A uniquely Catholic doctrine is that of the Eucharist. A couple of things need to be established before we get into the text in question Jn 6:51-69. First, recorded in the Gospels in a couple of places Jesus says something figurative and his disciples misunderstand and take him literally. Jesus does not leave them in ignorance but corrects them. The first example occurs in Mt 16:5-12. The disciples have forgotten to bring bread on their journey. Jesus then tells them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, The disciples think he has said this because they forgot to bring bread. Jesus then explains clearly that he is not talking about bread but the teachings of the Pharisees. The next example is Jn 4:31-34. Here again Jesus speaks about food in a figurative way. The disciples encourage Jesus to eat something. Jesus says he has food to eat. The disciples think someone else had brought him food. Jesus then tells them that his food is to do the will of his Father.
Second, the most controversial thing Jesus says in this discourse is that we must eat his flesh to have eternal life. This is biblical metaphorical language. It means to violently assault someone. Here are some examples. Is 9:18-20, Is 49:26, Micah 3:2-3
Third, is the word “eat”. This passage has numerous occurrences of this word or a form of it. Although it is translated as eat there are two different greek words used. One is phago. This is the ordinary word used for human eating and in this passage the most used. The other greek word is trogo. It means to gnaw, crunch, chew raw vegetables. It is also used for animals feeding. You can see the detailed definitions below from the Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon
5315 ἐσθίω [
phago /
fag·o/] v. A primary verb (used as an alternate of 2068 in certain tenses); GK 2266; 97 occurrences; AV translates as “eat” 94 times, and “meat” three times.
1 to eat.
2 to eat (consume) a thing. 2a to take food, eat a meal. 2b metaph. to devour, consume.
Strong, J. (1995).
Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
5
176 τρώγω [
trogo /
tro·go/] v. Probably strengthened from a collateral form of the base of 5134 and 5147 through the idea of corrosion or wear, or perhaps rather of a base of 5167 and 5149 through the idea of a crunching sound; TDNT 8:236; TDNTA 1191; GK 5592; Six occurrences; AV translates as “eat” six times.
1 to gnaw, crunch, chew raw vegetables or fruits (as nuts, almonds). 1a of animals feeding. 1b of men.
2 to eat.
Strong, J. (1995).
Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
Now let us consider Jn chapter 6 where Jesus talks about food everyone of his followers must eat to have eternal life. Here is Jn 6:51-69.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats(phago) of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat(phago)?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat(phago) the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54 he who eats(trogo) my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats(trogo) 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(trogo) me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats(trogo) this bread will live for ever.” 59 This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you that do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. 67 Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
At first Jesus uses the ordinary word for eat, phago, Then in v54 he switches to a stronger word for eat, trogo, and to continue to use it for the rest of the discourse to hammer home that he is speaking literally.
If Jesus was trying to teach something else why would he use language that means to violently assault someone.
In verse 51 Jesus says he is the bread that came down from heaven and the bread that he would give for the life of the world was his flesh. Now I can understand how some one might not be sure what Jesus meant by this. They would need for him to elaborate. But in v 52 the Jews take him literally to mean they had to eat his actual flesh. I am sure they imagined walking up to Jesus and taking a bite out of his arm and then having to chew it up and swallow it. This is a horrifying and disgusting thought. And besides how many people could he feed? A few hundred and he would be all gone.
In v 53 Jesus does not explain that he is speaking figuratively but doubles down and in the most clear and concise manner says 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 you;
Jesus goes on to repeat this teaching by my count 4 times. Then in v 60 and 66 it says many of his disciples fell away over this teaching. Remember Jesus is God and he could read the thoughts of everyone of these disciples. He knew they understood him correctly so there was no need to correct them. What is going on here is that Jesus is testing the faith of his disciples and apostles. Just like God tested Abraham several times and Abraham says to himself “God says it and God does not lie so therefore I believe.” Jesus could have told them how he would do this. He would work a miracle at the Last Supper and change bread into his flesh and wine into his blood. It would still look and taste like bread and wine but would actually be his flesh and blood. They did not have the faith of Abraham. Either they did not believe it was God speaking to them or they did not believe in the truthfulness of God.
Many non-Catholics say that in v 63 Jesus is telling the crowd that he is speaking figuratively. When Jesus uses the word flesh here he is not talking about his actual own flesh but in the sense St Paul does in Rom 8:3 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,. Furthermore no where in scripture is the word spirit used to mean metaphorical or figurative. If this were true he let many disciples walk away and lose their salvation over a misunderstanding. Jesus wants to save everyone and he would not do that. Remember the disciples leave in v 66 which is after v63 where some say Jesus says he is speaking figuratively.
You might ask why Jesus would have us do such a thing. Well at Passover everyone must eat some of the lamb. John the Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God. For whatever reason God had the Jews eat the lamb it is probably something similar with the flesh of Jesus.
Finally the whole economy of salvation makes mores sense in the Catholic church. You see your fellow Christian commit sins but you do not judge because you commit similar sins. But when a Christian commits adultery or murder or theft of a large sum of money you question whether they were really saved. This distinction in sins in the Catholic church is called venial and mortal sins. Venial sins do not cause you to lose you salvation but mortal sins causes a loss of sanctifying grace which necessary to enter heaven. These mortal sins must be repented of and then confessed to a priest who absolves you from you sin. Remember Jesus breathed on the apostles and told them those whose sins they forgive are forgiven and those who they retain are retained.
For these and many other reasons I remain a devout Catholic.
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