PHYSICAL TERMS? or SPIRITUAL TERMS?

Victor M. Eskew

 

            Human beings are physical beings.  We live in a physical world.  Because of this, we often have difficulty thinking in spiritual terms.  In John’s gospel, this happened time after time as Jesus tried to teach others the truth.  Let’s look at some of these examples.

            In John 2, Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem.  The Jews confronted him, saying:  “What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing thou doest these things?” (John 2:18).  Jesus’ answer was very interesting.  “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19).  The only temple the Jews could comprehend was the physical temple in Jerusalem.  “Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?” (John 2:20).  They could not comprehend any other temple than Herod’s temple.  Some of them would remember this statement for quite some time.  It would be used against Jesus during His trial before the high priest.  “…At the last come two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days” (Matt. 26:60-61).  Jesus, however, was not speaking of the Jewish temple.  John 2:21 tells us:  “But he spake of the temple of his body.”  Even His disciples did not understand His words until after His resurrection (John 2:22).

            In John 3, we find another example of a man who had a difficult time understanding a spiritual concept.  The concept involves being born again.  Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night (John 3:1).  He affirmed Jesus was “a teacher come from God.”  He knew this because of the miracles that Jesus performed (John 3:2).  Jesus immediately informs this prominent Jew that his birthright as a Jew was not important.  Jesus told him that he needed to be born again.  “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).  All Nicodemus could comprehend was a physical birth.  Therefore, he asked the Christ two questions:  “How can a man be born when he is old?  can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” (John 3:4).  The mind of Nicodemus was focused on the physical.  He could not comprehend a spiritual birth.  He could only think in terms of the outer man, not the inner man.  Even after more discussion with Jesus, Nicodemus asks:  “How can these things be?” (John 3:9).  Jesus did not hesitate to confront his lack of understanding.  “Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” (John 3:10). 

            John 4 provides a third example of man’s lack of understanding of spiritual concepts.  Jesus found Himself alone at Jacob’s well.  He was tired and thirsty.  “There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water:  Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink” (John 4:7).  Jesus’ request stunned the woman for the Jews normally had no dealings with Samaritans.  Jesus did not go down that trail.  He continued by leading this woman into a discussion of living water.  In John 4:13-14, Jesus reveals a fact about the water that He can give her.  “Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:  but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”  This woman heard Jesus’ words in physical terms.  Listen to her response.  “The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw” (John 4:15).  Notice that if Jesus could give her that water about which He spake she would no longer thirst, nor would she ever have to labor by drawing water out of the well.  She saw two physical blessings in Jesus’ words.

            John 6 is yet another example wherein individuals thought in physical terms instead of spiritual terms.  The discussion this time centers on the bread of life.  Jesus told the Jews:  “I am the living bread which came down from heaven:  if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever:  and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:51).  This sent the Jews into confusion.  “The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52).  These words did not deter the Lord at all.  “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwellet in me, and I in him” (John 6:53-56).  Because they could not grasp the spiritual meaning of Jesus’ words, “…many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” (John 6:66). 

            When we study some of the concepts in the Word of God, we must be able to rise above the physical and mundane.  We must lift our minds to a spiritual level.  When we do, we will be wonderfully impressed with the wisdom found in the Word of God.  The spiritual meaning of words like “born again,” “living water,” and “the bread of life” hold beautiful meanings for the spiritual man.  We are impressed how our Savior can take physical concepts of this world and make them rise to heavenly heights.  Sadly, there still some that can only think in physical terms.  They are so caught up in the physical that the spiritual eludes them.  May all of us pray diligently to “be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col. 1:9).