52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
Jesus had a way of stirring things up did He not? Time after time we see the crowds arguing and divided – not to mention confused - over what His Words truly meant. We find a perfect example of this again later in John:
19 At these words the Jews were again divided. 20 Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?" 21 But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" John 10:19-21 (NIV)
Acutely aware of what resides in a man apart from Him, it is no wonder Jesus stated the following Truth quoting from the prophet Micah:
34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- 36 a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' Matt 10:34-36 (NIV)
It is no different in our day is it? Division and arguing and confusion often occur regarding faith particularly among those we feel the closest to. Most often it becomes a source of spiritual pride over who is right or who is wrong. What we perhaps fail to remember is that it is not about our flawed perspectives; it is rather all about Jesus – His Words, His actions, His love towards others - studying and fleshing out His life for the world to see. Arguing, particularly regarding the spiritual is shunned in Scripture. Let’s face it; people are not won to our Lord Jesus by our arguing them into it. Paul commands us in Philippians:
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. Phil 2:14-16 (NIV)
“Meekness is the mark of a man who has been mastered by God.” Geoffrey B. Wilson
We are to go to the Scriptures, like the Bereans who, being of noble character, diligently searched the Word to see if what the apostle Paul taught them was true. They were commended in Holy Writ for this action. We find the prophet Micah ending his quote with the following confident assurance in God for his salvation - trusting in what he knew to be Truth:
7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7 (NIV)
Speaking over the arguing and rabble, Jesus gives us a red flag as He proclaims Truth – there is no life apart from Him:
"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
The life of the world, being forfeited by sin, now ransomed by the flesh of Christ – His body broken, His blood shed. Every Jew realized that life was in the blood. We find in Leviticus:
11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Lev 17:11 (NIV)
God chose sacrificial blood as the ransom price for a person’s life. In stating this Truth Jesus clarifies the mystery for His hearers – redemption is found in belief in Him. The flesh and blood of Christ are the promises of the covenant and eternal life.