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Jesus said eating "flesh is useless" in John 6 when it comes to eternal life and that it is His WORDs that are that breadJesus said "This is My body". He's the final authority on the matter.
-CryptoLutheran
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life.
-- thus in John 6 no literal bread was falling out of the sky -- as all agree.
No wonder some folks find it so necessary to avoid the Bible details in the OP
John 1:1 In the beginning was the WORD
John 1:14 the WORD became flesh and dwelt among us.
Deut 8:3 And He humbled you and let you go hungry, and fed you with the manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, in order to make you understand that man shall not live on bread alone, but man shall live by every WORD that comes out of the mouth of the Lord.
John 6
Jesus said that if you want eternal life - bite my flesh - drink my blood... but then - those who take him too literally leave.
54 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me,...60 So then many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This statement is very unpleasant; who can listen to it?”
So Jesus gives the meaning of the symbolism right in the chapter!
Jesus said that eating literal flesh is worthless - it is His WORDS that are "spirit and are life"
Peter gets the message "you have the WORDS of eternal life"
61 But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them,... 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life....66 As a result of this many of His disciples left, and would no longer walk with Him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.
====================================================================== more detail
John 6:
Jesus starts in John 6: by explaining the symbolism for bread of life - in the same way they had it in Deut 8:
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
So then the "eating" is in "seeing and believing IN Him" not literally biting Him as we see in the text above -
But the unbelieving Jews took him too literally in his statement "I AM the bread which CAME down out of heaven" -- clearly no one things break came down from the sky then or at any time in Christ's life on Earth.
John 6: 41 The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” ... 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
In the text above is the reference to manna in Exodus and Deuteronomy 8
Deut 8:3 And He humbled you and let you go hungry, and fed you with the manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, in order to make you understand that man shall not live on bread alone, but man shall live by every WORD that comes out of the mouth of the Lord.
This next text claims Christ IS bread coming right down out of heaven - yet not one person on this board believes people in John 6 were watching bread fall out of heaven or that Mary saw that sort of thing at Christ's birth --- they don't take that literally.
John 6:52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
In that text above -- very strong statements about being bread falling out of the sky and the need to bite that bread - bite Christ in that case if one ignores all the symbolism and take it all literally.
...
Next Jesus removes all doubt by saying that eating literal flesh for eternal life - is worthless "profits nothing"
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.”
IN the text above Jesus explains the symbolism fully - eating literal flesh is worthless - but accepting the WORDS of Christ is eternal life. Many people skip over that part as if it were never written.
Jesus tests the faithful group who are staying - and are also NOT biting Christ - no not at all.
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Don't miss that statement of Peter - he is going back to Christ's opening statement explaining the symbolism " everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
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