John 6:51-58 Commentary by Dr. Tom Boomershine

Summary

The script delves into the provocative discourse of Jesus, where he speaks of giving his flesh to eat, not symbolically but literally, emphasizing the doctrine of transubstantiation. It explores the intimacy of the relationship between Jesus and believers, conveyed through the metaphor of eating his flesh and drinking his blood. This relationship is described as one of ongoing love and trust, leading to spiritual and eternal life. The discourse concludes with Jesus' passion prophecy, offering his life for the world, inviting listeners to a radical closeness with God, contrasting the emotional distance often found in religious communities.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The script discusses a provocative question from the biblical tradition about Jesus' words on eating his flesh and drinking his blood, suggesting a deeper meaning beyond literal interpretation.
• 🍞 The doctrine of transubstantiation is mentioned as an attempt to interpret these words, suggesting that the bread and wine in the Eucharist become the body and blood of Jesus in substance.
• 🔍 The discourse emphasizes relationship over substance, indicating that Jesus' words are about the intimate relationship believers have with him through the act of eating the bread.
• 💞 The term 'abide' signifies the ongoing intimate relationship of love and trust between Jesus and believers, highlighting the importance of spiritual oneness.
• 🌟 Spiritual life and eternal life are found in the intimacy of this relationship with God, as described by Jesus in the Bread Discourse.
• 📜 The Greek word 'meno' is used to convey the idea of remaining in an intimate relationship, suggesting a deep connection and togetherness with Jesus.
• 🙏 The discourse is a call to believers to enter and remain in the intimacy of the relationship with Jesus, which is central to their spiritual journey.
• ⚔️ The use of radically realistic language serves to break through the cultural sense of alienation and separation from God, offering a close and intimate presence instead.
• 🏛 The script contrasts the emotional distance often found in religious communities with the intimate closeness that the discourse invites.
• 🕊️ The climax of the discourse is a passion prophecy, where Jesus gives his flesh for the life of the world, symbolizing his sacrifice for the sake of believers.
• 🌐 The invitation to closeness in relationship with God is presented as radically different from what was the norm in the ancient world and is often still the case today.

Q & A

What is the provocative question and statement that begins the bread discourse in the script?

The provocative question and statement that begins the bread discourse is 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' which introduces a set of statements that have been the subject of intense theological debate and interpretation.

What is the doctrine of transubstantiation as mentioned in the script?

The doctrine of transubstantiation is a theological explanation that suggests during the Eucharist, the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ, not just symbolically but in their substance.

How does the script interpret the literalism of Jesus' words about eating his flesh and drinking his blood?

The script interprets the literalism of Jesus' words as a metaphor for an intimate relationship with God, rather than a literal consumption of physical flesh and blood.

What is the main focus of the bread discourse according to the script?

The main focus of the bread discourse, as per the script, is the intimacy of the relationship between Jesus and those who believe in him, rather than the substance of the bread and wine.

What is the significance of the term 'abide' in the context of the bread discourse?

The term 'abide' signifies an ongoing intimate relationship of love and trust between the believer and Jesus, indicating a state of remaining and staying connected spiritually.

How does the script describe the relationship of spiritual identity mentioned by Jesus?

The script describes the relationship of spiritual identity as one of intimacy, where believers become one with Jesus through the metaphor of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, leading to eternal life.

What is the passion prophecy referred to in the script?

The passion prophecy is Jesus' statement that he will give his flesh for the life of the world, signifying his impending death and sacrifice for the sake of humanity.

How does the script suggest that Jesus' words were meant to break through cultural norms?

The script suggests that Jesus' radically realistic language was intended to overcome the sense of alienation and separation from God present in the culture of his time, offering an intimate and close relationship instead.

What is the contrast the script draws between the religious communities of the ancient world and the message of the bread discourse?

The script contrasts the often emotionally distant nature of many religious communities in the ancient world with the message of the bread discourse, which invites believers into a closeness and intimacy with God that is radically different.

What is the climax of the bread discourse as described in the script?

The climax of the bread discourse is Jesus' invitation to his listeners to enter into an intimate relationship with him and to remain in that relationship, symbolized by the act of eating the bread and drinking the wine.

How does the script relate the message of the bread discourse to the experience of being part of a religious community today?

The script relates the message by highlighting the need for a close and intimate relationship with God, which is often lacking in many religious communities even today, and invites believers to seek that depth of connection.

Outlines

00:00

🍞 The Intimacy of Communion

This paragraph delves into the provocative discourse of Jesus' words regarding the consumption of his flesh and blood, as a metaphor for a deep spiritual relationship. It challenges the traditional doctrine of transubstantiation, suggesting that the literal interpretation of Jesus' words is not about the physical transformation of bread and wine but about the intimate connection believers have with Jesus. The paragraph emphasizes the ongoing, intimate relationship of love and trust ('abide') between Jesus and believers, highlighting the spiritual life and eternal life found in this union. It concludes by explaining that this metaphor of eating flesh and drinking blood symbolizes oneness and spiritual identity in Christ, leading to eternal life.

05:02

🕊️ The Passion Prophecy and the Invitation to Intimacy

The second paragraph continues the theme of intimacy, focusing on Jesus' passion prophecy where he declares his intention to give his flesh for the life of the world, signifying his sacrificial death. This act is portrayed as the climax of the discourse, calling for his listeners to enter into and maintain an intimate relationship with him. The use of realistic language serves to counter cultural alienation and separation from God, offering instead a close, personal relationship. The paragraph contrasts typical religious experiences, which can be emotionally distant, with the proposed closeness in the religious community. It concludes with an invitation to a radical form of relationship with God, as presented by Jesus in the discourse, which is a stark departure from the norms of both the ancient world and contemporary religious practices.

Keywords

💡Bread Discourse

The 'Bread Discourse' refers to a section of the biblical narrative where Jesus uses the metaphor of bread to explain the spiritual nourishment and relationship with God. In the video, the discourse is described as provocative and leading to a deeper understanding of the relationship between Jesus and his followers, illustrating the intimacy of spiritual connection through the metaphor of eating his flesh and drinking his blood.

💡Transubstantiation

Transubstantiation is a theological doctrine that asserts the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ during the Eucharist. The video discusses this concept as an interpretation of Jesus' words, suggesting that the church in the medieval period used this doctrine to provide a literal understanding of the metaphorical language used by Jesus.

💡Intimacy

Intimacy, in the context of the video, signifies a close, personal, and spiritual connection. It is central to the theme of the Bread Discourse, where Jesus describes the deep relationship believers can have with him, which is likened to eating his flesh and drinking his blood, symbolizing a profound spiritual oneness and ongoing relationship.

💡Spiritual Life

Spiritual life, as mentioned in the video, is the eternal and divine existence that believers can attain through their intimate relationship with God. It is depicted as the ultimate goal of the spiritual journey, where believers partake in the metaphorical bread and find everlasting life through their connection with Jesus.

💡Eucharist

The Eucharist is a Christian sacrament that involves the consumption of bread and wine, symbolizing the body and blood of Christ. In the video, the Eucharist is tied to the concept of transubstantiation and is the ritual through which believers partake in the spiritual life offered by Jesus.

💡Abide

The term 'abide' is used in the Greek text as 'meno', meaning to remain or stay in an ongoing intimate relationship. In the video, it is emphasized as a key aspect of the believer's relationship with Jesus, suggesting that by partaking in the Eucharist, believers remain in an intimate and everlasting spiritual connection.

💡Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech used to express one thing in terms of another, suggesting a resemblance or analogy. In the video, the metaphor of eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood is used to describe the spiritual nourishment and the intimate relationship believers can have with God.

💡Oneness

Oneness, in the context of the video, refers to the spiritual unity or the state of being one with God. It is derived from the metaphorical act of eating the bread, which signifies believers becoming one body with Jesus through their intimate spiritual connection.

💡Prophecy

A prophecy is a message that is believed to foretell the future or reveal the will of a divine power. In the video, Jesus' words about giving his flesh for the life of the world are interpreted as a passion prophecy, indicating his sacrificial death for the sake of humanity and the establishment of an intimate relationship with God.

💡Religious Community

A religious community is a group of people who share the same religious beliefs and practices. The video discusses the emotional distance often found in religious communities and contrasts it with the intimate relationship that Jesus offers to his followers, emphasizing the unique closeness and togetherness in the spiritual journey.

💡Radical Language

Radical language refers to the use of strong, unconventional, or provocative terms to convey a message. In the video, the term is applied to describe the language used by John in the Bread Discourse, which is intentionally shocking to break through the cultural norms and to convey the deep intimacy and presence of God in the lives of believers.

Highlights

The bread discourse begins with a provocative question and statement, introducing a puzzling aspect of the biblical tradition.

Jesus' words in the discourse are highly realistic and literal, not symbolic, emphasizing 'eat my flesh and drink my blood'.

The discourse explores the meaning behind Jesus' statements, often interpreted as the doctrine of transubstantiation.

Transubstantiation is the medieval church's conclusion that bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist.

The literalism of Jesus' words became the basis for a philosophical description of the Eucharist.

The discourse emphasizes relationship over substance, focusing on the intimacy between Jesus and believers.

Jesus describes the climax of the relationship movement as an intimate connection with spiritual and eternal life.

The Greek word 'meno' conveys the ongoing intimate relationship of love and trust between Jesus and believers.

The metaphor of eating flesh and drinking blood symbolizes oneness and spiritual identity in the relationship with God.

Jesus invites listeners to enter into and remain in the intimate relationship for eternal spiritual life.

The discourse is a passion prophecy, with Jesus giving his flesh for the life of the world through his death.

Jesus' sacrifice is for those in relationship with him, whom he loves.

The climactic appeal is for listeners to enter into and abide in the intimate relationship with Jesus.

John uses radically realistic and potentially offensive language to break through the sense of alienation from God.

The discourse contrasts the emotional distance often found in religious communities with the intimate relationship offered by Jesus.

The invitation extends to experiencing a closeness of relationship radically different from the cultural norm.

Transcripts

this section of the bread discourse

begins with an incredibly provocative

question

and statement

it is a puzzle

that

introduces one of the most provocative

set of statements in the whole of the

biblical tradition

Jesus words

explaining

his answer to the question how can this

man give us his flesh to eat

are

highly realistic

he does not

make

these words symbolic

rather

it is

that you eat my flesh and drink my blood

now part of the question that underlies

the puzzle of this

discourse and of this particular section

which is the

which is what it leads up to

is what does this actually mean

generally

these statements are taken as doctrinal

descriptions of what has become the

doctrine of transubstantiation

that is that is a way of trying to

interpret what Jesus means here

the church in the medieval period

concluded that in the Eucharist

that the

Bread and Wine became Jesus body and

blood in their actual substance

so that the literalism of this

of these statements then became the

basis for

a philosophical description that was

itself

even more

realistic and literal in its uh hearing

of these words but the thing that

becomes clear in the telling of the

story

is that this is not so much about

substance as it is about relationship

the bread discourse has what is in

effect a kind of long decrescendo it's a

long getting softer and softer and more

and more intimate

and this is the climax of that movement

of relationship

what Jesus is describing here is the

intimacy of relationship that exists

between himself and those who

believe in him

and who then

eat the bread that he provides

and

the understanding of the bread

that was given at the feeding of the

five thousand

is then made very explicit

in terms of relationship

the relationship is a relationship of

intimacy

and that in that intimacy

people will find

spiritual life they will find

eternal life

by being part of this intimate

relationship with God the words are not

them pronouncements

so much as they are descriptions of

intimacy

so one of the key words in the middle of

this is the word abide whoever eats my

flesh will abide in me

this word meno in Greek

means to remain to stay

to be in an ongoing

intimate relationship of love and Trust

you and me I and you I am them

it is an intimacy of contact

an intimacy of togetherness

of literally being one body by being

joined through eating

flesh drinking blood that's the metaphor

is Oneness

and whoever eats this bread whoever

enters into this relationship then

this relationship of spiritual identity

will live forever

in that spirit

that Spirit of love

so

what

matters in the telling of this story is

to communicate that intimacy

that love

and the climax of that

of this discourse is

Jesus

saying that though that what he will

give for the life of the world is his

flesh

this is a passion prophecy

that what he will do for the life of the

world is to die

that he will literally give himself

for the sake of the world

for the sake of those who

are in the world

those who are in relationship with him

Those whom he loves

so what is happening

in this climactic

part of the discourse is an appeal

from Jesus

two his listeners

to enter into that intimacy of

relationship

and

to remain to stay to abide

in that intimacy of connection

so why would John use such a

radically realistic

language here that is so offensive

one of the reasons may be

that John is trying to break through

the sense of alienation separation

distance from God that was present in

his culture

these words

are

about God

in Jesus being intimately present with

everyone who believes

not distant

but close

this is also true of

religious experience

terms of worship the scriptures

the overall experience of being part of

a religious community

Many religious communities are

emotionally distant

they are not intimate close

this discourse

ends with an invitation to an a

closeness of relationship

that

is

radically different than what was the

norm in the ancient world and also often

most of the time today