Unsettling Language

August 19, 2018

John’s recount of the events surrounding Christ’s Bread of Life sermon deals directly with the Eucharist, since John’s Gospel is the only one of the four that doesn’t include the story of the Last Supper.  This is handled differently in each Gospel because each one was written for a different audience.  In John’s case, his Gospel was written for the church in Greece approximately 60 years after Christ’s Ascension.  At this time in history, the people of Greece were leaders in politics, philosophy and culture…so it’s only natural their interpretation be somewhat different from the other 3 Hebrew interpretations of Matthew, Mark and Luke…or the “Synoptic Gospels”, as we call them.

But the primary reason John’s Gospel doesn’t include the story of the last supper is he wanted to focus on the meaning of the Eucharist more than how the Eucharist came to be. 

When Jesus sacrificed himself, he created the final link between His teachings and the old testament’s Jewish rituals.  Salvation at that time depended on being part of the right race, nationality, bloodline, clan or group.  The forgiveness of sin involved animal sacrifices.  Through Christ’s death and resurrection, He made with God and us a new covenant – the living bread…Christ’s fully human self, offered as a sacrifice for the sins of us all.  And that’s why we call this bread and wine the flesh and blood of Christ…because they are purchased by the body of Christ which was broken for you and by the blood of Christ which was shed for you.  This is the sustenance for our souls.  Christ’s crucifixion provided what we need to eternally sustain our lives. 

John 6:51-58

Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of
this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is
my flesh.”

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us
his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the
flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who
eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the
last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my
flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent
me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors
ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”