Let’s start out with a question.
What is the second book of the Hebrew Bible?
(Good Job!)
Way back in Exodus (which means to exit or leave) God gave the people BREAD to eat when they were starving out of their minds in the desert.
And now we eat it with peanut butter or jelly on it, or both, some folks like to butter their BREAD. Some like it with meat or cheese. Some like it as toast. Yum French toast, with syrup! Garlic BREAD is good, (and today) – there is like a gazillion different varieties of BREAD.
The point is — BREAD has been around for a long time. It is a staple of life. BREAD or a form of it can be found in all cultures.
The gospel of John doesn’t forget about BREAD and apparently doesn’t want us to forget about it either. As a matter of fact, this author has a rather strange relationship with BREAD. BREAD is interwoven throughout this gospel.
I think the author wants us to know that Jesus is the greatest thing since sliced BREAD. Nothing is better. No one is finer. Jesus is aces! Even if, he sometimes talks a little strange…
So therefore, throughout the Gospel of John there is this on-going “love affair with BREAD”…or with “Jesus…”
Jesus equals BREAD. We have to remember that!
So, in our gospel lesson for today, Jesus tells us that HE IS – “the BREAD of life!” He is “spiritual food” for everyone who takes him in. No one who believes, trusts or has faith in Jesus will ever be hungry again!
[Now here]-he’s not talking about gut-wrenching-poverty-stricken-belly-pains- hunger, but “spiritual hunger.”
He is enough.
He is sufficient.
He satisfies. He is everything you need!
But he could be a little bit clearer with his words. Come on Jesus, remember your audience. Don’t confuse them!
And of course, it is important to understand that this is all following the mass feeding of the 5,000.
People are still tailing him. They are hounding him. People are hungry again. They want more “free food.” They long for another meal “on the house.” So wherever he goes, the crowds tend to follow.
They like the “signs” that he is doing…especially if they get full bellies out of it!
Jesus also compares himself to the manna from heaven that God gave to the Israelites, saying that he is “THE TRUE BREAD FROM HEAVEN.”
Did I hear him correctly?
Where’s he from?
They don’t talk like that in South Milwaukee or Cudahy!
A little bit cryptic…mysterious, obscure, confusing and ambiguous… That was about as clear as mud!
I am sure there were more than a few people left scratching their heads…that day.
This guy is confusing! And all they wanted was another taste-test. Which way to the free samples?
So it happens that Jesus is speaking to them on one level and they are thinking growling tummies and hunger pangs.
Sometimes the crowds can be so literal!
Eventually Jesus will take things even further and tell the crowds that “whoever eats this BREAD will live forever.”
Now that’s just messed up! People seriously thought he was talking about cannibalism…
And if you’ll remember Jesus also used a piece of BREAD to indicate who it was that would betray him. Recall how he took a morsel of BREAD, dipped it into a dish and handed it off to Judas…as if to say, “My body is now in your hands!”
After the resurrection Jesus eats BREAD and fish with his disciples, when they come in from fishing excursion.
BREAD is all over the place in John’s gospel!
I’m not sure if you know this or not but the Lord’s Prayer is not to be found in John’s Gospel. Apparently for whatever reason the author decided not include it…
Rather what he does do – is to hint at: that Jesus should be “our daily BREAD.”
Seriously, you cannot get enough of this guy! One day a week is not enough. We need to abide, stay, dwell, hang out with Jesus at every opportune moment of our lives and never, I mean, NEVER leave his side. Cling to him like ham and cheese.
Amen!