Why Do We Take The Bible Literally ?

[Bill_Pick]

Why do non-Catholics take almost the whole Bible literally, but when it comes to John chapter 6, they insist it is figurative, when it does not say that it is?

 

[sambos671]

I think I did a pretty good job explaining the protestant consept of John 6 in this thread : Help with John 6 about Eucharist. I don’t know how to put a link to it but I guess you can search it. The first two post are my attempt at exegesis of the related verses.

 

[believers]

Why do non-Catholics take almost the whole Bible literally, but when it comes to John chapter 6, they insist it is figurative, when it does not say that it is?

It is figurative. See signature below.

 

[MelanieAnne]

So the Gospel of John was written to refute a heresy that had grown up around the time it was written (that’s an historical fact) and, as a result, we have a new heresy that we call Protestantism? Somehow this seems to be some sort of awful cosmic joke.

I was happier believing it was due to the matrimonial problems of Henry VIII, but then I used to be Episcopalian…

Anglicans/Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians and all the rest-“ians” ~ you need to come home to the church founded by Jesus Christ ~ stop TALKING about Jesus and come home and COMMUNE with Him! He’s here!

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

It is figurative. See signature below.

John was well acquainted with the Eucharist by the time he wrote his gospel.

It’s not difficult to understand unless you don’t believe.

 

[inJESUS]

So the Gospel of John was written to refute a heresy that had grown up around the time it was written (that’s an historical fact)

valentianism which claimed Jesus had no carnal/flesh body, right?

 

[bpcatholic]

It is figurative. See signature below.

If Christ meant it was figurative, why did His followers turn away? I am sure Christ would have said it meant the work of God. Something like that wouldn’t turn people of if He did not mean it literally.

 

[MelanieAnne]

valentianism which claimed Jesus had no carnal/flesh body, right?

As I was taught, it was more about refuting Gnosticism, which was more prevalent at the time, and continues to assault us to this day with every new “discovery”. Just watch TV!

But Valentianism is close enough for me!

 

[ufamtobie]

It is figurative. See signature below.

Jesus = Living Bread = Flesh (Jn 6:51)
Flesh = Meat (Jn 6:55)
Meat = Work of God (Jn 6:27, 4:34)
Work of God = Believe on Jesus (Jn 6:28-29)
Believe on Jesus = Have everlasting life (Jn 6:40)

Believers,

OK lets say you are correct, about (John 6: 53) then you will have nothing to worry about, when you come face to face with Jesus. But if you are Wrong then you will have a great deal to worry about.

We Catholics take (John 6: 53) literally and for taking it literally we won’t be condemned for it, for we only believed what Jesus said to be true.

So who would be at a lost, lets say “HAVING NO LIFE IN YOU” if we are wrong? For it says:

John 6: 53)… "Let me SOLEMNLY ASSURE you, if you do not eat the FLesh/meat of the Son of Man and Drink His Blood you have no life in you.

Believers, The Words " Let, Me, Solemnly, Assure, You,"… are Strong and Binding Words, WORDS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN VERY LITERALLY! for the life of Our Souls.

But then again in (John 6: 44) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me DRAWS HIM:

In other words the Father has not yet brought you to truly, literally believe in (John 6: 53) Since you don’t believe that we must EAT His Flesh and Drink his Blood Literally (the Eucharist.)

Ufamtobie

 

[bpbasilphx]

**John 6: 53)… "Let me SOLEMNLY ASSURE you, if you do not eat the FLesh/meat of the Son of Man and Drink His Blood you have no life in you.

Believers, The Words " Let, Me, Solemnly, Assure, You,"**

**Except “Let me solemnly assure you” is NOT what the Greek actually says. This is no more than a paraphrase.

What the Greek actually says here is, “Amen, amen…”**

 

[Figaro_Jones]

Why do non-Catholics take almost the whole Bible literally, but when it comes to John chapter 6, they insist it is figurative, when it does not say that it is?

Yes, knowing what to take literally and what not to take literally is challenging, isn’t it? How many of us have bothered with Jesus’s advice to pluck out our eye if it causes us to sin?

 

[believers]

Believers,

OK lets say you are correct, about (John 6: 53) then you will have nothing to worry about, when you come face to face with Jesus. But if you are Wrong then you will have a great deal to worry about.

We Catholics take (John 6: 53) literally and for taking it literally we won’t be condemned for it, for we only believed what Jesus said to be true.

So who would be at a lost, lets say “HAVING NO LIFE IN YOU” if we are wrong? For it says:

John 6: 53)… "Let me SOLEMNLY ASSURE you, if you do not eat the FLesh/meat of the Son of Man and Drink His Blood you have no life in you.

Believers, The Words " Let, Me, Solemnly, Assure, You,"… are Strong and Binding Words, WORDS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN VERY LITERALLY! for the life of Our Souls.

But then again in (John 6: 44) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me DRAWS HIM:

In other words the Father has not yet brought you to truly, literally believe in (John 6: 53) Since you don’t believe that we must EAT His Flesh and Drink his Blood Literally (the Eucharist.)

Ufamtobie

Bread mentioned in the Bible.

bread of affliction (Deu 16:3, 1ki 22:27)
bread of tears Psa 80:5
bread of sorrows Psa 127:2
bread of wickedness Pro 4:17
bread of deceit Pro 20:17
bread of an evil eye Pro 23:6
bread of idleness Pro 31:27
bread of adversity Isa 30:20
bread of the increase of the earth Isa 30:23
bread of mourners Hsa 9:4
bread of men Eze 24:17
bread of provision Jos 9:5
bread of God Jhn 6:33
bread of life Jhn 6:48

 

[believers]

Believers,

OK lets say you are correct, about (John 6: 53) then you will have nothing to worry about, when you come face to face with Jesus. But if you are Wrong then you will have a great deal to worry about.

We Catholics take (John 6: 53) literally and for taking it literally we won’t be condemned for it, for we only believed what Jesus said to be true.

So who would be at a lost, lets say “HAVING NO LIFE IN YOU” if we are wrong? For it says:

John 6: 53)… "Let me SOLEMNLY ASSURE you, if you do not eat the FLesh/meat of the Son of Man and Drink His Blood you have no life in you.

Believers, The Words " Let, Me, Solemnly, Assure, You,"… are Strong and Binding Words, WORDS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN VERY LITERALLY! for the life of Our Souls.

But then again in (John 6: 44) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me DRAWS HIM:

In other words the Father has not yet brought you to truly, literally believe in (John 6: 53) Since you don’t believe that we must EAT His Flesh and Drink his Blood Literally (the Eucharist.)

Ufamtobie

Notice how I didn’t write the verses below. God defined those verses for me. That’s what the Bible said and I believe it. Not one line there is of my own reasoning. It’s just a simple plain text reading from the full Gospel of John. I didn’t take just one verse (i.e. John 6:53) and build doctrine around it.

 

[ufamtobie]

Notice how I didn’t write the verses below. God defined those verses for me. That’s what the Bible said and I believe it. Not one line there is of my own reasoning. It’s just a simple plain text reading from the full Gospel of John. I didn’t take just one verse (i.e. John 6:53) and build doctrine around it.

Believers,

Since you say above that you you believe the Bible Then you should Believe John 6: 53 all the More for it came out of Our Lord Jesus Christ own mouth and He is the BUILDER **in and around it. For I Solemnly Assure you, you won’t have no life in you, if you don’t! **

Am I judging you, NO! ** It is he (Jesus)** who SOLEMNLY ASSURES us all, if we don’t believe then there is no life in you, Jesus Christ will be the Judge.

Believers, in (John 6: 52,53) Are you like those Jews who quarreled among themselves, saying , “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” There upon Jesus Said to them: "LET ME SOLEMNLY ASSURE YOU…

Believers, are you like those in (John 6:66) From this time on, many of his disciples broke away and would not remain in his company any longer.

**Believers, we all know that those who don’t follow Jesus Christ are anti-christs. ** How about those who don’t follow (John 6: 53)?

**Do you think it was a coincidence that we find the “DEFINITION” for anti-christ in (John **666) Again we find in John 6:66 that these Disciples left Jesus on the account of not believing, not understanding that we MUST Eat and Drink Our Lord Body and Blood (The Eucharist!) It is not a Coincidence but a GODINCIDENCE!

Now these disciples Left Jesus because it was hard for them to understand “How can this man gives us his Flesh to eat”.

Believers, do you see that the Disciples who left Jesus on this regard and YOU] have the same beliefs. Don’t you find this to be Scary!

Immediately after Jesus said: (John 6: 67,68) Then Jesus Said to the Twelve, “Do you want to leave me to?” Simon Peter answered him, “WHERE SHALL WE GO”? **You have **the WORDS of Eternal Life.

Believers, Jesus has the WORDS of Eternal Life and to get this Eternal Life you Must Eat and Drink His Body and Blood the Eucharist, Amen.

Did not Jesus say that He will be with us until the End of the World? The Eucharist!

Ufamtobie

 

[ufamtobie]

Bread mentioned in the Bible.

bread of affliction (Deu 16:3, 1ki 22:27)
bread of tears Psa 80:5
bread of sorrows Psa 127:2
bread of wickedness Pro 4:17
bread of deceit Pro 20:17
bread of an evil eye Pro 23:6
bread of idleness Pro 31:27
bread of adversity Isa 30:20
bread of the increase of the earth Isa 30:23
bread of mourners Hsa 9:4
bread of men Eze 24:17
bread of provision Jos 9:5
bread of God Jhn 6:33
bread of life Jhn 6:48

**Believers,

Seems like you did your home work.**

HOWEVER! ** With all those bible verses above REGARDING the BREAD only in (John 6: 53) does Our Lord Jesus Christ, out of his Own Mouth EMPHISIZE with Strong Words **“let me SOLEMNLY ASSURE YOU”

Believers what does Jesus Christ Solemnly Assures us about?

Jesus Christ Solemnly Assures us DEATH/HELL if we don’t Eat and Drink His Body and Blood, Plain and simple!

Jesus Christ Solemnly Assures us LIFE ETERNAL if we believe and Drink His Body and Blood, Plain and Simple.

Ufamtobie

 

[MariaG]

Why do non-Catholics take almost the whole Bible literally, but when it comes to John chapter 6, they insist it is figurative, when it does not say that it is?

It is the reason I came to the Catholic Church. And in all fairness, there are more and more “bible” Christians who believe that it is meant literally, and when they have communion believe it is the body and blood of Christ. I am thankful that my small church was not one of them or I don’t know how long it would have taken to come to the Catholic Church.

 

[believers]

Jhn 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Jhn 6:54
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jhn 6:55
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

REMEMBER, JESUS DEFINED MEAT HERE
Jhn 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Jhn 6:28
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Jhn 6:29
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Jhn 6:58
This is that bread which came down from heaven: NOT AS YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA, AND ARE DEAD: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Jesus = Living Bread (John 6:51)
Living Bread = Flesh (John 6:51)
Flesh = Meat (John 6:55)
Meat = Work of God (John 6:27, 4:34)
Work of God = Believe on Jesus (John 6:28-29)
Believe on Jesus = Have everlasting life (John 6:40)
Living Bread = NOT AS YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA, AND ARE DEAD (John 6:58)

Living Bread = Flesh of Jesus (John 6:51)
Flesh of Jesus = Meat (John 6:55)
Meat = “to do the will of God, and to finish His work.” (John 4:34)
Work of God = “believe on Him he hath sent.” (John 6:28)
Living Bread = NOT AS YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA, AND ARE DEAD (John 6:58)

 

[MariaG]

Jhn 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Jhn 6:54
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jhn 6:55
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

REMEMBER, JESUS DEFINED MEAT HERE
Jhn 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Jhn 6:28
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Jhn 6:29
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Jhn 6:58
This is that bread which came down from heaven: NOT AS YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA, AND ARE DEAD: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Jesus = Living Bread (John 6:51)
Living Bread = Flesh (John 6:51)
Flesh = Meat (John 6:55)
Meat = Work of God (John 6:27, 4:34)
Work of God = Believe on Jesus (John 6:28-29)
Believe on Jesus = Have everlasting life (John 6:40)
Living Bread = NOT AS YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA, AND ARE DEAD (John 6:58)

Living Bread = Flesh of Jesus (John 6:51)
Flesh of Jesus = Meat (John 6:55)
Meat = “to do the will of God, and to finish His work.” (John 4:34)
Work of God = “believe on Him he hath sent.” (John 6:28)
Living Bread = NOT AS YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA, AND ARE DEAD (John 6:58)

Respectfully believers, I disagree with your interpretation. It is one that has come along and is not present in the early church. Scripture warns that there will be those that come along twisting scripture and since your interpretation is nowhere in the early church and the Catholic one is, common sense and history deny your “truth”.

And most important, the Holy Spirit led me to the Catholic Church because of John 6.

 

[Ruthie]

Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” John 6:60 (RSV)

Jesus, in the previous verses (53-58) has just said that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood five times.

So, if He was merely using symbolism, *what was the “hard saying?” *And why do so many leave Him? (v. 66)

And, of course, if He was merely being symbolic, why does Paul say "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. (1 Cor 11:27-29 RSV, bolding mine)

God bless you,

Ruthie

 

[sambos671]

Respectfully believers, I disagree with your interpretation. It is one that has come along and is not present in the early church. Scripture warns that there will be those that come along twisting scripture and since your interpretation is nowhere in the early church and the Catholic one is, common sense and history deny your “truth”.

And most important, the Holy Spirit led me to the Catholic Church because of John 6.

I think the problem here is one of exclusion. I think one aspect is exactly what believer is stating that yes the work of God in these verses is belief. But that does not exclude that Jesus may have also been referring to the establishment of the future sacrament. consider the Passover Meals. Is he referring to this discourse? I doubt it. The early church obiously believed in the Eucharist. Though not defined as Transsubstantiation then.