Posted on 09/17/2013 8:25:21 PM PDT by jodyel
"Unless You Eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and Drink His Blood You Have No Life In You"
Are these words of Jesus from John 6:53 to be taken literally or figuratively? The Roman Catholic Church teaches the context of John chapter six and the above headlined verse 53 are literal. Thus Jesus is giving absolute and unconditional requirements for eternal life. In fact, this literal interpretation forms the foundation for Rome's doctrine of transubstantiation -- the miraculous changing of bread and wine into the living Christ, His body and blood, soul and divinity. Each Catholic priest is said to have the power to call Jesus down from the right hand of the Father when he elevates the wafer and whispers the words "Hoc corpus meus est." Catholics believe as they consume the lifeless wafer they are actually eating and drinking the living body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is a vital and important step in their salvation and a doctrine they must believe and accept to become a Catholic.
If priests indeed have the exclusive power to change finite bread and wine into the body and blood of the infinite Christ, and if indeed consuming His body and blood is necessary for salvation, then the whole world must become Catholic to escape the wrath of God. On the other hand, if Jesus was speaking in figurative language then this teaching becomes the most blasphemous and deceptive hoax any religion could impose on its people. There is no middle ground. Therefore the question of utmost importance is -- Was the message Jesus conveyed to the Jewish multitude to be understood as literal or figurative? Rome has never presented a good argument for defending its literal interpretation. Yet there are at least seven convincing reasons why this passage must be taken figuratively.
Counterfeit Miracle
There is no Biblical precedent where something supernatural occurred where the outward evidence indicated no miracle had taken place. (The wafer and wine look, taste and feel the same before and after the supposed miracle of transubstantion). When Jesus changed water into wine, all the elements of water changed into the actual elements of wine.
Drinking Blood Forbidden
The Law of Moses strictly forbade Jews from drinking blood (Leviticus 17:10-14) A literal interpretation would have Jesus teaching the Jews to disobey the Mosaic Law. This would have been enough cause to persecute Jesus. (See John 5:16)
Biblical Disharmony
When John 6:53 is interpreted literally it is in disharmony with the rest of the Bible. "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you," gives no hope of eternal life to any Christian who has not consumed the literal body and blood of Christ. It opposes hundreds of Scriptures that declare justification and salvation are by faith alone in Christ.
Produces Dilemma
It appears that the "eating and drinking" in verse 6:54 and the "believing" in verse 6:40 produce the same result - eternal life. If both are literal we have a dilemma. What if a person "believes" but does not "eat or drink"? Or what if a person "eats and drinks" but does not "believe?" This could happen any time a non-believer walked into a Catholic Church and received the Eucharist. Does this person have eternal life because he met one of the requirements but not the other? The only possible way to harmonize these two verses is to accept one verse as figurative and one as literal.
Figurative In Old Testament
The Jews were familiar with "eating and drinking" being used figuratively in the Old Testament to describe the appropriation of divine blessings to one's innermost being. It was God's way of providing spiritual nourishment for the soul. (See Jeremiah 15:16; Isaiah 55:1-3; and Ezekiel 2:8, 3:1)
Jesus Confirmed
Jesus informed His disciples there were times when He spoke figuratively (John 16:25) and often used that type of language to describe Himself. The Gospel of John records seven figurative declarations Jesus made of Himself -- "the bread of life" (6:48), "the light of the world" (8:12), "the door" (10:9), "the good shepherd" (10:11), "the resurrection and the life" (11:25), "the way, the truth and the life" (14:6), and "the true vine" (15:1). He also referred to His body as the temple (2:19).
Words Were Spiritual
Jesus ended this teaching by revealing "the words I have spoken to you are spirit" (6:63). As with each of the seven miracles in John's Gospel, Jesus uses the miracle to convey a spiritual truth. Here Jesus has just multiplied the loaves and fish and uses a human analogy to teach the necessity of spiritual nourishment. This is consistent with His teaching on how we are to worship God. "God is Spirit and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). As we worship Christ He is present spiritually, not physically. In fact, Jesus can only be bodily present at one place at one time. His omnipresence refers only to His spirit. It is impossible for Christ to be bodily present in thousands of Catholic Churches around the world.
When Jesus is received spiritually, one time in the heart, there is no need to receive him physically,
you just keep thinking that whoever starts a church, Luther, Knox, Wesley, whoever, can have equality with the church that Jesus Christ Himself founded.... how can you possibly be that naive??? Man made religions are a dime a dozen, there are literally thousands of them.....are they equal with the Catholic Church which Christ founded....I think not.
since you do it constsntly, I'll do it.........chapter and verse??? scriptural reference????
probably not since I don't think that there are any really scurrilous versions around right now...Incomplete ones , yes, but even the incomplete word of God is the word of God. Some of the writings in the days of the inquisition were evil enough to lead people away from the truth.
interesting theory....so the early church, apostles, diciples, thought so little of her that they did not bury her in a special place, did not attend her grave, and did not record for posterity where and when she died and was buried....amazing lack of concern I'd say.
Lucifer is presently in the throne room of Yehova,according to the scriptures.
When he is kicked out, the tribulation begins.
do you really think that you can go through life and not replicate what some pagan did at one time or another????? It is the intent and your meaning for the action that counts, not what some pagan in the second century meant
a pagan lit a candle...a Catholic lit a candle SCANDAL....a pagan hung an evergreen decoration, a Catholic hung an evergreen decoration...SCANDAL.....oh please
WOW...so they raised a woman to be symbolic of the country of Israel....amazing, I thought that they were sort of patriarchial in nature.
It is my understanding that the church is comprised of believers, those who belong to and are bondservants of Jesus.
There are many different flavors comprising the church, but it is still the church, or body of Christ.
I understand the church to be the “catholic church”, or “church universal”. Notice the lower case “catholic”. Upper case “Catholic” is just another flavor, like “Baptist”, or “Lutheran”, or “Calvary Chapel”, etc.
WE are the church.
Jesus is the HEAD. We are the body.
would that be anything like the protestant revolution??
you give any credence at all to astronomy??????good grief
I understand the upper and lower case use of the word catholic...however to equate upper class word Catholic with Lutheran or Baptist is to miss the point.
The Catholic church is the only complete and true Christian church on Earth...Baptist church, Lutheran church, Methodist church are denominations of protestantism....those who protested.
Caatholicism is by no means, just another flavor...it is unique.
Were you thinking of astrology?
Gen 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
Gen 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
(e-Sword: KJV)
YHWH put signs in the stars. It is a giant clockwork. The woman in revelations is above all, a WHEN.
Of course, you are free to follow your tradition but The Bible (and the stars) prove that Christmas is not the truth. Why do you lend it credence?
“Man made religions are a dime a dozen...”
Roman Catholicism is no better or worse than any other “man-made religion.” No one is going to enter heaven merely because they belonged to a church. Sitting in a pew no more makes you a Christian than standing in a garage makes you a car.
Jesus’ church was founded upon a profession of faith so simple a child could understand it. It has nothing to do with sacraments or all the other rituals or responsibilities men have added to what Christ has done.
Serve God as your church leads and let others do the same. Sectarianism is NOT pleasing to God!
“The Catholic church is the only complete and true Christian church on Earth.”
Nonsense.
Why is it do you think that YHWH became so offended by the adoption of pagan things into the system He set up in the old Covenant? Why did He place absolute limits upon changing what He had ordained? Why do you suppose that Israel missed the time of the coming of Messiah?
Anyone reading this can go back and SEE your 'words'.
I'll accept THEIR judgement - not yours.
Yeah...
I really HATE it when folks are exposed doing that...
The money-grubbing cabal of so-called Bible teachers and fiction writers...
They didn’t get it. Nor, apparently, do you....
How dishonest of you....
Uh...
'cause it doesn't WORK??
Hebrews 10:4
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Mary is dead alright.
It seems you’ve failed Strawman 101.
That’s what I claim.
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