Why would the greatest teacher ever to walk the earth allow his very own disciples to leave him based on a spiritual symbolic teaching?
When Jesus said, “I am the gate for the sheep,” (John 10:7) did angry arguments breakout? (52) Did the disciples say, this saying is hard, who can accept it? (60) Did the disciples react the same way to other metaphors that Jesus gave like, “I am the vine?” John 15:5
Some people claim that Jesus was speaking metaphorically when he said, “I am the bread of life.” Is it a metaphor though?
- If a metaphor, why did angry arguments breakout over this? 52
- If a metaphor, why did the Jews take Jesus’ words literally and say, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 52
- If a metaphor, why did Jesus then give an “ultimatum” after the disciples argued over his teaching? “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 within you.” 53
- If a metaphor, why did Jesus say his flesh is “true” food and his blood is “true” drink? 55
- If a metaphor, why did the disciples say, “this saying is hard, who can accept it?” 60
- If a metaphor, why did Jesus say, “does this shock you?” 61
- If a metaphor, why did many of his disciples return to their former way of living and no longer accompany him? 66
- If a metaphor, why did Jesus ask if the twelve apostles were going to leave too? 67
Apparently you have a lot of "why" questions. Questions that you think would make a metaphor to be not a metaphor. Let me try to help you with that.
<<<why did angry arguments breakout over this?>>>
They were really there for food for the stomach(26), and Jesus rebuked them for that (27). Then He pointed to Himself, that they should eat Him. Now, what do you think that sounds (in the literal) like to them? So, they murmured among themselves. For that simply is madness to their hearing.
<<<why did the Jews take Jesus’ words literally and say, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”>>>
They did, and that was the problem. That was why they murmured among themselves and quarreled over such foolishness and madness saying "How can this Man give us
His flesh to eat?”(52)
<<<why did Jesus then give an “ultimatum” after the disciples argued over his teaching? “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 within you.”>>>
That wasn't an ultimatum sir. Jesus in v.53-58 just continued what He was telling them about Himself. Of course He was not telling them that they kill Him there and then and that they all eat His flesh and drink His blood for them to have eternal life and not die. Perhaps, if you and five thousand more, who takes the words of Jesus there literally, would have killed Him and ate Him, for then you would not die and even have eternal life or would you, like them, argue over His words?
<<<why did Jesus say his flesh is “true” food and his blood is “true” drink?>>>
It was a figure of speech He used to tell them about Himself. He used this figure of Him being the "bread of life" as they followed Him seeking for food.
<<<why did the disciples say, “this saying is hard, who can accept it?”>>>
They did not realize that what Jesus was telling them is figurative rather than literal.
<<<why did Jesus say, “does this shock you?” >>>
Because Jesus know they are shocked for they murmur and quarrel about what they heard Him say about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, that they did not understand what He was telling them.
<<<why did many of his disciples return to their former way of living and no longer accompany him?>>>
They did not understand what Jesus was telling them (v.60). If what Jesus said was literal and not figurative, then they would not have complained and said "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?". For then, they would have understood Jesus, since there is nothing hard in what Jesus said if taken literally. It would not be a hard saying. What is hard for them, since they took it literally, is
HOW can Jesus give them His flesh to eat (52). To them, that is simply impossible, if not, madness. So, perhaps they thought that Jesus had gone mad and crazy. If they continue to follow a man whom they thought to be like that, what would that make of them?
<<<why did Jesus ask if the twelve apostles were going to leave too? >>>
Jesus simply wanted to know from them if they too would do as they did, if they too think of Him as they did.
I hope this helps.
Tong
R1304