Today we have another gospel reading where Jesus is once again explaining that he is the Bread of Life, this really should be flagging up to us by now just how key this message is. The beginning of this week’s gospel reading repeats the end of last weeks, where Jesus was interpreting a passage of scripture in the synagogue, discussing the manna that fell in the wilderness, comparing himself to it and saying that just as manna gave life in the wilderness, so too he gives life, not just life, but everlasting life.
Last week Michelle confirmed this, saying that there is only one true bread that gives life to the world – it’s Jesus Christ – the living bread, he is the food on which we depend and we must choose to follow him each day to give us the sustenance we need to live out our lives as Christians.
The passage moves on this week and although, this many weeks into this set of readings, the words: “I am the bread of life” are familiar to us, in this passage the disciples declare this to be hard teaching, asking who can accept it? – What is it about Jesus’ teaching that they find so difficult? The word ‘eat’ in this part of the gospel comes from a different word in Greek – and the actual translation would be to munch or to gnaw – this would have been shocking to those listening, however it seems that Jesus really was trying to grab attention! He’s no longer asking politely for people to eat his flesh, but to munch on him, gnaw at his body – so that he can live in them and they in him. He then goes on to ask if the listeners are offended.
This made me think of a persistent toddler with their why, why, why questions! Why do we have to visit Grandma, why do we have to go such a long way, why do we have to go in the car… Not just accepting at face value what they are told, but gnawing away asking again and again. Do we do this? Or do we simply accept what we feel God is saying straight away – Jesus was clearly trying to attract attention, maybe we need to be persistent in seeking more from God.
It’s probably easier for us with the passage of time, to understand much of this with reference to the Eucharist – but in Jesus’ day the Eucharist didn’t exist, so they would have taken these statements very literally, despite the existence of earlier scripture.
The crowd were initially attracted to Jesus when they saw him as a Moses figure — one who could work miracles and provide political victories. However, as time goes on and they spend more time with him, they learn that Jesus isn’t offering an easy victory but the long road of discipleship.
The long road of discipleship – the road that we’re all on, and we know that when we decide to follow Jesus it’s not an easy road. Therefore, when Jesus so blatantly tells the crowds to munch on him, many of the crowd reject this teaching and disperse, we don’t know how many, but we do know that the response of those we know as the 12 disciples is different. Jesus asks them if they too want to leave him – however, speaking for the group, Peter answers, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are Holy One of God.” They are going to hang around!
Everyone there that day heard the same teaching, they all know the same Jesus, although some probably a little more than others. But there’s these opposite reactions. Those that welcome his words and confess their faith, draw closer to him as a result. The same man, the same message, but opposite reactions. Where does the difference lie?
We all hear things differently, interpret them differently and take them to heart differently as our circumstances differ; however, this is no different today to how it was in Jesus’ day. Some of those present would have felt very threatened by Jesus’ words, not to mention the fact that he doesn’t present and live like the great leader they expected in a messiah. Others would have seen it as a challenge to embrace; in fact we are here today because we have taken on the challenge, we’ve started to walk the path of faith, of discipleship. But we all know others who have rejected it, some even after studying the words of Jesus!
As Peter spoke the words he did to Jesus, he pulled the other 11 disciples with him by using the word ‘we’ and speaking on their behalf. What might have happened at that point if one of them hadn’t spoken up? We can all be Peters. The influence of one person is often crucial, we should never doubt the importance of sharing our faith, however insignificant it might seem to us at the time.
So if we are being asked to feed on Jesus, the very Word of God made flesh, how might we go about doing that? We must seek Jesus before anything else and trust that he will meet our needs. We must allow God to transform us, in both our hearts and minds, and be bold in our faith, remember Jesus didn’t ask us to merely eat, but to gnaw like a hungry animal – seeking and asking and basing all we do on his guidance.
Before we leave here today, we will break bread and share wine as we share the Eucharist. We have prepared ourselves throughout the service, by prayer and confession to receive these gifts. In this way, we will have died to those things within us that keep us from rejoicing in the limitless love God has for all human flesh and will come to communion refreshed and empty ready to receive. However the mystery of Christ’s flesh and blood taken at communion impacts each of us individually, we must also allow it to be the food that sustains us to go out into the world and share Jesus by what we say and by how we live, every day of the week, not just on a Sunday. We must go beyond what it means for us as individuals and look for the flesh of Christ in others – in the poor, those in need, those on the fringes and seek to do for them what Christ would have us do. And we can do this content in the knowledge that Jesus, The Bread of Life, will be faithful in satisfying our every hunger. Amen.
Service: Rev Rebecca Yates, 25th August 2024. (St John The Baptist Church Peterborough UK)
Readings: John 6:56-69 / Ephesians 6:10-20 / Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 /psalm 34:15-end