Transubstantiation Archives - To Give a Defense

Three reasons to take John 6 literally.

BY: Henry Matthew Alt • July 30, 2014 • Apologetics; Transubstantiation

Who shall dare to doubt? Who shall hesitate? It is not enough to simply show that metaphor exists elsewhere in the Bible, or even elsewhere in the same passage, if you can not show that metaphor exists here. Y is metaphorical because x is is no argument. It is sophomoric reasoning — a cop-out, an attempt to avoid the real hard work of honest exegesis and historical inquiry. And exegesis and historical inquiry do run counter to the notion that the body and blood of Christ are merely symbolic in the Eucharist.

Mr. X struggles with metaphor, transubstantiation, and John 6.

BY: Henry Matthew Alt • July 29, 2014 • Apologetics; Exegesis; Transubstantiation

Of late, the anonymous blogger, five-pointer, and crack theologian TurretinFan — known on this blog as Mr. X—has been struggling with the concept of metaphor as it applies to John 6. And a very hard struggle it has been, too. He argues that the expression “this cup is my blood” should be a clear sign that the text is not meant to be taken literally. For not even Roman Catholics will say that the cup itself is Christ’s blood. The poor man apparently needs the help of an English teacher.