
Bible in Basic English
6:63 The spirit is the life giver; the flesh is of no value: the words which I have said to you are spirit and they are life.
Darby's English Translation
6:63 It is the Spirit which quickens, the flesh profits nothing: the words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life.
Douay Rheims
6:64 It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life.
Noah Webster Bible
6:63 It is the spirit that reviveth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Weymouth New Testament
6:63 It is the spirit which gives Life. The flesh confers no benefit whatever. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and are Life.
World English Bible
6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
Young's Literal Translation
6:63 the spirit it is that is giving life; the flesh doth not profit anything; the sayings that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life;
Later, in this same conversation, JESUS asks His remaining disciples if they, too, will leave Him (for some had gone away as a result of His teaching).
Peter responds to Him ...John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.Peter says that they (the remaining disciples) have noone else to go to ... for only JESUS has the words of life. Peter, then, goes on to affirm that they believe JESUS testimony of Himself ... that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Notice that Peter does not say to JESUS that he has the flesh of life, but rather ... the words of life.
OK, I'll buy that. It is an awkward phrase.
So, what JESUS is saying is that ... the flesh (whose flesh ... His flesh ... that's the flesh that He's been talking about) ... profits ... nothing (or nobody).
Here's where I rent my garment. If Jesus' flesh does no good for nobody, then the Crucifixion is pointless.
If His Flesh is good for nothing, it would certainly not serve as a vessel for God to become incarnate in.
So, I can't buy this explanation. It is nonsensical. Jesus tells us how his Flesh is given for the Life of the World, and then He says that his Own Flesh is worthless.
Peter says that they (the remaining disciples) have noone else to go to ... for only JESUS has the words of life. Peter, then, goes on to affirm that they believe JESUS testimony of Himself ... that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Yes, but those words have a meaning. If I affirm that your words are very important, this does nto mean that I dismiss what you say, rather that I pay very close attention to what you say.
SD