(Three spins on the Lord's Supper:, Matt. xxvi, 26-29; Mark xiv, 22-25; Luke xxii, 14-20)
A walk through John 6:25-71. (These quotes are from the 1611 Edition of the King James Version, for the sake of those who think the KJV is the only true translation and won't read anything else. Thought I might as well use the original version of the KJV (modified to match modern character usage) and avoid any copyright trouble while I'm at it. This also will avert accusations of Catholic edition bias in other translations. However the gist is the same in any of the scholarly translations. I've inculded a link to the same passage in the NRSB for ease of reading. Click here to read through it first. )
John 6:
The first portion of John 6 details the feeding of the five thousand. There were probably many more than that, since the number counted included only men, and not women and children. With a handful of food, Jesus filled the bellies of thousands. After witnessing this miracle, the crowd was ready to make him king. Jesus, knowing his kingdom was not to be of this world, ran to the mountians. He later rejoined his Apostles, walking across the sea to join them in their boat. Meanwhile, the crowds, not understanding Jesus's mission, continued searching for Him.
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they saide
vnto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
The crowd has once again found Jesus and has started to gather around him again,
trying to figure out how he got to where they found him.
26 Iesus answered them, and said, Verely, verely I say vnto you, Ye seeke
me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because yee did eate of the loaues,
and were filled.
He points out that their reasons for following him are not based on any real
belief in his power, but because he fed them.
27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth
vnto euerlasting life, which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you: for him
hath God the Father sealed.
He now brings up a different sort of food(meat) that he will offer them, instead
of mere earthly bread. It pleases me to note that in the KJV, this new food
is referred to as meat, not bread or fish.
28 Then they said vnto him, What shall we doe, that we might worke the workes
of God?
The crowd is already starting to act a little confused, these are not the
words they expected to hear from the Messiah who was about to free them from
their Roman oppressors. Essentially: "What are you talking about? You want
us to do something? "
29 Iesus answered, and said vnto them, This is the worke of God,
that ye beleeue on him whom he hath sent
Believe me. Or,"Listen to what I say and know that I mean what I say because
the God you know put me here."
30 They said vnto him, What signe shewest thou then, that we may see, and
beleeue thee? What doest thou worke?
The crowd still isn't sure about this change in their plans. They are still
asking for more: "What will you do for us to prove you are God's chosen
one? "
31 Our fathers did eate Manna in the desert; as it is written, He gaue them
bread from heauen to eate.
Moses was a true prophet of God, and he gave them Manna while they were
in exile. Then all true prophets, in their minds, must come with food for all
to eat. They want another free meal as their proof.
32 Then Iesus said vnto them, Verily, verily, I say vnto you, Moses gaue
you not that bread from heauen; but my Father giueth you the true bread from
heauen.
Jesus points out that it wasn't actually Moses
that gave them the manna, but God the Father. Notice that Jesus is
still talking about real, eaten food at this point. There has been no shift
in subject from the literal to the figurative aspects of food. In fact, he
saisy the food he is talking about is even more real than the manna that their
ancestors ate.
33 For the bread of God is hee which commeth downe from heauen, and giueth
life vnto the world.
Jesus defines what, exactly, constitutes God's true "bread" to the people
present. Himself.
34 Then said they vnto him, Lord, euermore giue vs this bread.
They ask Jesus to give them this bread forever. They are thinking that
Jesus must have meant to speak figuratively about the bread being he that was
sent, so they ask again for a real meal.
35 And Jesus said vnto them, I am the bread of life: hee that commeth to
me, shall neuer hunger; and he that belieueth on me, shall never thirst.
Jesus says: "I am that meal you are asking for."
36 But I said vnto you, That ye also haue seene me, and beleeue not.
But even though you have seen what do, you choose not to believe what I
say.
37 All that the Father giueth mee shall come to mee; and him that cometh
to me I will in no wise cast out.
Jesus is saying that the powers and rewards God the Father has promised
Jesus him will arrive, and all those who follow him will be protected.
38 For I came downe from heauen, not to doe mine owne will, but the will
of him that sent me.
This shall come to pass because of the will of who sent Jesus.
39 And this is the Father's wil which hath sent me, that of all which he
hath giuen me I should lose nothing, but should raise it vp againe at the last
day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that euery one which
seeth the Sonne, and beleeueth on him, may have euerlasting life: and I
will raise him vp at the last day.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because hee said, I am the bread
which came downe from heaven.
42 And they said, Is not this Iesus, the son of Ioseph, whose father
and mother we know? how is it then that hee sayth, I came downe from heauen?
43 Iesus therefore answered and said vnto them, Murmure not among
your selues.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw
him: and I will raise him vp at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of
God. Euery man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father,
cometh vnto me.
46 Not that any man hath seene the Father, saue he which is of God,
hee hath seene the Father.
47 Verily, verily, I say vnto you, He that beleeueth on me hath everlasting
life.
48 I am that bread of life.
49 Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which cometh downe from heaven, that a man may
eate thereof, and not die.
51 I am the liuing bread which came down from heauen: if any man
eate of this bread, he shall liue for euer: and the bread that I will giue
is my flesh, which I will giue for the life of the world.
52 The Iewes therefore stroue amongst themselues, saying, How can
this man giue vs his flesh to eate?
53 Then Iesus said vnto them, Verily, verily, I say vnto you, Except
yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his blood, yee haue
no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life;
and I will raise him vp at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meate indeed, and my blood is drinke indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me,
and I in him.
57 As the liuing Father hath sent me, and I liue by the Father: so,
he that eateth me, euen he shall liue by me.
58 This is that bread which came downe from heauen: not as your fathers
did eate Manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall liue for
ever.
59 These things said hee in the Synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said,
This is an hard saying; who can heare it?
61 When Jesus knew in himselfe, that his disciples murmured at it,
hee said vnto them, Doeth this offend you?
62 What and if yee shall see the sonne of man ascend vp where
hee was before?
63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:
the wordes that I speake vnto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that beleeue not. For Iesus knew from
the beginning, who they were that beleeued not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I vnto you, that no man can come
vnto me, except it were giuen vnto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went backe, and walked no
more with him.
67Then said Iesus vnto the twelue, Will ye also goe away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we goe? Thou
hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we beleeue and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Sonne
of the living God.
70 Iesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelue, and one of
you is a deuill?
71 He spake of Iudas Iscariot the sonne of Simon: for hee it was
that should betray him, being one of the twelue.
This same passage from the NASB:
Courtesy of the The WWW Bible
Gateway
25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, «*Rabbi, when did You get here?» 26 Jesus answered them and said, «Truly, truly, I say to you, you *seek Me, not because you saw *signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 «Do not *work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to *eternal life, which *the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, *has set His seal.» 28 Therefore they said to Him, «What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?» 29 Jesus answered and said to them, «This is *the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He *has sent.» 30 So they said to Him, «*What then do You do for a *sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 «*Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, "*HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.'» 32 Jesus then said to them, «Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 «For the bread of God is [1]that which *comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.» 34 Then they said to Him, «Lord, always *give us this bread.» 35 Jesus said to them, «*I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me *will 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 certainly not 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 Him who sent Me, that of *all that He has given Me I *lose nothing, but *raise it up on the last day. 40 «For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who *beholds the Son and *believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will *raise him up on the last day.» 41 *Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, «I am the bread that *came down out of heaven.» 42 They were saying, «*Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother *we know? How does He now say, "*I have come down out of heaven'?» 43 Jesus answered and said to them, «Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 «No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me *draws him; and I will *raise him up on the last day. 45 «It is written *in the prophets, "*AND THEY SHALL ALL BE *TAUGHT OF GOD.'Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 «*Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 «Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes *has eternal life. 48 «*I am the bread of life. 49 «*Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 «This is the bread which *comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and *not die. 51 «*I am the living bread that *came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, *he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give *for the life of the world is *My flesh.» 52 *Then the Jews *began to argue with one another, saying, «How can this man give us His flesh to eat?» 53 So Jesus said to them, «Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of *the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 «He 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 «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 eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 «This is the bread which *came down out of heaven; not as *the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread *will live forever.» 59 These things He said *in the synagogue as He taught *in Capernaum. 60 Therefore many of His *disciples, when they heard this said, «*This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?» 61 But Jesus, *conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, «Does this *cause you to stumble? 62 «What then if you see *the Son of Man *ascending to where He was before? 63 «*It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; *the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 «But there are *some of you who do not believe.» For Jesus *knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and *who it was that would [2]betray Him. 65 And He was saying, «For this reason I have *said to you, that no one can come to Me unless *it has been granted him from the Father.» 66 As a result of this many of His *disciples *withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.67 So Jesus said to *the twelve, «You do not want to go away also, do you?» 68 *Simon Peter answered Him, «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have *words of eternal life. 69 «We have believed and have come to know that You are *the Holy One of God.» 70 Jesus answered them, «*Did I Myself not choose you, *the twelve, and yet one of you is *a devil?» 71 Now He meant Judas *the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, *one of *the twelve, [3]was going to betray Him.
NASB footnotes: [1]Or He who comes [2]Or hand Him over [3]Or was intending to
Back to John 6, KJV and its associated commentary
Links to other discussions on the Eucharist:
The Augustine Club at Columbia University: eucharist.html
The Catholic Encycolpedia article on the Eucharist, courtesy of New Advent Catholic Supersite.
The word on the Eucharist and the Real Presence from Catholic Answers.
More than you ever wanted to know about the Eucharist from Et Cum Spiritu Tuo
The Real Presence described by a Lutheran
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