Food that does not perish

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’

- John 6:16-27

Jesus walks on the water in this passage, which is written in a way that begs wonder - because it seems like such a strange story. I suppose that the reason the disciples are rowing away by themselves is because, we've just read, Jesus withdrew by himself up the mountain. So the disciples are on their own. The water gets choppy, the great wind blows, and Jesus appears to them, walking toward them on the lake. When he arrives and they take him into their boat, they are immediately on dry land.

We must remember these men are experienced fishermen, one presumes they are used to choppy seas and winds on the water. (On the other hand, I've known experienced boatmen who rather knew the dangers better than the rest of us as well.) But if we look more deeply at the text we see analogies to our own states of being in life. It's night, it's dark, and away we row our boats on waters that are unreliable. Storms can brew any time. So our vision is limited, we don't always know what is going on in our lives. Our emotions can run with the wind, and toss us about despite our desires to stay a steady course. I see this as a great analogy to the calling within us for our Lord, in prayer - his influence is steadying, above the emotional life, he comes through to us to steady us and to lead us to the land. When we pray, he comes wherever we are, and part of what we pray for is his peace.

But despite the storm and the difficulties, and Jesus' withdrawal to the mountain, the crowds are still following him. So they come to Capernaum. This is the same crowd that Jesus miraculously fed the day before, and they are after the good things he's given them. So, it's time for teaching. It's time for the teacher to assert what he's here for, and to give the spiritual food he's here to distribute. This crowd is not following him because of signs now. It's there for food. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal, Jesus tells them. We must labor for the spiritual food he's here to offer. Jesus sets down not only his purpose here for the crowds that were fed the day before, but he also tells them their real work, and the real reward, is in the spiritual food that he's here to offer.

I wonder what does it mean that he uses the word "work" here - not only is he not here to give a free ride full of goodies that perish, but he's here to command our work for something that does not. Food for thought, indeed! What labor might that be?