John 6:63

Context

Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John contains a long discourse, following the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, in which Jesus presents himself as the bread of life in the synagogue at Capernaum. When Jesus says that one must eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood in order to have life, many of his disciples murmur, saying, "This is an hard saying" (John 6:60). Jesus responds by asking what they would think if they should see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before (6:62, understood as a reference to the Ascension), and then speaks the words of this verse. Afterward Jesus points out that there are some who do not believe. When many of the disciples go away, Peter, speaking for the remaining Twelve, confesses that the Lord has the words of eternal life (6:66–69).

Interpretation

• Reading as a contrast between spirit and flesh: Many commentators take "spirit" to mean the life-giving Spirit of God, that is, the Holy Spirit, and "flesh" to mean human nature and understanding that judges on its own apart from God. In this reading, "the flesh profiteth nothing" is not a negative judgment on the body itself. Rather, it is interpreted as a correction of the hearers, who had taken the preceding words literally, as though they were to chew actual flesh.
• Word-centered reading: This reading places its emphasis on the second half of the verse, "the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." It holds that the words of Jesus give life to people through the Holy Spirit, and it is frequently used in Protestant preaching as a basis for speaking of the power of the words of Scripture.
• Reading in connection with the Lord's Supper: In traditions that read the latter part of chapter 6 in relation to the Lord's Supper, this verse serves as a key to interpreting the meaning of the sacrament. This is discussed in the following section.

Controversies and Issues

Eucharistic controversy: At the Marburg Colloquy of 1529, Huldrych Zwingli is reported to have cited "the flesh profiteth nothing" in opposing the claim that the body of Christ is truly present in the bread and wine. Martin Luther countered that "flesh" here refers not to the flesh of Christ but to the thinking of the carnal person. John Calvin and the Reformed tradition understand believers to be spiritually united with Christ through the Holy Spirit, and they read the verse's contrast between spirit and flesh as emphasizing the role of the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church reads the latter part of John 6 in close connection with the Eucharist and interprets "flesh" in this verse as referring to human, natural understanding. For details, see Eucharistic controversy.

Concerns about quotation out of context: Some observe that isolating "the flesh profiteth nothing" and using it as grounds for regarding the body or the material world as worthless takes the phrase out of context. In support, they note that the same Gospel speaks of the Incarnation, declaring that "the Word was made flesh" (John 1:14), and that the early church opposed Gnosticism and Docetism, which disparaged the body.

Translation: Interpreters differ on whether the Greek pneuma ("spirit") refers to the Holy Spirit or to the spiritual dimension of the human person. English translations are likewise divided between those that capitalize the word (Spirit) and those that render it in lowercase (spirit).

In the Korean Church

"The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" is frequently cited in sermons encouraging Bible reading and quiet time, and in preaching that emphasizes the power of the Word.

Related Passages

• John 3:6
• John 6:35
• John 6:68
• 2 Corinthians 3:6
• Romans 8:11