Word to the Wise
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 3rd Week of Easter - Tues
[Acts 7:51-8:1a and John 6:30-35]So, Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." So they said to Jesus, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst."
It is difficult over a period of days to sustain the dramatic tension in the "Bread of Life" discourse! The lectionary divides it up like a TV program with commercials! I recommend reading the entire chapter right away so that the parts that come day by day make more sense and the "spiraling" development of the teaching becomes clearer. At the moment, we are still in the opening statements. In the Gospel of John, anytime Jesus says, "Amen, Amen, I say to you..." we know that something important is about to be said. There was an "Amen, amen..." in yesterday's passage! The contrast between physical bread and the Bread of Life, and between the historical manna and the "true bread from heaven" emerges. Each time, the dramatic device of misunderstanding/clarification moves the argument along.
As we follow this scene over the next several days, we might keep our own understanding of Jesus as the "bread of life" in mind and how it fits with what we believe in terms of the "Eucharist." The picture is much larger than the Gospel of John because the rest of the New Testament also contributes to the meaning. We bring all of that with us to the scene as we try to understand it. How would we react if we had only the Gospel of John to read? Would we be as puzzled as the audience on the page? More to come..... AMEN