When some of those present heard these words they were shocked and murmured among themselves, “This kind of talk is hard to endure. How can anyone take it seriously? Eat this man’s body? Drink His blood? Does He think we are cannibals?” Seeing their reaction, Jesus cautioned them that His words are not to be taken in a crudely carnal sense. Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. In other words, when they see Him ascend into heaven, they will not find it so difficult to believe that He gives His Body and Blood in a spiritual way that they cannot now imagine.
Even with this explanation, many of Jesus’ disciples found His words too much to believe; they “broke away and would not remain in His company any longer” (6.66). But instead of retracting His words or explaining them away, Jesus let the unbelieving disciples depart. He is even prepared to let the Twelve leave Him if they will not believe: “Do you also want to leave me?” Speaking in the name of the others, Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Peter and the other disciples do not understand how Jesus will give His body as real food and His blood as real drink, but they believe in Him, and that is all that Jesus requires of them.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
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