Sometimes I get shook by the disciples of Jesus. Not because they’re any different than us today, really, but because they literally had Jesus right there and they still had issues!
I was reading up in John my BSF lesson and they were grumbling about Jesus’ teaching of eternal life. He asked them if they took offense. Offense? The only people who should have been offended were the Pharisees (technically, they shouldn’t have been either, but we know their mindset). Why were the disciples even thought to be offended?
Everyone, whether the Pharisees or disciples, interpreted Jesus in a literal way all the time. It got them into trouble mentally because they couldn’t wrap their mind around it.
So Jesus said to [the Jews], “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. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
John 6:53-58
The disciples were grumbling after this when they heard. Why? Because Jesus was talking spiritually! They were taking Him literal – His blood and His body. Who would feed on him and drink his blood??
I know I at least am very logical and can be pretty literal about things in our world. I like things clear – tell me everything plain as day, no guessing. It’s easy to have that mindset with His word, too. We should approach the Word with a Heaven view, through a different lens than we do with our other readings. God’s Word is deep and rich. It’s ever teaching and molding us.
How have you been offended by what God has revealed to you? Did a change in perspective help you overcome it?
The promises He reveals to us in this passage:
He will raise us up.
He abides in us.
We will live because of Him.
Above all, He nourishes and protects our souls eternally.
Thanks for stopping by today. Drop a comment below if you have anything to add. 🙂
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