 |  |
"He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and
speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all."
"For He Whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the
Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into
His hand" (John 3: 31, 34, 35).
Would it not be better for us today to avoid problems of textual criticism and the
opposition of scientific theories and rather give all our attention to the words God has put
in our hands, trusting Him that He would not permit man to weaken His Book with
legends, myths and half truths. What mystery of divine instruction from the Father lies in
the words "what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth" (verse 32) and again "He
Whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God" (verse 34). How can God say more
plainly that here is divine revelation from heaven?
While we are considering the failure of the majority of men in our Lord's day to see
the spiritual truths behind the earthly figures of water baptism, the Lamb of God, the
Bride, the Bridegroom, etc., let us look at another very important truth our Lord taught by
an earthly symbol. A few chapters ahead in chapter 6: Christ declares that He is the
Bread of Life. So important is it, He says it over and over again as in:
"He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him. As the
living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall
live by Me. This is that bread that came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat
manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever . . . . . It is the Spirit
that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are
spirit, and they are life" (John 6: 56-58, 63).
Does not this text declare that the words of God are spirit and quicken us, giving the
essential means to grow, the divine plan for spiritual growth? The study of these words
of God (the whole Bible), their acceptance and understanding, leads us to be one with the
Father and His Son. The reading of the Word and subsequent incorporation into every
part of our life is illustrated by the extremely strong metaphor of eating the flesh of the
Son. Drinking His blood carries the figure in a similar way, that of receiving into our
lives all the implications of the work of Christ on the cross and its blessed resultant
benefits to us here and hereafter.
The words in John 6: 63 provide an example of an antonym, a favourite subject of
Mr. Welch currently running in The Berean Expositor. We quote the literal English
translation of the Nestle Greek text:
"The Spirit is the One quickening; the flesh not profits anything" (Emphatic negative).
There is no question that it is the Holy Spirit working on the words of Christ that gives
us life, and this is in line with the purpose of God. Thus we are not making a god of the
Bible (an accusation once leveled at me by a vicar), but rather giving this Book its
rightful place in God's scheme of revelation. A further paraphrase we believe could read:
"It is the Spirit (the Lord's words and the Holy Spirit behind them) that makes alive
(or gives life); the flesh (the body and the old nature) profits nothing."