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,
Precisely! And I fear Catholics are in danger of that happening to them as well.
Obviously I believe the word of God when it says, “and God gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS.” I’ll choose to believe God knows what He is doing and has appointed these offices for and with purpose. Should you choose not to believe God, that’s your perogative — I have chosen to believe Him.
WAY too often; for that is where the evil box is located that bring in vile messages.
Dat be he favrut spot.
name another one.
pay real close attention....the complaint was that the Catholic church farbade Catholics from reading scripture....not so, they forbade Catholics from reading the evil incorrect writings which came about during the revolution.
out of context, I have no idea what you are talking about.....like Moses what???
A minion might know that; how do YOU come by the information?
I have been.
Someone stated an episode that he personally knew of.
Someone else cast doubt on it; having totally dismissed the EVIDENCE in favor of his preconceived ideas.
At least your 'church' is starting to listen to the shouting rabble in the pews, who've been TRYING to get the persons in power to get RID of the ones who cast Catholicism in a bad light.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3070653/posts
Make up your mind!
If you have NO idea; how can you also claim 'out of context'?
Damn movable goalposts!!
PAY ATTENTION!!!
POSSESSING a BIBLE!!!
I have a TV too!
Then you know what I mean; right?
Definitely.
sometimes (once in a while) you post an intelligent comment....this wasn;t one of them!
you directly and knowingly disregarded what Jesus said also....how can you, with any common sense whatsoever, disregard one thousand six hundred years of a group (Catholics) that have preserved and loved the church which Jesus Himself founded ????? it amazes me that people are so arrogant that they think that if they make up new rules and organizations and "truths" that they are right!!!!!!???????
FINALLY you've said something that made sense....I agree that it is about time that the church hold people like Pelosi accountable
I tell you, if it weren't for IRONY snippets, catholics would never post anything worth reading.
in post 717 you said Yeah, like Moses....and I couldn't connect those three words with anything....that's why it was out of context.....please, in the future, post exactly which of my brilliant replies that you are trying to refute!
O come now. Much of the paganism of the RCC has been in place since Nimrod.
>>that have preserved<<
Have preserved? Perverted is more like it. Catholics can’t find scripture to support most of what they incorporate unless they inject meanings that aren’t there.
>>it amazes me that people are so arrogant that they think that if they make up new rules and organizations and "truths" that they are right!!!!!!??????? <<
It must have indeed. The RCC has made up rules and an organization not sanctioned in scripture and you joined them. You must have indeed been amazed. I am personally appalled at what the Catholics do and believe.
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