Sung Park Supporter Father to 4 Boys & "Assiduous Contemplater" of the Word

When you say, "offend" I take it you mean that it turned "many of his disciples" away as stated in John 6:66. Rather trying to increase the number of followers after feeding the five thousand, here is Jesus trying dissuade people from following him for the wrong reason: to fill their physical needs.

This teaching indeed was very difficult for many people as Jesus says, "I am the bread of life." He starts out with saying, "Whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" but he goes on in verse 53 to say, "unless you eat the flesh...and drink his blood, you have no life in you....v.54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life." This kind of talk sounds awfully strange and gruesome if taken literally. Keep in mind that this was before his crucifixion so those of us looking at it from this side of Christ's death and resurrection have a much better perspective than those on the other side did. Jesus offers no help to those who are listen but rather lets the listener interpret what he is saying. Rather, he uses this difficult teaching to sift out those who have not been "granted by the Father" (v. 64-65) Notice in verse 64 that Christ knew who from the beginning who those were who did not believe and who it was who would betray him. "Those who have been granted by the Father" believed and followed Christ despite their lack of clear understanding until the unfolding of God's plan through Christ's death and resurrection. 

In summary, many turned away because Christ meant to turn them away while keeping those whom the Father has given him (v. 39).

March 18 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

John 6:54-59 ASV Bible: " I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. 54 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live for ever. 59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum."

Jesus did not stumble those whom he spoke to; they stumbled themselves because they did not stay and listen to what Jesus meant when he said those words.

Jesus Christ contrasted "bread that comes down from heaven" with the manna eaten by the Israelites in the wilderness and plainly stated, "I am the bread of life." He showed that he was "the living bread that came down from heaven," adding: "If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and, for a fact, the bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world." (Joh 6:48-51) This 'eating' would have to be figurative, by exercising faith in the value of Jesus' perfect human sacrifice. (Joh 6:40) 

Jesus was not here discussing the Lord's Evening Meal, because this arrangement was not instituted until a year later at Passover time.

The 'eating' and 'drinking' mentioned in this account are figurative expressions of exercising faith in Jesus Christ, as indicated by verses 35 and 40.

Can you imagine how offensive that may sound to Jewish listeners! They might think that Jesus is suggesting cannibalism or a violation of God's law against consuming blood. (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:10, 11) But Jesus is not referring to eating flesh or drinking blood literally. He shows that all who want everlasting life must exercise faith in the sacrifice he will make when he offers up his perfect human body and pours out his lifeblood. Yet, even many of his disciples do not understand this teaching. Some react: "This speech is shocking; who can listen to it?"​—John 6:60.

Symbolic Use. 

Although the manna was a divine provision (Ne 9:20), it did not sustain the Israelites forever. Christ Jesus made a point of this, and then he added: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and, for a fact, the bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world." (Joh 6:30-33, 48-51, 58) Christ's faithful followers avail themselves of this heavenly manna, or "bread of life." They do so in a figurative manner by exercising faith in the redeeming power of Jesus' flesh and blood laid down in sacrifice. Doing so opens up the prospect of living forever, whether in the heavens with Christ or in the earthly Paradise.

Sadly, this "hard saying" was a stumbling block for those who were not prepared to commit fully and trust in the deeper, spiritual meaning of his words.

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