Originally Posted by
RGS
M 1/11/10
Tealblue,
As you can see, without going into the future, from the point in time that Christ was teaching the crowd in John 6 (up through verse 42 only at this point), there is absolutely nothing that He has taught that speaks of communion, or eucharist, or wafers. Therefore, nothing He has said up to this point can be explained in those terms. But the Biblical exegesis I have given, does explain His teachings up to this point.
In verses 43-48, “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life.” He says it again. He says, “I am the bread of life.” Also, He just told them again the key to eternal life, “he who believes has everlasting life.” Once again, Christ saying that He is the Bread of Life is in no way related to communion, eucharist, or the taking of wafer, or the drinking of wine. It isn't there. When one doesn't have the Last Supper to draw upon, then you do not have any support for John 6, up through verse 48, to mean anything other than what Christ has stated and what I have stated. You must believe in God to have eternal life. Participating in a communion memorial or participating in a eucharist ceremony is not even in the picture up through verse 48.
Verse 49: "Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead." Once again, Christ is stressing the same point over and over. Manna, will not sustain one's life forever. It is only physcial food for the stomach. We need spiritual food. What is that spiritual food? He immediately tells us, yet again (over and over), in the next verse, that it is belief in Him (Christ) and His teachings that are spiritual food.
Verse 50: "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die." This is the bread (Christ Himself and His teachings) which cometh down from heaven (He was in heaven aforetime and has now come down to Earth to us), that a man may eat thereof (not even a hint of cannabalism, it is crystal clear that He is speaking of believing in Him and His teachings) and not die. And not die. He has reforced His teaching over and over again, eat physical food (and this would include cannabalism) and you die. But believing in Christ and His teachings can give you eternal life.
Please tell me, Tealblue, what in John 6 up through verse 50 says anything at all about communion or a eucharist? Nothing, absolutely nothing.