Jesus' teaching is sometimes very difficult to fully understand and appreciate. I love the parables Jesus tells that are rich in meaning and application. However, John 6 contains what is, in my opinion, one of the most difficult teachings of Jesus. It's commonly referred to as his sermon on "The Bread of Life". I understand the reference to spiritual bread and comparing it to the manna that God gave the Israelites in the OT. He also told his disciples in John 8 that he has bread to eat that they don't know about. He also says that man doesn't live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from God. So, I get that the Word of God is the source of real life. But this teaching goes a little further and actually starts sounding a little macabre...
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. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58)
I'm very sympathetic with his disciples...
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (John 6:60)
In fact this seems to be sort of a turning point in Jesus' ministry. Up until now crowds would gather and his popularity was on the rise. But now...
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:66-69)
We don't understand all of your teaching, but we do know that you are indeed the Holy One of God...the Messiah...and so we trust you. You have the words of eternal life. The bread of life. So we accept by faith the things we don't yet completely understand...and we'll do our best to follow.
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