This conversation is on the understanding of the Eucharist as life. Earlier, I discussed the profound meaning of the Eucharist as the bread of life. I left the reader with a question: What does it mean to have faith in Jesus as the bread of life? What is life?
As we delve deeper into this theme, we uncover the layers of the Lord’s message about life—a life so rich, so abundant, that it transcends mere existence. It is eternal, a life sustained by His very body and blood.
In John 6:47, Jesus proclaims, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.” This isn’t a simple statement. The Lord challenges us to rethink what it means to believe in him as the bread of life.
Life
In his “Lectures on the Gospel According to John,” Saint Augustine invites us to distinguish between merely “believing in Jesus” and truly “believing Him.” It’s one thing to accept the teachings of Jesus, much like you might accept the words of any wise teacher. But it’s entirely different to place your trust, confidence, and very life in His hands. Augustine draws a powerful parallel with Paul, showing that to believe in Paul is to commit oneself wholly to him. Committing to God, believing in him, the saint says, is with a profound trust that is credited as righteousness. Such as the faith of Abraham (Romans 4:3).
Augustine explains: “What then is ‘to believe on Him’? By believing to love Him, by believing to esteem highly, by believing to go into Him and to be incorporated in His members.” This truth is more than belief; it’s a love so deep it forms a union.
This teaser on faith sets the stage for understanding the Lord’s message that follows. Precisely, it affords us the the spiritual eye of perception to penetrate his teaching on the Eucharist as life. The words are a reminder that without faith, one cannot penetrate and grasp the mystery of the Eucharist.
John 6:47 speaks not just of belief but of an active, living, and confident faith. It is this kind of faith that Scripture says the believer receives as credit for righteousness. This faith is not passive, but engaging, not dormant, but alive, not uncertain, but confident. But what is this life that Jesus speaks of?
New Testament Understanding of Life
The New Testament’s teaching on life opens the door to our appreciation of the Eucharist as life. When the New Testament speaks of life (ζωή), it does so with an often overlooked depth. The word appears about 209 times in the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE). Each instance offers a glimpse into a rich, multi-faceted concept of life. At least four senses of the concept are evident in the New Testament. They are mostly in the Gospels. Namely, a state of being, a source of existence, heaven itself, or the reality of living.
Life as a State of Being
Among the various ways Scripture discusses life, the concept of life as a state of being stands out most prominently, in at least 115 instances. It signifies a condition of being alive, filled with happiness and energy, embodying vitality and the essence of living. It’s more than just drawing breath; it’s about living in the fullest sense.
The New Testament rarely uses ‘life’ to refer to mere physical existence. Instead, it speaks of life as eternal. Life is a reality that endures beyond the physical, engaging us in a deeper understanding of our existence.
When someone in Matthew 19:16 asks Jesus how to attain eternal life, the question isn’t about adding years to one’s life on earth. He understood from Jesus’s teaching that life is about entering a new kind of existence that transcends time. This view of life runs consistently through Scripture, showing that eternal life isn’t just about duration; it’s about a quality of life that begins now and continues in the eternal God.
Whether you read John 5:40 or John 6:27, the message is obvious about the Eucharist and its power to give life. John 6:33, John 6:35, and John 6:40 all emphasize this theme. John 6:47, John 6:48, John 6:51, John 6:53, and John 6:54 continue reinforcing it. The same idea appears in Matthew 25:46, Mark 10:17, Mark 10:30, and Luke 10:25. There are over a hundred other instances, but they are not all listed here for brevity. The consistent theme is that the New Testament sees life as more than existing. It is about living eternally in communion with God, which means a life of spiritual fulfillment, peace, and joy. Being in communion with God is true life.
Life as the Intrinsic Ability to Create and Sustain Existence
The New Testament also portrays life as a source, a fountainhead of creation and sustenance. Life is depicted as the capacity for existence, a gift from God Himself. This life is not an ordinary; it’s a divine gift that only God gives.
John 1:4 says, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” This life is the light that shines in the darkness, the light that no darkness can overcome. Similarly, John 5:26 reveals, “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” This life is intrinsic to the very nature of God, and it is given to us through Jesus.
John 6:63 emphasizes, “It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” The Word of God is not just informative; it’s life-giving. It creates, sustains, and renews.
Other Examples
When Simon Peter declares in John 6:68, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” he’s acknowledging that Jesus’ words are more than teachings; they are the very source of life itself. When Jesus teaches, He reveals the unseen of Godself. Just like God who speaks and life emerges (Genesis 1:1-28; Psalm 33:9), so are Jesus’s words.
In Ephesians 4:18, Paul describes those “darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” Life is seen here as something from which we can be alienated, a tragic separation from the divine source of our existence.
Finally, 2 Timothy 1:10 reveals that life and immortality have been brought to light through the gospel by our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death. The Good News isn’t just a message; it’s the revelation of life itself, a life that defeats death and offers immortality.
Life as Heaven
In addition to life as a state of being and as intrinsic ability to create and sustain, the New Testament also speaks of life as heaven. It presents a concept far richer than a place somewhere up in the sky. Heaven, as understood in Scripture, is not a distant location; it is the very essence of being in God, living in eternal union with Him. This state of existence begins here on earth, as we are drawn closer to God through divine grace, and it reaches its fullness in the world after physical death.
Several New Testament passages highlight the profound connection between life and heaven. For instance, in Matthew 7:14, Jesus says, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” This life is not simply about existence but the challenging yet rewarding journey toward union with God.
Matthew 18:8 gives us a vivid metaphor, advising, “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better to enter life maimed or lame than with two hands or feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.” Jesus continues in verse 9, “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.” These radical instructions are not about self-mutilation, but the seriousness of the commitment required to enter this divine life.
Other Biblical Examples
In Matthew 19:17, Jesus instructs, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter life, keep the commandments.” This truth underscores that the path to life—eternal life with God—is marked by obedience and righteousness.
Mark 9:43-45 echoes this radical call for a heavenward life: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” He adds, “If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.”
Finally, John 3:36 delivers a stark choice: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Here, eternal life is directly tied to belief in Jesus and obedience to His teachings. Again, faith remains a precondition to life in God.
Life as Temporal Existence
The New Testament occasionally refers to ‘life’ in the context of our earthly, temporal existence. It occurs in only about six of 209 instances. However, even in these moments, there is an indication or foreshadowing of life beyond the earthly realm.
Luke 1:75 refers to living “in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” The text points to a life lived in devotion to God, preparing us for eternal life.
Luke 12:15 sounds a cautionary note. “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Here, Jesus warns us that true life isn’t defined by material wealth but by spiritual richness. The Lord’s is a message that resonates through the ages. It calls us to be mindful of our desires and priorities.
In Luke 16:25, we see a stark contrast between the rich man and Lazarus, with the rich man enjoying his ‘lifetime’ of luxury while Lazarus suffers. But in the afterlife, their roles are reversed. The text highlights the stark difference between the temporary nature of earthly life and the eternal life that follows.
In 1 Corinthians 15:19, Paul emphasizes the futility of hope in Christ if it is limited to ‘this life only.’ He underscores that our hope must extend beyond this temporal existence to the life that is to come, making it a necessity rather than a choice.
2 Peter 1:3 speaks of how divine power ‘has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,’ a testament to the abundant grace of God in our lives. This verse not only relates to eternal life but also acknowledges the role of God’s grace in our earthly existence.
Next
In part two of this conversation on the Eucharist as Life, I relate these themes to John 6.
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