Pentecost 10
John 6:25-59
After two big miracles, the feeding of the multitude and walking on water,
Jesus finally speaks about what has happened. This text is known as the bread form heaven text as Jesus, in one of John’s famous ‘I am’ statements of Jesus, reports Jesus declaring ‘I am the bread of heaven.’ The text is very often used to explain the depth of what occurs in the Lord’s Supper. And that imagery is certainly present in this text and is intended by John.
But there is something else going on in this text. And it is the contrast between the kind of faith the erstwhile followers of Jesus have, and the kind of faith that Jesus is calling them – and us – to embrace.
To understand the context of what Jesus says, let’s recap what has happened so far.
First, he fed up to 25,000 men, women and children with just five loaves and two fish from a boy’s lunch. Then he walked on water, rescued the disciples from a storm and miraculously transported them safely and instantly to the opposite shore of Lake Galilee. As we saw when we looked as these texts over the past two weeks, Jesus produced miracles or signs matching and exceeding those of Moses and the miracle working prophets Elijah and Elisha. The Jewish people of his time had an expectation that the Messiah would be like Moses, and would work miracles like the great prophets. By far exceeding their works Jesus shows not only that he is the long-awaited Messiah, but the Creator himself, who has command of the wind and sea, who controls space and time, and who can feed his people like God did for the Israelites with mana in the wilderness.
It’s what happens next that prompts Jesus’ Bread of Heaven talk.
And we should point out here that this is actually a sermon of Jesus. He preached it at the Synagogue in Capernaum, which we are told in verse 59. We can also see that it is a sermon by the reference to two Old Testament texts Exodus 16:15 ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat’ (referred to in verse 31) and Isaiah 54:13 ‘And they shall all be taught by God’ (referred to in verse 45). The practice of the synagogue in the first century was to have a reading from the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) and another from the prophets. Much like the lectionary system used in my Christian churches today, the synagogue of Jesus’ time had a basic lectionary system in which there was one reading from the Pentateuch and one from the prophets. And the two texts we have cited in today’s reading actually both occur during the Passover season, which we know from the story of the feeding of the multitude, was approaching.
But you might not think this seems like a normal sermon. There were a lot of interjections and interactions with the listeners. But that was the style of a synagogue ‘sermon’ of the time. It was something of a cross between what we know as a sermon, and an interactive Bible study. Two texts would be read, and the rabbi would comment on the meaning of one or both texts. And those listening would ask questions or dispute points made. Readers of John’s gospel with a background in Judaism would have picked up on the setting that is being described.
But why does Jesus say what he says? He is responding to comments of those listening, who have shown that they really do not yet ‘get it.’
When some of the crowds first catch up with Jesus at Capernaum, and as we see when we come to verse 59, they must have found him in the synagogue, they ask how he managed to get to Capernaum so quickly when they knew the disciples left without him in the boat. But Jesus tells them that what they are really interested in is the free feed. It is because of the meal he provided that they have followed him (verse 26). They have a faith based on what they can receive. It was an early version of a cargo cult. And this attitude persists even as Jesus explains to them who he is. When he talks about the Bread from heaven the brings eternal life their first thought is, we want some of this bread. So they ask, ‘Lord, give us this bread always’ (verse 34). They are still thinking of the image of Moses and the mana from heaven. They are thinking Jesus is going to do this again for them. That they will have the easy life, with no more working for and making bread. It will simply be there every day for them. But these people have not understood the true nature of faith. And some of us also struggle with this. We might follow Jesus because we think he is going to provide something physical for us, that we will gain some material advantage by being his followers. But Jesus never promises this. He indeed helps us in our need. But he is not seeking followers who are just looking for a handout. That is not faith.
Then, another group chimes in, who have equally misunderstood the nature of faith. They ask, ‘What sign are you going to give us, so that we my see it and believe you?’ (verse 30).
Now think about this for a moment. Jesus has just matched and surpassed the great miracle working prophets by feeding between 20,000 and 25,000 people with five loaves and two fish. Then he matched and surpassed Moses by cross water not by parting it, but walking on top of it. And now, the next day, the people gathered ask him what miracle he is going to do as a sign of who he is. What did they want? How many signs would be enough? If the first group of questioners has a faith based in what they could get from Jesus in a material sense, that is, endless free feeds. Then this second group has a faith that we might call a miracle-based faith. They want one miracle after another. They want to be continually amazed and entertained.
Again, some of us are drawn to this kind of faith. Whenever some miracle worker shows up great crowds are drawn, whether any real miracles are actually produced. People come for the show. And when they lose interest in one show, they seek after the next. First they are looking to see healings, then prophecies, then the laughing blessing, then the falling of gold-dust. And these are just of the things that have drawn many thousand in my life-time. But then interest wane and people seek after something else, just like people tire of certain types of music of movies after a time and seek afte the next new thing. But a faith that need constantly to be amazed and entertained is not true faith.
Jeus rejects and challenges both of these approaches to faith. They lead nowhere. As soon as the food runs out and the showy miracles stop, the faith is gone.
Jesus instead focuses on who he is. In one of most confronting of his talks, he tells those listening that the only food they are going to get, the only miracle they are going to get, is him. He is the bread from heaven, the mana that they longed to have once more. He is the miracle that confirms the truth of who he is.
True faith, Jesus points out, is based on him. And that is the difference. That is the point of Jesus sermon in Capernaum in the wake of two of his most memorable miracles. He directs our attention not to mana, not to the free feed, but to the true bread of life. He calls us to be nourished on his body and blood, that is given for us on the cross. Jesus calls us to put our trust in the one who has come down from heaven, God in flesh.
True faith is focused on Jesus and Jesus alone. If we are looking or a free meal, or a life-time of free meals, then we will be disappointed. If we are looking to be entertained or constantly amazed by miracles, we will again be disappointed. But if we are seeking peace with God and life everlasting, then that is what Jesus offers us. He calls us to focus on him. To put our faith in him. And in Jesus we will never be disappointed. For Jesus and Jesus alone is the basis and focus of true faith. Amen
Pastor Mark Worthing.
Port Macquarie.