BREAKTHROUGH
JOHN
6: 56-69... 12th S. after Pentecost... August 27th, 06
NOTES: l] Today's passage overlaps
last week's to give context. If
you've been fmding JN hard going, hang in
there. Back to Mark next week! 2]
The way JN presents Jesus' teaching about himself in terms of
flesh
& blood needs to be connected: a) with the Hebrew
sacrificial system of the Temple; & b) the practice
in the Mediterranean world of so-called 'mystery religions' in which
the
life of some god is celebrated, often in ritual meal form, by its
followers. JN, writing later than the other evangelists is trying to
make
Jesus' teaching accessible & appealing to Jews & Gentiles.
WARMING UP: What kinds
of things shock us? Are we easily shocked?
TREASURES OLD & NEW:
Identify God at work in anything this week?
ENTERING INTO THE STORY:
56 - 58 Jewish people would find
this a repulsive idea. (See 60-61) Do we find it at all difficult to
come to terms with? How much have we 'taken on board' that this is what
we are doing sacramentally in the Eucharist? Do we understand what
'sacramentally' means? If the primitive imagery of 'feeding on
God' to somehow transfer God's life into our own makes some
sense, do we take it seriously enough today? What about in prayer, say,
as well as in Eucharist? How does the idea of 'feeding on God' to
give a longer
or better quality of life appeal to us? Is it just too way out for
today's thinking? In what sense can we expect to
live forever? Would we rather that could happen here on earth without
having to be 'transported' to another plane or dimension?
59-63 Where does Jesus, as a
'visiting preacher', overstep the mark' here? Are there areas in which
we see him overstepping the mark today, too? What is there in Jesus or
his teaching to make him offensive to that
audience then / today's audience? Is there any real difference between
what happens here &
the offence people take at hard things they hear when the Gospel is
preached faithfully today? What about when people take offence at
'silly little things'?
How important a
role does the Ascension play in our understanding of Jesus? How strong
a distinction do we make between 'flesh' & 'spirit'?
What distinction(s) do we actually practice? Consciously or
unconsciously? Jesus here appears to be looking at an ideal of
'spirited flesh' i.e. human life indwelt by God's Spirit? What
difference should that 'inspiritedness' make to the way we see &
live in the world'?
64-65 How sharp is the
difference between belief &
unbelief for us? Are there any shades of grey? Who determines such
shades - if any? When are shades allowable / not allowable?
66-69 Is it ever OK to pull out
of discipleship? Is there a discernible difference between pulling out
of following Jesus & pulling out of church membership? How strongly
do we believe we follow Jesus by God's choice, not our own? Is it
helpful to think of discipleship as 'walking' with Jesus? What does
walking with Jesus mean for you? How certain are we that Jesus is
'God's Holy One'? Are there any other acceptable options? Acceptable to
whom?
