THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS, THE CHRIST AND THE SON OF GOD, ACCORDING TO JOHN

v. 43: Jesus interrupts their “murmuring” in taking up the argument with His viewpoint in the form of a speech for His defence (cf. vv. 44a–46c, 47a–51g).

v. 44: God is the centre, reason – or in the words of the translation of the Greek text: “attractive power, pull” like the “gravitation(al pull)” or the “appeal” of a person (cf. John 12:32 [; 21:6, 11]) – for the relationship between Jesus and the believers who believe in Jesus, but we do not believe in Him but in God (cf. 12:44). In the context of the monotheistic discussion we have to read this passage according to “John” that God “the Father” is the first ONE who “sent” (in Greek “pempo”⁵⁷² in vv. 38c, 39a, 44b) Jesus (in the world [in Greek “kósmos”]). Jesus is like His messenger for us – on earth and in Heaven “on the last day” (vv. 39c, 40c, 44c, 54c and 12:48) – our resurrection (cf. v. 54c and 11:24).

v. 45: The Fourth Evangelist comments with help of the prophets Isaiah 54:13a (LXX) and Jeremiah 31:33–34: They will “all be taught by God” (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:9) about Jesus in a universal way through Him, our teacher/Master/exegete/catechist – the nourishment of God’s (eschatological) word (cf., for example, Deuteronomy 8:3; Amos 8:11; Jeremiah 11:16; Wisdom 16:26).

v. 46: In the same pre-existential sense of John 1:18 or especially 12:45, Jesus is the presence of the heavenly “God” (v. 46a) on earth (cf. 7:29; 9:16, 33; 17:7) like the “Son” of God⁵⁷³ (v. 40b) as “revealer” – note especially the verb “horáo” in verse 46a, c and in 14:9– of the “Father” (v. 46a, c – note the chiastic structure⁵⁷⁴). This statement has to be a scandal in the ears of the Jewish people – blasphemy (cf., for example, 10:36).

v. 47: The basis/precondition for the life-giving (to “have eternal life” in vv. 40b, 47b, 54a₂ and in John 3:15–16, 36; 5:24, 39[; 10:10; 20:31]; 1 John 3:15; 5:13) is the continual faith/belief of the believers in Him (cf. vv. 29c, 35d, 40b, 47b and John 3:15–16, 36; 5:24).

v. 48: The phrase of self-revelation mentions again the topic: “I am the Bread of Life” in verse 35b as “eternal life” (vv. 40b, 47b, 54a₂). So He shares His life with those who believe in Him. He is essential for our life.

Verses 49–51 show the alternative as a contrast – eternal death versus eternal life⁵⁷⁵ – with the help of an antithetic parallelism⁵⁷⁶:

v. 49: In the past, the Jewish “fathers”/ancestors (v. 48a) “died” (vv. 49b, 50c) in spite of “eating ( ) the manna” (in Greek “mánna” in vv. 31a, 49, [58c]) “(in the desert)” (cf. Exodus 16:16–18, 21–26) as physical and temporal food.

v. 50: Now, however, Jesus is the “Bread from Heaven” (vv. 33a, 41c, 51b) and the “Bread of Life” (vv. 35b, 48, 51a) which “you /may/ eat” (vv. 49a, 50c) “and /do/ not die” (vv. 49b, 50c)

v. 51: and you “will live forever” (vv. 51c, 58e – in others words: You have “eternal life” (vv. 27b, 40c, 47b, 51d, 54a₂, 58e) – note the parallelism⁵⁷⁷ in verses 50a–c and 51a–c. He has finished the lack of eating, drinking, dying⁵⁷⁸. God, our Father in “Heaven”, had given the manna as His life-giving food to the ancestors in the desert, but Jesus, His Son, is more: He, the “Son of Man” (v. 53c) is the real, “personal life-giver” for the believers in Him. The life-giver is also the giving/gift of God in Jesus⁵⁷⁹. This gift, the “eternal life”, based on the personal relationship/faith/belief in Him (cf. vv. 29c, 35d, 40b, 47b and John 3:15–16, 36; 5:24), the teacher, helper and guide like a “Good Shepherd” (cf. 10:11–21).

In a nutshell, verses 51 and 58 are a summary of the (Eucharistic) discourse “Bread from Heaven” in verse 31c. The main points in verses 51 and 58 are as listed below:

v. 51a: Jesus is (“I am”⁵⁸⁰ – cf. Exodus 3:14 in the sense of JHWH) the “Bread” (vv. 41b, 58a – note the inclusion here!) “of Life” (vv. 35b, 48), “the (living⁵⁸¹) bread ( )” (cf. v. 51a);

v. 51b: The “manna” respectively Jesus has “come down from Heaven”⁵⁸² (vv. 33a, 41c₂–d, 50a₂–b, 51a₂–b, 58a₂–b). Once God gave Moses the manna for the Jewish forefathers in the desert⁵⁸³ (cf. vv. 31a–c, 32c–d, 49, 58a–d). However, Jesus, the “Son of Man” (vv. 27e, 53c, 62a), the “son of Joseph” (v. 42b), and “Son of God” (cf. v. 40a), gave His life for the life of “the world”/people (cf. vv. 33, 51g) like the “Lamb of God” (cf. 1:29, 36).

And the new main points of His speech are:

v. 51c: He gives “eternal life”⁵⁸⁴ (cf. vv. 27b, 40c, 47b, 51d, 54a₂, 58d);

v. 51d: Jesus identifies/personifies His “flesh”⁵⁸⁵ (cf. vv. 51–55 and 1:13–14) with the “Bread from Heaven” “for the (life) of the world ( )” (cf. vv. 14, 33 and John 15:13) – “pro nobis” (in Greek “hupér” in v. 51d and Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24).

+ Jesus’ Eucharistic⁵⁸⁶ Discourse as a Monologue (vv. 52–58/59)

The significant words in verses 52–58 are “flesh’, “blood”, “eat” and “drink”. The “flesh”/“body” of Jesus in biblical language signify the person of Jesus, the “son of Joseph” (v. 42b). The reference is not to the physical “flesh” (in Greek “sárx” in vv. 51g, 52b, 53c, 54a, 55a, 56a, 63b) and “blood” (in Greek “aῖma” in vv. 53d, 54a, 55b, 56a – cf. Leviticus 7:26–27) of the earthly Jesus, but to the spiritual, Spirit-filled “flesh” and “blood” of the heavenly “Son of Man”. The Eucharist as “the sacramental body” of Jesus, is the real heavenly bread which God gives to human beings/us, as spiritual nourishment for the eternal life, and everlasting being with Jesus: Someone “stays in Me and I in him” (v. 56b) – in Saint Augustine’s words (13^th November 354–28^th August 430 A.D.):

“To be what you see and receive what you are” (Sermon 272) “and to live as the ‘body of Christ’ so that their Amen will be true”. In other words:

“Receive what you are – ‘body of Christ’/‘corpus Christi’ so that

you become what you receive – ‘body of Christ’/‘corpus Christi’”.

# The Question of “the Jews” (v. 52)

Jesus will give His own “flesh” for “the life of the world” (v. 51g). In the ears of the Jewish people, this is the next scandal – note the verb “máchomaɩ”⁵⁸⁷ in verse 52a (cf., for example, Exodus 17:2). The Jews’ misunderstanding⁵⁸⁸ of Jesus’ self-revelation leads to their third protest (cf. vv. 28b–c, 41a–42e) and intervention in the form of an inquiry: “How can this” man– “the son of Joseph” (v. 42b) – “( ) give (us) [His] flesh [ ] /to/ eat”⁵⁸⁹?

# Jesus’ Answer (vv. 53–58)

v. 53: In the description of the Eucharist as “eating flesh” and “drinking blood”, “flesh and blood” is a Hebrew idiom for the whole person (v. 42b). In this way, the “sacramental communion is a personal communion (encounter) with Jesus who shares his life and the life of his Father with us”⁵⁹⁰: “This is my body which is given for you” – so Jesus’ words during the Last Supper according to Luke 22:19 and 1 Corinthians 11:24. In the Jewish way of thinking, (life-)blood (cf. John 19:34) stands for the life (cf. Genesis 9:4; Deuteronomy 15:23). After the “Amen-amen”-phrase (vv. 26b, 32b, 47a, 53b) Jesus replied to this question with a condition: You have to “eat the flesh of ‘Son of Man’” (cf. vv. 27c, 62a and John 1:51; 3:13–14; 5:27; 8:28; 9:35; 12:23, 34; 13:31) and to “drink⁵⁹¹ His blood” (cf. vv. 53c, 54a, 56a). He expressed this in a contrasting way: the first one is in a negative way in verse 53d like the (earthly) attitude of “the Jews” with the result: “( ) You have (no) life in you”.

v. 54: The second one is in a positive⁵⁹² (heavenly, spiritual) way (cf. vv. 54a–c, 56) – “have (eternal) life ( )” (v. 54b – cf. v. 53d) as an imperative and a basic necessity for the eternal life as a “raising them up /on/ the last day” (vv. 39c, 40c, 44c, 54c) like the Easter event.

v. 55: The phrase “(my) flesh ( ) … and (my) blood ( )” (vv. 54a, 55, 56a) as “real food” and “real drink” (v. 55) appears to represent the Eucharistic formula. The meaning of the conclusion of the (Eucharistic) discourse is: Someone who “eats” the “flesh” (vv. 54a, 55, 56a, 58d) of the Glorified “Son of Man” as “real food” (v. 55 – cf. v. 57c: “me” [= Jesus]) and drinks His “blood” as the “real drink” (v. 55 – cf. v. 57c),

v. 56: “stay”⁵⁹³ (in Greek “méno” in vv. 27b, 56b and in John 14:20; 15:4–7; 1 John 3:6, 24) in Jesus in the form of a mutual/reciprocal relationship and “has (eternal) life” (cf. vv. 27b, 40c, 47b, 51d, 54a₂, 58e) in Christ⁵⁹⁴ – then and nowadays.

v. 57: In this Eucharistic way, everyone who “eats” the sacramental bread “has “(eternal) life ( )” because He as the “Bread of Life” is the source of “eternal life” as a (heavenly) life after our death. God, the Creator, – “the Father has life in Himself” (John 5:26) is in Jesus, His Son, and gives life to all believers in God/Jesus⁵⁹⁵: “Through Him, with Him, and in Him, in the unity of … Father”, so the end of the Eucharistic Prayer.

v. 58: Verse 58 repeats verses 27b, 31a, 33a, 40c, 41d, 47b, 49, 50a–b, 51b, d again in the sense of a conclusion⁵⁹⁶/summary: “This is the bread” (vv. 50a, 58a)

which “(came down) from Heaven ( )” (vv. 33a, 38a, 41d, 42e, 50b, 51b, 58b).

“Not like /the bread/ the” (fore-)“fathers ate and died” (vv. 31a, 49, 58c)

Whoever “eats this bread will live forever” (vv. 27b, 40c, 47b, 51c–d, 54a₂, 58d).

The contrast is as follows: THEN, despite eating of the bread from Heaven (= the “manna” – cf. Exodus 16:4, 15) through Moses or drinking of the water from Jacob’s well (cf. John 4:5–15), the Jewish forefathers still died (cf. 6:49, 58c),

but NOW – the new way in the view of Jesus as the living bread is: “eternal/everlasting life” (cf. v. 54b) as a “universal”⁵⁹⁷ promise for everyone – then and nowadays. Both Jesus and Moses are protagonists on behalf of God, but Jesus alone is the giver and gift of the living bread as His self-giving on the Cross (cf. 19:16b–30) for us: “through Him and in Him”. The quality of “the living bread” (v. 51a) is in contrast to the “manna” – both “came down from Heaven”.

# Comment by the Evangelist (v. 59)

The Fourth Evangelist remarks that Jesus “taught” (in Greek “dɩdásko” in v. 59 and in 7:14, 28, 35; 8:[2, ]20, 28; 9:34; 14:26; 18:20) this (Eucharistic) discourse “in /the/ synagogue” (cf. 18:20) at “Capernaum” (cf. vv. 17b, 24d, 59 and John 2:12; 4:46; Mark 1:21–28; Luke 4:31–37).

2.3.6 Variety of Reactions and Division of His Disciples (vv. 60–71)

In verses 60–71 there are two kinds of reaction to Jesus’ words: The negative reaction of “many of (His) disciples ( )”⁵⁹⁸ (vv. 60a, 66a) is followed by the presentation of two models: Peter as the good one (cf. vv. 68–69) and Judas Iscariot as the bad one who “hands Him over” (cf. vv. 70–71) – both were among “the Twelve”.

- The Dialogue between Jesus and His Disciples (vv. 60–66)

+ The Question of His Disciples (v. 60)

“Many” respectively a (small or large?) group (cf. v. 66a) of His (Jewish) disciples who “(walked) with Him ( )” (v. 66b) respectively followed and “heard” (cf. John 8:43) Him could not accept and protested – note the adjective “sklerós” (= hard, strong) in verse 60b – against His “word/s”/teaching⁵⁹⁹ (cf. vv. 26–58/59) about His sacramental “Bread of (eternal) Life” as His “flesh” (cf. vv. 51g, 52b, 53c, 54a, 55a, 56a, 63b) and the “scandal” (in Greek “skandalízo” in v. 61d) of the ascent of the “Son of Man” (vv. 27c, 53c, 62a). Their distancing themselves from Jesus is like the many disaffected Jewish people⁶⁰⁰ (cf. vv. 41a, 43b, 52a) because of God’s Law (especially His blasphemy in the form of His divine self-revelation: “I am …” [cf. Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 42:8] in vv. 35b, 38a. [41c,] 48a, 51a) and their forefathers’ tradition (cf. vv. 31a–c, 49, 58c) in their eyes/mind. So they talked about Jesus and not with Him. Because of their protest/doubts or uncertain question(s) and mental alienation/stand-off as a negative response they cut their relationship and lifeblood to Him and to God.

+ First Comment by the Evangelist (v. 61a–c)

The Fourth Evangelist comments that Jesus realized – “knew” (in vv. 6c, 61a, 64c and in John 2:24–25; 13:21–22) – the “murmuring” (in Greek “goggúzo” in vv. 41a, 43b, 61b and in 7:32) – and the criticisms/“scandal” (in Greek “skandalízo”⁶⁰¹ in v. 61d and in John 16:1; Matthew 11:6; 13:57; 26:31) of “(His) disciples ( )”.

+ The Answer of Jesus (vv. 61d–65)

v. 61d: Therefore Jesus emphasizes the dialogue about His “word/s”/teaching with His protesting “disciples” in the form of a direct speech with two question (cf. vv. 61d, 62a–b):

Firstly: “Does this offend you?”

v. 62: Secondly: What should happen when they (subject: the crowd in v. 2b, His disciples in vv. 19b, 62a, everyone in v. 40b) will “see” (in Greek “theoréo” in vv. 2b, 19b, 40b, 62a) Him (object⁶⁰²), who is pre-existent as “Son of Man”, as eyewitnesses ascend – note the opposite term “comes down” in verses 33a, 38a, 41d, 42e, 50b, 51b, 58b as Jesus’ “down and up” – to God?

The verb “comes down” (note the verba composita “kata-baíno” and “ana-baíno” [= to ascend]) describes that Jesus “came down”⁶⁰³ from and “went back”⁶⁰⁴ to the heavenly Father, into/from the world to glorify Him (cf. John 17:1). In the same words (ascended – descended) of Proverbs 30:4⁶⁰⁵, the incarnate Jesus of Nazareth, “the Son of Man” (John 1:51; 3:13–14; 6:27, 53, 62; 8:28; 9:35; 12:23, 34; 13:31) and at the same time “the Son of God” (1:14, 18; 3:16, 17, 18), came from the heavenly as divine sphere⁶⁰⁶ to earth. At the end of His earthly ministry in words and deeds as a divine “imperative lifting up”-action (cf. 3:14–16; 8:28; 12:32, 34) He “went back” into Heaven as His “return” (3:12–13).

v. 63: Like the (dual) contrast Heaven and earth – Jesus contrasted the “spirit” (in Greek “pneũma”) in a positive sense as (eternal) “life-giving” (in Greek “zoopoɩéo” in v. 63a – note also v. 68c – and in John 5:21a–b⁶⁰⁷; Romans 4:17; 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 36, 45; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Galatians 3:21; 1 Peter 3:18) with the term “flesh” (sárx); it is “nothing”/“useless” in the eyes of the Evangelist. His spoken “word/s” (in Greek “lógos” in v. 60b and “h’rēma” in vv. 63c, 68c) are inspired “words” which will give (eternal) life. God’s “words” through Jesus (Christological view) are inspired “words” by the Holy Spirit and not only (verbal, informative) “words” of a man (anthropological view)⁶⁰⁸ but with the help of the language of human beings (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 and Dei Verbum 11–12; CCC 105–111).

Verses 64–65 appear to put the destructive effects of disbelief among Jesus’ own followers/disciples into perspective.

v. 64a–b: Their refusal and non-acceptance of Jesus as “the living Bread” for all people is accompanied by their non-believing⁶⁰⁹ in Him (cf. vv. 36c, 64b, d), so they would not have eternal life because of cutting themselves off the lifeblood and relationship to God/Him (cf. John 3:16, 18 [positive] and vv. 17–18 [negative]):“To believe in Jesus” (cf. vv. 16c, 18a; 29–30, 35, 40, 47) means to put our trust and confidence in Him that He – our Redeemer and Saviour – alone can save us. The Fourth Gospel proclaims at its beginning (cf. 1:7) and end (cf. 20:30–31), that the things are written that all may believe and through believing have (eternal) life (cf. 3:15–16; 6:54, 68; 10:28; 12:25; 17:2–3 and 11:25; 14:6, 19; 20:31) in Jesus’ name. However, all people who do “not believe” in Him will stay in darkness and will not have (eternal) life (cf. 3:17b, 18b, 19–21). One person loves the light (cf. 8:12) and the other one hates it: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). In this way, the light itself stands for all possible decisions in favour of belief in Jesus Christ.

v. 64c–e: The Evangelist “paints” Jesus in “knowing” (cf. vv. 6c, 61a and John 8:14; 13:11, 18, 21–27) His destiny “from /the/ beginning”⁶¹⁰ (of His ministry, speech or calling of His disciples?): “the non-believers” (v. 64d – plural) in Jesus and “Judas … Iscariot” (v. 71a – singular) “who” (in Greek “tís” in v. 64e) “delivered/handed over Him” (in Greek “para-dídomɩ”⁶¹¹ in vv. 64e, 71c and in 12:4; 13:11; 18:2, 5; 21:20).

God is the “centre”, the “attractive power/pull”, the “appeal” of a person – note the parallels⁶¹² of verses 44a–b and 65c–d (cf. 12:32). It is His gift – note the contrast between the verbum simplex “dídomɩ” (= to give in vv. 27c, 31c, 32c, d, 33b, 34b, 37a, 39b, 51f, 52b, 65d) and the verbum compositum “para-dídomɩ” in verses 64e, 71c – like Jesus who is the giver of the food in God’s name.

+ The Reaction of Many Disciples of Jesus (v. 66)

Their ideals, enthusiasms, dreams were taken away – also their loyalties to Him were taken away so that they decided against Jesus of Nazareth, the “son of Joseph” (v. 42b) and deserted Him and fell/went away as well as did not “walk with Him”⁶¹³ (v. 66b) because of His “scandalous” (cf. v. 61d), blasphemous self-revelation (cf. v. 46). At this turning point Jesus lost disciples/followers: Because they misunderstood Him (cf., for example, Nicodemus in 3:1–13; 6:52) or were opposed to and did not believe in Him (cf. vv. 41–42, 52, 60–66). In view of the “believing in Jesus”, the Fourth Gospel, so rich in characters, shows the range of possibilities through the example of His disciples: The point of view and purpose of the Fourth Gospel is the discernment: “This man believes in Jesus” (cf. 20:30–31) or “this man does not believe in Him”. He is looking at the range of Yes or No to Jesus⁶¹⁴ – then and now. In this way, all believers in Him are going to be saved (cf. 3:17c) and have everlasting life (cf. v. 16c): “whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; He has crossed over from death to life” (5:24).

- The Dialogue between Jesus and “the Twelve” (vv. 67–71)

Who: Jesus, the Twelve, Simon Peter (vv. 68–69), Judas Iscariot (vv. 70–71)

Where: the synagogue of Capernaum (v. 59)

When: “on the next day” (v. 22a) – “near the Passover” (v. 4)

+ Jesus’ Asking the Twelve (v. 67)

After the act of many of His followers’ rejection of His discourse about Jesus as “Bread from Heaven” of “eternal Life” in the Eucharistic sense, He asked the “Twelve”⁶¹⁵ (vv. 67c, 70b, 71c and 20:24) as His twelve co-workers in the Jewish tradition of the 12 tribes⁶¹⁶: “( ) /Do/ you will (not also) go away?” In other words: Either “walk with Him” (v. 66b) or “go away”⁶¹⁷ with them.

+ Peter’s Creed as a Positive Verbal Answer (vv. 68–69⁶¹⁸)

v. 68: “Simon”⁶¹⁹ “Peter”⁶²⁰ (vv. 8b, 68a and 1:40, 42; 13:6, 9, 24, 36; 18:10, 15, 25; 20:2, 6; 21:2–3, 7, 11, 15) answered faithfully⁶²¹ as the spokesman of “the Twelve” during Jesus’ ministry in the form of a (personal⁶²²) question: “To whom shall we go?” and a creed (cf. v. 69b and Mark 8:29; Matthew 16:16; Luke 9:20 [Peter]; John 1:45 [Andrew]; 1:49 [Nathanael]; 11:27 [Martha]; 20:28 [Thomas]; Matthew 14:33 [the Twelve] …). In his mind, there is no alternative way to Jesus, the (“word/s” [vv. 60b, 63c] of eternal) life, and the life-giver – here and now as well as in the future/eternity (cf. John 3:15–16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2–3). He proclaimed Jesus as “Lord” – note the vocative in Greek “kúrɩos” in verses 34b, 68b – equivalent to the Jewish titles “prophet” (v. 14c) or “rabbi” (v. 25b) and

v. 69: he has “believed” and “known” – both verbs are in perfect! – that Jesus is⁶²³ “the Holy /One/ of God” (cf. Mark 1:24/Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14; 4:30; 1 John 2:20; Revelation 3:7 and Leviticus 19:2; Isaiah 6:3; 10:20; 30:15; 45:11; Psalms 99:9[; 106:16 – Aaron]). This last messianic title points out the heavenly, spiritual dimension of Jesus in His divine being as the “Son of God”, “the Christ” (John 20:31). Peter decided in favour of Jesus and he walked with Him. However, in the ears of “the Jews” it was blasphemy (cf. 10:36).

+ Jesus’ Prediction of His Handing/Delivering over⁶²⁴ (by Judas Iscariot) (vv. 70–71)

v. 70: Jesus continues the dialogue with His “twelve” (in Greek “dódeka” in vv. 67c, 70b, 71c) disciples, saying: “( ) /Did/ I (not) [choose⁶²⁵] you, the Twelve [ ]?

And /yet/ ( ) one (of you) [is] /a/ devil⁶²⁶ [ ]” (cf. John 8:44; 13:2; 1 John 3:8, 10).

The Fourth Evangelist identified this “satanic” (cf. v. 70c and John 13:2, 27; Luke 22:3 as well as Simon Peter in Mark 8:33/Matthew 16:23) person

v. 71: as “Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot” (cf. John 12:4; 13:2, 26, 29; 18:2, 3, 5; Mark 3:19; 14:10, 43; Matthew 10:4; 26:14, 25, 47; 27:3; Luke 6:16; 22:3, 47–48) who would “hand/deliver (Him) over ( )” (cf. vv. 64e; 71c and John 12:4; 13:2, 11, 21; 18:2, 5; 21:20). He is “one” (John 12:4; 13:21; 20:24; Mark 14:10, 18, 43; Matthew 26:14, 47; Luke 22:47) “of the ‘Twelve’” (cf. vv. 67c, 70b, 71c and John 20:24; Mark 3:16–19; Matthew 10:2–4; Luke 6:13–16) and is always listed at the end. In this way, there is a contrast⁶²⁷ between Peter’s creed (cf. vv. 68–69) and Judas’ renunciation the faith (cf. vv. 64c–e, 70–71).