John 6.51-58
In the middle of the summer, we find ourselves still in the middle of the sixth chapter of St. John's Gospel, talking about the Bread of Life. This is a great mystery. We, who know about the Last Supper, we, who know what Jesus says when he takes the bread and offers the wine, we, who celebrate the Eucharist—we have a key to understanding what Jesus means.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will 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?”
We have a key to understanding this mystery, but the people standing around Jesus, listening to him, do not. They have no idea what he means.
This might remind us of one of those games people play—we used to call them the "Never Can Tell Club" games. For example:
Matthew might say, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing macaroni and meatballs."
Mark might say, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing mashed potatoes and maple syrup."
Luke might say, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing macaroons—"
"No, no, no," everyone in the club would say. "Luke, you cannot bring macaroons, but you can bring lollipops."
And Luke would wonder what this means.
John might continue, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing jelly beans and jam."
"Wait, can I bring lima beans?" Luke might ask.
"Yes," we would all say. "You can come."
Never would anyone ever explain why. People just have to work it out on their own.
When the people do not understand what Jesus means by giving them his flesh to eat, his flesh that is bread he will give for the life of the world, Jesus does not explain himself. Instead, he says,
“Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."
And they wonder what he means.
Without the key of the Last Supper, what might they think he means?
They are not stupid. They do not think he actually means they should eat his flesh and drink his blood. That would just be wrong. And impossible to feed the world. But his words are strong words. Bold.
Flesh and blood. These are words that we find in the Hebrew Scriptures, written so long before Jesus was born. Early in the Bible, God tells Noah,
you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
Blood is life. And God tells Noah and all the people to respect the life of other animals. Eat them, but not their lifeblood. Respect life.
So, not only does Jesus tell the people to drink his lifeblood, but he also declares that if they do not, they no longer have lifeblood of their own. What can this mean??
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life
There he goes again. Eat his flesh and drink his blood.
His lifeblood is better than any animal's lifeblood. Better than any person's too. His lifeblood gives eternal life.
Never will he ever tell what he means.
But the people know something about blood from the Bible. Maybe they can work some of it out on their own.
In the days of the manna, when the people wander in the desert, God makes a covenant with the people, a solemn promise. God will be their God, the one who brings them out of slavery, and they will be God's people, the ones who carry the Word into the world. After the people agree to follow the Word and its commandments, Moses sacrifices oxen. He collects the blood from the flesh of the animals. He dashes half of it on the altar and half of it on the people. The blood seals the covenant. It is a sign. With the blood of the sacrifice on both the people and on the altar, they belong to God, they belong to the covenant. They understand that the sacrifice bonds and unites them.
Flesh and blood.
The people listening to Jesus now feel grateful that he does not dash blood on them like Moses did so many years ago. But they wonder if Jesus thinks about covenant. Does he think his flesh and blood seal a covenant? Does he think they are a sign?
and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.
True food? True drink? Does he actually think that they should literally eat his flesh and drink his blood? The people wonder what he means.
True means nothing false. True means nothing contaminates. True means faithful.
We can trust what is true.
True food? Food that does not spoil. Food that fully nourishes. Food that satisfies hunger.
True drink? Drink that does not poison. Drink that fully replenishes. Drink that satisfies thirst.
What can he mean?
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.
Eat his flesh and drink his blood. Never will he ever tell them what he means.
The people also know that priests regularly sacrifice animals in the Temple. The sacrifice of an animal—its flesh and its blood upon the altar—serves to atone for—to pay for—their sins. It helps atone for the times they break the covenant with God. In some way, the animal’s life stands in for the life of the sinners. This atoning sacrifice must be performed over and over again, however, for it serves to heal only for a short time.
Flesh and blood.
The people wonder if Jesus plans to offer his flesh and blood as a sacrifice. If they take his flesh and blood into themselves, they would take his sacrifice into themselves, too. It would abide in them. And they would abide in him.
Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.
If they take his sacrifice into themselves, then what happens to him, happens to them. If he lives, they live. If God makes him live, God makes them live, too.
Right, Jesus? Is this what you mean?
Your flesh and blood—do they seal a covenant? Are they a sign of unity between God and us?
Your flesh and blood—do you offer them as a sacrifice? Do you want us to carry your sacrifice in us?
Your flesh and blood taken into us—what happens to you, happens to us? If you live eternally, so do we?
We do not know how you mean eat your flesh and drink your blood, but...
Did we get it? Are we close?
This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
Never will he ever tell what he means.
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