52 The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus therefore said to them, "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 yourselves. 54 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise Him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats 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 who eats this bread shall live forever." 59 These things He said in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Message: Eating and Belief
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: As a reminder, this discourse that Jesus is giving is in the midst of multitudes in the synagogue which includes Jews. He has been clear in his words, but he is also using language that is a little shocking stating "I am the living bread....if anyone eats of this bread he shall live forever." Our passage this morning begins with the Jews asking this question - "how are we to eat flesh?"
With our knowledge now of Luke 22:19 - And when he had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of Me." And so we know now that Jesus' discourse here of eating the body and drinking the blood would be a parallel for His atoning death. But at the time, what would His audience have thought? Jesus does not seem to here be talking about the sacrament.
Thus, as we study, we see parallels - verse 40 - "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I myself will raise him up on the last day." Jesus mentions repeatedly believing in Him. And then as we look at verse 54, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Thus, there doesn't seem to be extra work or an extra sacrament that is required for eternal life, but rather the eating and drinking are not carnal acts, but rather speak to the trust we place in Him for salvation. He also says in verse 56 that doing this "abides in Him." Abiding is a giving of oneself completely. It is to include ourselves in all of what God provides to us - studying His word, prayer, fellowship, living our life in faith. As such the eating and drinking refer to more than belief, but taking Jesus in and taking Him in completely to our lives.
Summary: As Jesus is the bread of life, to eat his flesh and drink His blood is to abide in Him and to trust in Him completely for salvation practicing all that He has provided for us to grow in Christ.
Promise: Later on, with the Lord's supper, we see a tangible picture of taking Jesus in and entering unto Him, to show that tangible practice we are to mirror in our life of growing in Christ daily.
Prayer: Lord, as Petra stated in their song, we are daily to move Beyond Belief. I am to practice the presence of God daily in reading and studying and listening to good speakers, in fellowship with my wife and any others in the faith and encouraging myself and others continually to go beyond faith and belief to practice and doing the will of God. In believing I am sealed for eternal life, but in my belief I work for it shows that I am with you God. Keep training me daily in this sort of living. Keep me focused on You and leaning on You.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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