It was supposed to be another feeding, or “so they thought.” That is (at least) what they all “wanted.”
That’s why everybody showed up in today’s gospel.
They got into boats, they raced after him.
They chased after him to – wherever it was – that he himself – was going to go.
They followed him. Closely…they watched him…
I wonder if any of you noticed – that sometimes people “chase after Jesus” for what he can give to them?
I think the person that probably first noticed this – was Jesus himself!
That is the reason why some of these people followed him. They were hungry again. It was “that simple” and “that understandable.”
They expected more. They desired more. They wanted food. They wanted it because it was free…and they were food insecure. They wanted another sign. Maybe even a bigger sign, a better sign, than before, a sign with more pizzazz.
The day before they were fed with an abundance of food…more than 5,000 of them…
They were physically fed. They could eat all they wanted. They could have had their fill.
But on this occasion – instead of more bread and fish – they got Jesus and his strange-conflicting words.
The two often go hand-in-hand together.
Perhaps they did not know that, or had not experienced that yet.
It seems that when we run into Jesus we often get conflict; between “what is” and “what might be,” between “our understanding” and “his (or God’s) understanding,” between “knowing about Jesus” and “really knowing him.”
We know “what we want.” We even know “what we need”…or so we assume. We also “think” we know what “it is” – that is “best for us.”
But, what we “want” and what we “get” are not always the same.
John the Evangelist was clear about one thing.
The people did not get “it.” Which is to say, they did not understand Jesus. They did not understand “what it was” that he was saying…or “what it was” – that he was all about!
As is customary in the fourth gospel, Jesus seems to speak on one level – while his listener’s relate on another level.
They wanted to be physically fed and apparently Jesus was talking about being spiritually fed.
We want food now.
We want our aching bellies “filled.”
We didn’t follow you for rhetoric we- want more bread and fish…and maybe even something more. Something bigger. Nothing else will satisfy. Feed us, not with words, but with something tangible and satisfying.
A week ago, in John’s gospel, Jesus fed 5000 people with five loaves and two fish.
Now, he challenges the people to consider “what kind of bread” they are seeking and eating, “perishable or imperishable.” Apparently, there was a difference.
They did not want to be challenged. They did not want to think. They wanted food – and they wanted it now!
Then he declares himself to be “the bread of life.” That’s when the conflict really started. That is when – all the misunderstanding initially started!
He also talked about Moses. You don’t ever mess with Moses. He’s bigger than Texas.
Of course Moses came from God. Moses was the greatest prophet in Israel’s entire history. No one was more important than him.
Moses could do no wrong.
Moses spoke with God.
Moses was the great law giver.
Moses gave people the manna from heaven. Moses and his incredible walking stick. Moses, author of the Torah!
How could this Jesus, this street preacher compare himself to Moses…and maybe even suggest that he is better than Moses? And then on top of “all of his words” – there was no meal. There was nothing, just more words.
No this was not going well…at all…
All this talking is not a sign.
Talking does not fill an empty stomach. Drop the rhetoric and feed us, that’s all they wanted