The Cup of Blessing: Part III
--Continued from Part II---
We were looking at John chapter 6 in which Jesus offends and alienates many of his followers by claiming to be the bread of life which came down from heaven and telling them all that they must feed on his flesh and drink his blood if they wish to have life eternal. Now we look at the conclusion of the chapter where Jesus speaks with the 12 disciples about this issue.
Jesus own disciples (not referrencing the 12 only but the many that followed him) were no less offended and troubled by this teaching than the people in the synagogue. Many of them turned away as a result of this teaching. The truth, however, is that these people turned away because they had not really believed in Jesus. They had been following his teaching, and his miracles, but they did not believe in Him. Never-the-less Jesus explains it once again for his offended disciples. He says "do you take offence at this, then what if you say the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?" Jesus points once again to the fact that the real issue is they do not believe in him. They do not believe he is who he claims to be, and they do not believe in what he has come to do. They saw him only as a teacher and a doer of signs... not as the Bread of Life.
Jesus goes on to say "It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life". This phrase has caused many to misunderstand, or has been used by many to misunderstand because they do not see what Jesus has really been talking about this entire time. When Jesus says "the words I have spoken to you are spirit and life" many immediately interpet this to mean two things #1 Jesus' words, ie his teachings are the real food. #2 Everything Jesus has just said is allegory and not meant to be taken literally.
Both views are wrong. In much of the protestant church we have adopted a mindset that "spiritual" means "non literal" it means "allegorical" or "symbolic". None of that is true. "spiritual" simply means that which deals with the spirit. It is no less real, no less literal than that which is physical. If anything it is more so. Further, when Jesus says "The words I have spoken are spirit and life." He is referring not to everything he ever said, but specificly to what he has just finished saying. The words he just spoke are all about spirit, and life. Remember that Jesus began this entire conversation by saying "don't seek physical food, seek spiritual food which will bring eternal life".
Peter recognized this in his response at the end of the chapter "you have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and we have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." The words of eternal life are those that Jesus has just been speaking. The message that we must believe in him, that he came down from heaven to be the Bread of Life, to give his flesh and blood for the world.
It should be recognized that Jesus is referring directly to his sacrifice on the cross when he says in this chapter "And the bread of life that I will give for the world is my flesh". The breaking of his body, the shedding of his blood are the bread of life.
It is also obvious in this passage that Jesus is fortelling the communion. The communion instituted at the last supper fortold the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Jesus in is forming a connection between communion, and his sacrifice on the cross. As we leave this passage from John keep this quote in mind "he who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him".
I'm sure we all know the story of the last supper in which Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it saying "this is my body which is broken for you, take and eat all of you" and he took the cup and said "this is the new covenant in my blood, shed for many for the remission of sins, take and drink all of you". The new covenant, eterna life, our spiritual food is provided by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, his body broken, his blood shed. I'm sure you all remember the phrase which Jesus said at the last supper that we repeat today as well "do this in rememberance of me". A simple phrase in english, but with profound conotations in greek. The word translated "rememberance" is in greek "anamnesis".
The prefix "ana" means "again" and mnesis comes from the root meaning "to bring to mind". So the word means to bring to mind again.. ie to remember. So whats the big deal? The word anamnesis carries with it certain conotations that can not be ignored in the context of what Jesus is saying. The conotation of "anamnesis" is re-enactment. Plato used this conotation in a very complex theory he made about knowledge using the word "anamnesis". The idea behind this is that in the act of anamnesis you are not merely thinking about a past event, but rather you are bringing that event into the present. You are making that event present in you.
Does that seem far out, mind blowing.. maybe even far fetched?? Then compare it to what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 10:16
"The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"
Communion is our participation in the blood of Christ, it is our participation in the body of Christ. When we "remember" him in communion, we are joined to his eternal once for all sacrifice. He is made present in us. Remember that quote from John 6 "he who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him". Remember the disciples on the road to Emmaus "he was known to us in the breaking of the bread".
Take it all together.
It is in the communion that we find relationship with Christ, it is in the communion that Jesus is revealed to us, and made present in us. It is through communion that we are participate in him.
Furthermore, through all this we can see that the relationship Jesus wants with us is not what like we have with friends.. it is much deeper and more intimate. "He abides in me, and I in him".
this is a mystical truth because in it we see that Jesus is revealed to us internally, through faith and participation in communion. This idea seems very strange to the modern, humanistic mind but it is true, it is what the scriptures tell us, it is what the church has practiced and believed. We meet him in communion... thats why its called communion.
We were looking at John chapter 6 in which Jesus offends and alienates many of his followers by claiming to be the bread of life which came down from heaven and telling them all that they must feed on his flesh and drink his blood if they wish to have life eternal. Now we look at the conclusion of the chapter where Jesus speaks with the 12 disciples about this issue.
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said,
“This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in
himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take
offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending
to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of
no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But
there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning
who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless
it is granted him by the Father.”
66 After this many of his disciples
turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve,
“Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to
whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have
believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of
you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he,
one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.
Jesus own disciples (not referrencing the 12 only but the many that followed him) were no less offended and troubled by this teaching than the people in the synagogue. Many of them turned away as a result of this teaching. The truth, however, is that these people turned away because they had not really believed in Jesus. They had been following his teaching, and his miracles, but they did not believe in Him. Never-the-less Jesus explains it once again for his offended disciples. He says "do you take offence at this, then what if you say the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?" Jesus points once again to the fact that the real issue is they do not believe in him. They do not believe he is who he claims to be, and they do not believe in what he has come to do. They saw him only as a teacher and a doer of signs... not as the Bread of Life.
Jesus goes on to say "It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life". This phrase has caused many to misunderstand, or has been used by many to misunderstand because they do not see what Jesus has really been talking about this entire time. When Jesus says "the words I have spoken to you are spirit and life" many immediately interpet this to mean two things #1 Jesus' words, ie his teachings are the real food. #2 Everything Jesus has just said is allegory and not meant to be taken literally.
Both views are wrong. In much of the protestant church we have adopted a mindset that "spiritual" means "non literal" it means "allegorical" or "symbolic". None of that is true. "spiritual" simply means that which deals with the spirit. It is no less real, no less literal than that which is physical. If anything it is more so. Further, when Jesus says "The words I have spoken are spirit and life." He is referring not to everything he ever said, but specificly to what he has just finished saying. The words he just spoke are all about spirit, and life. Remember that Jesus began this entire conversation by saying "don't seek physical food, seek spiritual food which will bring eternal life".
Peter recognized this in his response at the end of the chapter "you have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and we have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." The words of eternal life are those that Jesus has just been speaking. The message that we must believe in him, that he came down from heaven to be the Bread of Life, to give his flesh and blood for the world.
It should be recognized that Jesus is referring directly to his sacrifice on the cross when he says in this chapter "And the bread of life that I will give for the world is my flesh". The breaking of his body, the shedding of his blood are the bread of life.
It is also obvious in this passage that Jesus is fortelling the communion. The communion instituted at the last supper fortold the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Jesus in is forming a connection between communion, and his sacrifice on the cross. As we leave this passage from John keep this quote in mind "he who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him".
I'm sure we all know the story of the last supper in which Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it saying "this is my body which is broken for you, take and eat all of you" and he took the cup and said "this is the new covenant in my blood, shed for many for the remission of sins, take and drink all of you". The new covenant, eterna life, our spiritual food is provided by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, his body broken, his blood shed. I'm sure you all remember the phrase which Jesus said at the last supper that we repeat today as well "do this in rememberance of me". A simple phrase in english, but with profound conotations in greek. The word translated "rememberance" is in greek "anamnesis".
The prefix "ana" means "again" and mnesis comes from the root meaning "to bring to mind". So the word means to bring to mind again.. ie to remember. So whats the big deal? The word anamnesis carries with it certain conotations that can not be ignored in the context of what Jesus is saying. The conotation of "anamnesis" is re-enactment. Plato used this conotation in a very complex theory he made about knowledge using the word "anamnesis". The idea behind this is that in the act of anamnesis you are not merely thinking about a past event, but rather you are bringing that event into the present. You are making that event present in you.
Does that seem far out, mind blowing.. maybe even far fetched?? Then compare it to what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 10:16
"The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"
Communion is our participation in the blood of Christ, it is our participation in the body of Christ. When we "remember" him in communion, we are joined to his eternal once for all sacrifice. He is made present in us. Remember that quote from John 6 "he who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him". Remember the disciples on the road to Emmaus "he was known to us in the breaking of the bread".
Take it all together.
It is in the communion that we find relationship with Christ, it is in the communion that Jesus is revealed to us, and made present in us. It is through communion that we are participate in him.
Furthermore, through all this we can see that the relationship Jesus wants with us is not what like we have with friends.. it is much deeper and more intimate. "He abides in me, and I in him".
this is a mystical truth because in it we see that Jesus is revealed to us internally, through faith and participation in communion. This idea seems very strange to the modern, humanistic mind but it is true, it is what the scriptures tell us, it is what the church has practiced and believed. We meet him in communion... thats why its called communion.
posted by Simon Templar | 9:47 PM
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