What are the Christian "Essentials"?

[Augusta33]

Originally Posted by ahigherway

Yes, sorry for the delay.. I still don't get how to keep track of threads too well...

Anyways,
in John 6, Jesus tells the people the need to "eat His flesh" and "drink His blood." It does seem that the people thought He was somehow condoning the practice of cannibalism.

But then He adds "62 [What] and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life."


Jesus is confirming to us that it isn't what we eat (physically) that is important. All of us must eat, but eating is for the nourishment of the physical body, so that we survive.
But the "eating" of Jesus is the "eating" of the fruit of the Tree of Life, which is for our spiritual survival.


Foods for the body, but Jesus for the spirit/soul. When we are given faith to believe, we "sup" with Jesus within our hearts. He is the "living manna from heaven" that "gives Life unto the world."




Blessings of His grace,
brian

No prob for the delay, Brian. I'm slow getting back myself.

You're right, the crowd did think Jesus was speaking of cannibalism:

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." - Jn 6

Jesus used a word in vs 54 that means to literally eat. The word in greek is trogo and it means to chew, gnaw, crunch.

Notice Jesus never says to them, no! Come back! I only meant to symbolically eat my flesh and drink my blood. Instead He let them leave.
He knew that it was only by the spirit that they could understand, not by the flesh.