I remember first watching this beautiful Bible Video published back in May. I watched it and then shared it with my wife. We discussed it but I still didn't feel like I caught everything. I watched it again and again. I felt like I was still missing something substantial or not quite catching the grandeur of Christ's words. Tonight, however, I watched it again and a light came on! I want to share my thoughts and get any feedback any of you have in regards to the Savior's words in John 6:25-71.
Like I said, I was counted among the people who said, "This is a hard saying. Who can hear it?" I felt confused and disappointed by my own lack of understanding. But like the apostles, I know that Jesus has the words of life. People fell away because the Lord was telling them to stop looking for physical bread from him--for a free meal--and to look for spiritual bread.
The Savior taught that the people must eat His flesh and drink His blood. Strange doctrine? Yes, if you don't understand the symbolism of the sacrament. It is interesting that the Savior would foreshadow the institution of the sacrament before giving a clear explanation of what it was. For those who were steadfast disciples, they later received greater light and knowledge concerning the meaning of sacrament whereas the others who fell away might have thought Jesus was crazy and a proponent for cannibalism.
In Matthew 26, we read of how Jesus instituted the sacrament:
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
In 3 Nephi chapter 18, we read about how Jesus instituted the sacrament among the Nephites:
1 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.
2 And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth.
3 And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat.
4 And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.
5 And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.
6 And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.
7 And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
8 And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.
9 And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.
10 And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.
11 And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock.
13 But whoso among you shall do amore or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them.
14 Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one having the power to break bread and bless it says the following words verbatim each time the sacrament is passed:
They bless the bread using these words: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen” (D&C 20:77).
They bless the water using these words: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this [water] to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen” (D&C 20:79).
Going back to the confusion, the Lord acknowledges that people are confused and sees something truly saddening. He watches many of His followers go away offended. He takes a hit to His reputation as a teacher. He could have spelled it all out for them but instead he used the teaching moment to test His people to see who truly believed that He was the Son of God.
As we read in the passages above, the apostles later were taught that eating of the bread and and drinking of the wine was to be a covenant with the Lord to always remember Him and receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises as we keep our side of the bargain, He will bless us with His Spirit to cleanse us and guide us.
There is another doctrine taught in these verses which I want to touch upon briefly. Jesus was alluding to his atoning sacrifice by "giving his flesh" as a sacrifice so that he will have power to raise us up unto life eternal. He promises multiple times in these verses that if we do what He instructs us to do, He will raise us up at the last day. What does this mean?! That we will live again! That we will have the most desirable gift--everlasting life in His presence!
So my question now is "Will the Lord teach us things that are hard to hear?" What doctrines try our faith? What questions or concerns are we carrying with us that we cannot solve ourselves? My hope is that we all will keep going, stand fast with faith, fight for the ground we have already won, and acknowledge that He has the "words of life." It is my faith that all things will be revealed in their proper season.
The Book of Mormon is a hard thing to hear for many. Why? Traditions of their fathers? Extreme ideas sourced from anti-mormon literature? It doesn't matter where the opposition comes from but what does matter is what we will do with our doubts. In regards to the contents of the Book of Mormon, I don't believe the Lord will give us answers to our prayers until we have thought it out in our minds and studied it to show our faith. Those who read the Book of Mormon show faith and the Lord will cause our hearts to burn with the same Spirit that we feel when we read His words in the Bible.
In 2 Nephi chapter 29, the Lord expresses His views on what the Bible and the Book of Mormon mean to Him:
1 But behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel;
2 And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel;
3 And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.
4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?
5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.
6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?
7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.
11 For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.
12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.
13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.
14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.
As we read the Book of Mormon instead of becoming offended by it, we will eventually understand how the Lord shows His power in modern days. The same goes for anything else that is doctrine in His church.
Jesus is the Bread of Life. I boldly testify that Jesus has the power to cleanse us from sin and that he will raise us up again. We need to work for our faith before the Lord shows us the light. He will give us line upon line, precept upon precept until our light is eventually perfect. Christ's words have become sweeter to me as I experience more in life.
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