DILCIA:
Thank you to MrS and banjo.
I now understand verse 62 but am still having trouble with 63. I see that Jesus is not talking about His flesh, but I don’t see about understanding Him in a spiritual sense. I can’t quite get it as it still seems to make it seem symbolic. Sorry to be thick. I’ve got to explain it to someone who knows the Bible inside out. His father was a Baptist minister and missionary as was his grandfather.
Could you explain as though you were talking to a child or a simpleton!
From *The Gospel of John, *Francis Moloney, Sacra Pagina, Vol 4, Liturgical Press, 1998. “In the Fourth Gospel one must distinguish between the *sarx *[flesh] of Jesus and the *sarx *of human beings *Sarx *is used thirteen times in the Fourth Gospel, and its use is consistent. The *sarx *of Jesus tells the story of God (1:14, 18), and is essential for life (cf. 6:51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56). But the *sarx *of human beings is confined to the human spehre, that which is ‘below’ (1:13; 3:6; cf. 8:23), and is the source of judgment limited by the superificial criteria provided by the physically observable (8:15; cf. 7:24). In 17:2 ‘all flesh’ (
pases sarkos) is used to render a Hebraism that means ‘ever created thing.’ There is no contradiction between the use of *sarx *in vv. 51-58, where Jesus speaks of his own flesh, and v. 63 where he speaks of the superficiality of the limited human expectations the disciples have of Jesus (v. 62): ‘the flesh is of no avail.’”
From St. John Chrysostom
Homily on John 47, 3: "[Jesus] tries to remove their difficulties in another way, as follows, ‘It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing’: that is to say, You ought to understand My words in a spiritual sense: he who understands them carnally is profited nothing. To interpret carnally is to take a propositon in its bare literal meaning, and allow no other. But we should not judge of mysteries in this way; but examine them with the inward eye; i.e., understand them spiritually. It was carnal to doubt how our Lord could give His flesh to eat. What then? Is it not real flesh? Yea, verily. In saying then that the flesh profiteth nothing, He does not speak of His own flesh, but that of the carnal hearer of His word."
Stephen K Ray adds: “Who would dare say that the flesh of Jesus avails nothing - this would prove the ultimate insult to the Incarnation.”
Lastly, from Radio Replies Vol. 1 Frs. Rumble and Carty #857: “When Christ promised that He would give His very flesh to eat, the Jews protested because they imagined a natural and cannibalistic eating of Christ’s body. Christ refuted this notion of the manner in which His flesh was to be received by saying that He would ascend into Heaven, not leaving His body in its human form upon earth. But He did not say that they were not to eat His actual body. He would thus contradict Himself, for a little earlier He had said, ‘My flesh is meat indeed and My blood is drink indeed.’ (6:56). He meant, therefore, ‘You will not be asked to eat My flesh in the horrible and natural way you think, for My body as you see it with your eyes will be gone from this earth. Yet I shall leave My flesh and blood in another and supernatural way which your natural and carnal minds cannot understand. The carnal or fleshly judgment profits nothing. I ask you therefore to have faith in Me and to trust Me. It is the spirit of faith which will enable you to believe, not your natural judgment.’ Then the Gospel goes on to say that many would not believe, and walked no more with Him; just as many today will not believe, and walk no more with the Catholic Church. According to the doctrine of the Catholic Church Christ’s body is ascended into Heaven. But by its substance, independently of all the laws of space which affect substance through accidental qualities, this body is present in every consecrated Host.”
Hope this helps…and I doubt your’re a simpleton.
