Again, yes - you may take Jesus' words (and Paul's inspired writing) as symbolic - a "metaphor". Read the opening post. That IS one of the 3 options given.
I SIMPLY pointed out there are other possibilities - including that what is said is what is meant, simply taking it all at "face value." Typically, in hermeneutics, we accept what is said as what is meant unless there is something textually to indicate a "figure of speech" is being used. IMO, part of the difficulty of such in the Eucharistic texts is not only that there is nothing to indicate that Jesus is speaking figuratively or symbolicly but that it's not embraced with any consistency. The Roman Catholic says "bread" and "wine" aren't meant literally but "body" and "blood" are - an entirely arbitrary "split" interpretation- half is, half isn't. The Zwinglist Protestant takes the same view, the same split interpretation, the same split "half of this verse is literal, half is symbolic" hermeneutic, they just don't agree on which is literal and which is symbolic but it's the same view, same hermeneutic. I'm simply saying it's POSSIBLE that Jesus meant what He said, Paul meant what he penned by inspiration, nothing added and nothing taken away: that's the other option.
Thank you.
Pax
- Josiah
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Hi California Josiah, greetings,
Typically, in hermeneutics, we accept what is said as what is meant unless there is something textually to indicate a "figure of speech" is being used. IMO
I would like to pursue the option of figurative speech that Jesus do when he preach in John 6:50-58 and John 7:38-39. It is needless to say that we have literal food to sustain our physical growth and health and we also need spiritual food for enhancement and regeneration of our spirit.
We clothed ourselves with fine clothing that fitted our taste and fashion and we must also have the spiritual raiment to cover our spiritual nakedness which means lack of knowledge about God. Herewith is figurative speech of Jesus which we cannot took literally:
John 6:27 Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.”
John 6:50-58 This is the bread that has come down from heaven, so that a person may eat from it and not die.
6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
6:52 Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus began to argue with one another,“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
6:53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.
6:54 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
6:55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
6:56 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him.
6:57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who consumes me will live because of me.
6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors ate, but then later died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”
John 7:38-39 let the one who believes in me drink. Just as the scripture says, ‘
From within him will flow rivers of living water.”
7:39 (Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Thank you and God bless.
your brother in Christ.
virgilio
