It is a Hard Saying

23 August [21st Sunday of Ordinary Time] John 6:60-69 I always found a resonance to the words “it is a hard saying, and I cannot listen to it”, and, as Jesus succeeded, I reacted. At the point of John’s Gospel, 6:60 John, the net result of so many commentators about the words of “it is a hard saying” write longer and longer responses. Contrary as usual I prefer to focus on the verses of this 6th Chapter of John. As happens, the Spirit seems to be fascinating on one particular verse. This morning for me this morning is Number 65, as Jesus says , “No one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father”. The Lectionary Readings give us the text of the passage selected. The use of the Bible itself always gives us the benefit of the Number of each individual verse. And so Verse 65 gives me enough with the personal voice of Jesus and resounds with the Father. In this mode, the introduction to the Mass concludes with St. Peter’s words, (68 )Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." That was all very well then, until the actual reading of the Gospel. I found myself taken aback by the version. The two verses, John 6:60 and 6:65, shall appear rather stricken in their parallels. LectionaryJB Gospel John 6:60-69 After hearing his doctrine many of the followers of Jesus said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’ Jesus was aware that his followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before? ‘It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset those who did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to me unless the Father allows him.’ After this, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him. Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’ (Jerusalem Bible) RSV Gospel John 6:60-69 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 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. But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." (Revised Standard Version) John 6:60 multi ergo audientes ex discipulis eius dixerunt durus est hic sermo quis potest eum audire (Vulgate) John 6:65 et dicebat propterea dixi vobis quia nemo potest venire ad me nisi fuerit ei datum a Patre meo (Vulgate) ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 6:60: Πολλοὶ οὖν ἀκούσαντες ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ εἶπον· Σκληρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος· τίς δύναται αὐτοῦ ἀκούειν; Greek Orthodox Church ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 6:65 και ελεγεν δια τουτο ειρηκα υμιν οτι ουδεις δυναται ελθειν προς με εαν μη η δεδομενον αυτω εκ του πατρος Westcott / Hort, UBS4 Variants After hearing the version of the Passage, Jn. 6:60-65, from the Jerusalem Bible, I wondered if the translator is not a native English writer. In a check of the original Jerusalem Bible (La Sainta Bible) in French it reads, (60)“Ce langage-là est trop fort! Qui peut l’écouter?”, (65)”Voilà pourquoi je vous dit quenul ne peut venir à, sino par un don du Père.” The French version seems inoffensive. What remains are the remarkable words, ‘This is intolerable language,’ and “unless the Father allows him.’ Someone mentions, similarly, the case of 'the Beatitudes' in the English Jerusalem Bible. Perhaps we await a new Lectionary.