Exploring John 6 and Eucharistic Theology

Aug 18, 2024

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Lecture on John 6 and Eucharistic Theology

Introduction

  • Focus on John 6, a key chapter for Eucharistic theology in the New Testament.
  • Importance for Catholics as it deals with the sacrament of the Eucharist.
  • Jesus' declaration: "I am the living bread come down from heaven."

Jesus' Words and Reactions

  • Declaration: "Whoever eats this bread will live forever. The bread I give is my flesh for the life of the world."
  • Expected Jewish reaction: shock due to Old Testament laws prohibiting consuming flesh with blood.
    • References: Old Testament prohibitions
      • Genesis 9:4
      • Leviticus 3:17
      • Deuteronomy 12:23
  • Jews' reaction: Quarreling, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"

Intensification of Jesus' Message

  • Jesus' response: "Amen, amen, I say to you... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you do not have life in you."
  • Use of Greek word "trogaine" (to gnaw) vs. "phagein" (to eat) to emphasize physicality.
  • Doctrine of Real Presence: Not symbolic but real, true, and substantial presence under bread and wine.

The Doctrine of Presence

  • Differentiation by Vatican II:
    • Presence of Christ in multiple settings:
      • Word proclaimed
      • Gathered community
      • The poor
      • The person of the priest
    • Eucharist’s unique presence: Real, true, and substantial.

Theological Clarifications

  • Thomas Aquinas: "Virtus Christi" (power of Christ) vs. "Ipse Christus" (Christ Himself).
  • Eucharist as unique from other sacraments.
  • John Paul II: "Ecclesia De Eucaristia" - the Church comes from the Eucharist.

Understanding Eucharistic Change

  • Not empirically verifiable; not visible to senses or measurable by science.
  • Pre-modern understanding of ontological hierarchy.
  • Substance vs. Accidents: Change at the deepest center of being.

The Biblical Imagination

  • Reality as God declares it: "Things are what God says they are."
  • Jesus as God: Authority to redefine reality, hence "This is my body. This is my blood."

Conclusion

  • Eucharistic faith hinges on belief in the real presence articulated in John 6.
  • The discourse’s rhetorical climax underscores the foundational nature of the Eucharist in Catholic theology.

Note: The lecture emphasizes the theological depth and historical context of Jesus' teachings in John 6, highlighting the significance of the Eucharist in Catholic belief.