In John 6, Jesus gives a teaching that many cannot bear. He tells them that he is the "bread of life" and that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life. This idea is shocking and hard for many to accept.
The reaction to Jesus’ words is strong. Some people find his teaching difficult and are upset because it challenges everything they believed about God and the Messiah. In the past, they were used to following prophets like Moses, but Jesus' message is much more demanding and different from what they expected.
A lot of Jesus' followers decide to leave him. Only the Twelve disciples, who are closest to Jesus, decide to stay. They have sacrificed everything to follow and still believe in him despite the difficult teachings.
Jesus mentions two important things in this passage: his ascension and the Spirit. The ascension means that Jesus is connected to both heaven and earth. His body, though physical, is also a part of a larger divine plan. Jesus is the Word made flesh. This is not an abstraction. The flesh is real.
The Holy Spirit is necessary for understanding Jesus' message. The Holy Spirit helps believers see beyond just physical things and understand the true message of Jesus who came down from heaven.
The remaining disciples show their strong faith. They recognize that Jesus has the "words of eternal life" and believe that through him, God is bringing about a new era of salvation. The Twelve stand as representatives of the faith, the belief, that Jesus has been looking for: the recognition that in him, his words and his deeds, Israel’s God was at last bringing into being the new Exodus, the great movement that would set the whole world free from sin and death.[1]
In our Baptismal Covenant, we promise to keep the Apostle’s teaching, the prayers, and the breaking of the Bread.
by Reverend Jon Lavelle
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