The bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world

The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

- John 6:41-51

In yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke of Himself as the bread of life. (See All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.) Jesus elaborated on what this means, and how those who come to Him are given by the Father, and will be raised with Christ. Today, Jesus answers His critics.

The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?" We have heard this criticism in the synoptic Gospels. It comes from those who have known Jesus and His family. It is related to envy. In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says in response to this criticism: "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." John has earlier told us (in chapter 4) that "Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country." We have to remember that these people are aware of the signs he has done. The discourses in the readings of the past few days come after feeding the five thousand on the mountain.

Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves." This can be translated as "Stop grumbling." He intervenes to tell them not to complain - and to assert what He has to tell them about Himself.

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.'" Once again, Jesus affirms what he has been teaching (see yesterday's reading). All who come to Him are first drawn to Jesus by the Father. Then Christ Himself will keep all with Him, losing none - and raising them up at the last day. The quotation is from Isaiah 54:13. It is an affirmation that the Father Himself is at work within us, in our hearts and minds, and leading us in faith to that which we need in life.

"Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father." Jesus clarifies the relationship. He says that those who are drawn by the Father - "everyone who has heard and learned from the Father" - come to Him. How does this happen in us? From where does this hearing and teaching come in our lives? This is, to me, an affirmation of the power of prayer, among other things. Jesus clarifies that this is not a relationship of equals, we cannot communicate with God in God's full reality - only the One who has come from the Father can do that. But nevertheless, the implication is clear: we may all be taught by God. We all have the capacity for this communion even with the Father Himself. The Father reaches and works within us to teach us, perhaps in the "secret place."

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life." Jesus has explained in yesterday's reading that He will not lose anyone who has been given to Him by the Father. He wishes to keep us with Him - even unto an eternal life in this embrace and this love. It is all about relationship, a relationship and bond of love.

"I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." Jesus Himself is the bread of life. Those who ate the miraculous manna in the wilderness with Moses do not still live; Christ is life itself. He is the bread that has come from heaven. My study bible notes here (and on the verses which will follow in this Monday's reading): "The eucharistic significance of this passage is indisputable. Jesus' declaration that He is Himself the living bread which brings us life is intended to reveal the eucharistic feast. His offering is not for His people only but for the life of the world."

Jesus' flesh that He will give is not only the Eucharist in which we partake, but also his death on the Cross. How much do we have to remember the drawing power of that Cross - the flesh that he gives for the life of the world? What does it mean to give something for the life of the world? It is not just so that we may live with Him in eternity, but also so that the Cross figures as something which is always upheld. Earlier in John's Gospel, Jesus has alluded to the Cross as something similar to Moses' lifting of the serpent in the wilderness. This was when He was speaking to Nicodemus about being "born again" through baptism. This "life of the world" is so important, and the note in my study bible is important. Jesus is not here for one people or another, but for the whole world and the life that is in the world. He will transform the way we see ourselves in the world, He will add an unmistakable reality - and spiritual anointing - to the whole world, for the life of the whole world. He will change the substance of life even in the world. Jesus as a figure is an inspiration to all peoples, even those who are not nominally Christian. He has given Himself to everyone, for everyone. All are free to join this feast, this banquet. That is a permanent promise. He has transformed the way we see ourselves, the way we see evil in the world. And he has changed the way we understand the power of Love.