In the sense that we are using it, “scandal” is any act by a person or persons that offends or outrages the moral feelings of another. Several times in the Scriptures we read of how Christ confronted the Jewish religious leaders; but the scene in today’s Gospel is one of the more dramatic encounters between them.
Proverbs 9:1-6: Here we see the wisdom of God presented in terms of a festive meal at which the foods served represent God’s teachings. Christ goes one step further by giving us Himself as food for our souls.
Ephesians 5:15-20: Paul encourages the Ephesians to live wisely to make the most of every opportunity. Living wisely means understanding God’s will and avoiding things that can harm us, like drunkenness.
John 6:51-58: Christ’s claim that they must “eat his flesh and drink his blood” was highly offensive to the Jews. To them, it was an outrageous claim, as it is to anyone who does not have an understanding of what Jesus did at the Last Supper and the subsequent events of Calvary.
