On John 6.60-72
E HAVE HEARD from the gospel the words of the Lord which follow his previous discourse. From these a discourse is owed to your ears and minds, and it is not unsuitable for today; 1 for it is about the body of Christ which he said that he was giving for eating because of life everlasting. Moreover, he explained the method of this bestowal and his gift, how he would give his flesh to eat, saying, "He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me, and I in him."2 This is the sign that he has eaten and drunk, if he abides and is abided,3 if he dwells and is dwelt in, if he adheres that he may not be abandoned.4 Therefore, he instructed and taught us this in mystical words, that we may be in his body, under himself as the head, in his members, eating his flesh, not leaving behind unity with him.
(2) But the majority of those who were present, because of not understanding, were scandalized; for, on hearing these words, they thought only of the flesh which they were themselves. But the Apostle says, and he says the truth, "To be wise according to the flesh is death."5 The Lord gives us his own flesh to eat, and "to be wise according to the flesh is death," although he says about his own flesh that therein is life everlasting. Therefore we ought not to be wise about the flesh according to the flesh, as in these words:
2. "Many therefore," not of his enemies, but "of his disciples, hearing it, said, 'This is a hard saying. Who can hear
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Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: Tractates on the Gospel of John.
Volume: 2.
Contributors: John W. Rettig - Translator, Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo - Author.
Publisher: Catholic University of America Press.
Place of publication: Washington, DC.
Publication year: 1988.
Page number: 277.
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