Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him

 

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. 

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks --- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

- John 6:16-27 

 

Yesterday the lectionary took us to chapter 6 of John's Gospel, with its focus on the fulfillment of the events of the Exodus and the first Passover.  We read that Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

 

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  This is the fifth of seven signs recorded in John's Gospel.  As noted in yesterday's reading and commentary, this entire chapter of John's Gospel is one that has parallels to the story of Exodus, suggesting Christ as fulfillment of the first Passover and those Old Testament events.  My study Bible comments that, in the Exodus, Moses leads the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the midst of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here Christ sends His disciples across the sea, and then walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.   

 

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks --- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."   Once again, these are the same people who sought to take Jesus by force and make Him king against His will in yesterday's reading (above), because they "ate of the loaves and were filled."  Here the emphasis shifts again to spiritual nurturing, what kind of food Christ has to offer, and takes on the hints of eucharistic significance.  

 

 Jesus says, "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  The theme of food and of feeding will make its mark throughout this chapter of John's Gospel, just as it began with the feeding of the five thousand in the wilderness (see yesterday's reading, above).  Here, Jesus makes it clear that these men seek to make Him king by force not even because of the marvelous signs He's done (signs of God's extraordinary presence among them), but simply because they were were fed ("because you ate of the loaves and were filled").  These are the not the reasons to seek Christ.  In fact, when Jesus tells them, "Do not labor for the food which perishes," this is a command, a direct command from God, a prohibition.  He then goes on to issue a positive command, to labor "for the food which endures to everlasting life."  He's teaching them what is worth making an effort for, what is worth laboring, working for.  And we should take heed that we do the same.  For Jesus has also taught us, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).  This is what we work for, because this sets us right in the world and with the rest of the world and all the things we need for life.  But then Jesus goes on to teach us something about this food which endures to everlasting life, for it has particular qualities and comes from a particular place for a reason.  Not just anybody can provide us with this food, but only Christ can:  ". . . which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."   He is the Son of Man, a mysterious title known from the prophecy of Daniel (see Daniel 7:13), and which Jesus is teaching is Himself, Incarnate.  But there is more; that is, "because God the Father has set His seal on Him."   We modern English speakers think of a seal as that which closes up something, but that definition misses the mark here (metaphorically and literally!).  Because this seal is literally a mark, a signet, the symbol of a person's identity.  It comes from the mark a signet ring or symbol would press into sealing wax, conferring the authority of the person to whom the seal belonged or represented.  This seal from God the Father is the mark of the Father upon the Son, meaning that all the Father's authority is set upon Christ, upon the Son of Man.  Whatever this Son of Man, this Logos, the Word about whom John's Gospel is written to teach us, commands or teaches is therefore a command from God, just as a letter or communication from a king or president confers all the authority of that office upon its contents.  Therefore whatever nurturing substance Christ gives us, whatever is the food which endures to everlasting life, it does so because God the Father has set His seal upon the Son of Man.  His gift is therefore that which conveys life and death, the absolute authority of God the Father, and there is no other person or being who can do this for us.  Christ, the Son of Man, is the One who can give this to us. 

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him

 

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

- John 6:16-27 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  Then a  great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then these men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

 

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  In yesterday's reading (see above) we were told that it is the time of the Passover.  We have noted that John's chapter 6 contains parallels to the story of the Passover and Exodus of Israel from Egypt (Exodus 11 - 17).  This miracle of Christ walking on the sea is the fifth sign of seven recorded in John's Gospel.  In the Exodus, Moses leads the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the midst of the water, my study Bible reminds us (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here Christ sends His disciples across the sea and then walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.  

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  The people who got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus, are the same people who wanted to take Him by force and make Him king in yesterday's reading (above).  Jesus had left them when He understood this, and gone to the mountain alone, presumably to pray.  

 

In today's reading, Jesus notes the people's motive in following after Him, and seeking to make Him king:  "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled."  This offers also a kind of explanation as to why being taken and made king by force is unsuitable to His mission:  they simply seek Him because they ate of the loaves and were filled.  Jesus wants people to seek Him not for some sort of material gratification, or because He promises us an easy life without work, but because the signs He performs are signals of the presence of the kingdom of God.  He wants those who will seek Him because they seek this Kingdom, and the life of the Kingdom it offers to us.  He says to the people who seek Him, "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  Once again, as we have noted in the past several readings, Jesus makes the connection between food and labor.  In His encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus told His disciples, after they encouraged Him to eat, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (see this reading).  In this sense, Jesus' statement asks us to think for ourselves about what work would "feed" us, feed our souls and spirits, giving us a sense of sustenance and satisfaction.  Here Jesus directly tells the people (and therefore us) what we should "labor" for, what food will truly sustain us and feed us, which endures to everlasting life which only Christ can give us, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.  Everything is related, and begins with Christ's relationship with the Father -- the Father who gives Christ the works to finish that He does to begin with.  We can see how the feeding of the five thousand men (and more women and children) "feeds" into a Eucharistic sense of communion, of how all is connected through Father and Son (and Spirit) and through us.  This food that feeds us is given by Father through Son and in the Spirit, but it also includes the works in which we may join in this Kingdom, the food of the Eucharist, and the communion that is inseparable from the everlasting life of which Jesus speaks.  Here in today's reading, Jesus is not simply giving us a direct appeal, but rather a direct command:  "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."   This does not mean we're never supposed to think about putting food on the table or how our families will survive.  What it does tell us about is what comes first.  We first think about the kingdom of God, we first place ourselves in relation to that which supersedes the other in power and in lasting impact:  the food which endures to everlasting life.  And we place all things under that priority, including our orientation to what we work for:  what it is we are willing to put all our efforts and energy into.  Jesus asks us to consider what is more consequential and what will pay us a true lasting dividend that won't perish.  It's akin to His command to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (see Matthew 6:32-34).  It stands to reason that if Jesus had not understood perfectly well that people need food for physical sustenance, He would not have given us this fourth sign of John's Gospel, the feeding of the five thousand.  If He didn't understand our human need for physical security, we would not be given this fifth sign in John's Gospel, Jesus walking on the water to His disciples in the middle of a stormy sea, and telling them (and us), "It is I; do not be afraid."   But His concern is what we put as top priority  -- what we put first, that we understand what that priority must be, how its surpassing value makes it worthy of our efforts, beyond that of the food which perishes.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him

 

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

- John 6:16-27 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

 

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  This is the fifth sign of seven recorded in John's Gospel.  My study Bible reminds us that, in Greek, It is I is literally translated "I Am," which is the divine Name of God (Exodus 3:14).  We remember that the text has told us that it is the time of Passover, and that John's chapter 6 parallels the story of Passover and the Exodus in many ways.   My study Bible notes that in the Exodus, Moses leads the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the midst of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here,  Christ sends His disciples across the sea and then walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.  

 

 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  We recall that these were the same people who so desired an earthly Messiah that they declared Jesus to be the expected Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-19), after Christ's miraculous feeding in which they were filled with earthly things; when Jesus understood they wanted to make Him king by force, He left for the mountain alone.  Here He begins to urge them regarding His true purpose and origin, of which the miraculous feeding was but a sign, and directs them to the greater things He offers.

Jesus says, "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  He sees how strenuously they seek Him, looking for Jesus, having come across the sea to Capernaum (the "headquarters" of His ministry, where Peter has a family home).  They don't know that He has walked on the water, and wonder when He came there.  But Jesus directs their attention not to His fifth miraculous sign in John's Gospel, and away from their motivation at having been fed with food which perishes.  Instead He directs them to His greatest gift, which is the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give them, "because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  Clearly, in the miraculous feeding of this multitude, Christ (and therefore God) has acknowledged that human beings need earthly nourishment for our well-being.   But He reminds them that there is a more important reason to seek Him, and that is for the food which feeds an everlasting life, which does not perish, and this must be their primary goal.  It does not mean we cease living our earthly lives or that our very human lives don't matter.  But Christ uses once again this mysterious term for Himself, the Son of Man, which seems to indicate the Incarnation itself:  God who has become human and lived among us.  It implies that this is His very mission, to give the food which endures to everlasting life, and that the most important thing is that we realize that God the Father has set His seal on Him.  Just as the incarnate Son of Man is both human and the divine Son of God, so our lives must follow a purpose and goodness set in heaven which permeates and guides our worldly lives.  Jesus sets down a priority here, and not a separation.  We are, in fact, meant to prioritize this higher good as an overall goal of our earthly lives, and merge the two as does His Incarnation.  In yesterday's commentary, we pondered what it meant to feed ourselves, how we can pick and choose in a discerning way what we choose to consume, to take into our lives and, effectively, make a part of ourselves.  Here, Jesus reinforces the point that there are things we can pursue which nurture that greater potential within us for everlasting life, for life in abundance which can permeate even our earthly life in the here and now.   It seems that if we set our sights on this overarching goal or pattern, it sets the tone for our lives -- and the things we do, and the things we "take in" or consume in our worldly lives then become aimed under that goal, and supportive of that life in abundance which Christ promises, and advises us to seek.  It becomes a question of setting a pattern of goals and priorities, and then our worldly life may be guided to support a blessed life in the here and the now.  Everlasting seems to describe a quality which applies not only to life beyond the worldly, but also intermingled with the here and the now, our earthly life, just as the Incarnate Jesus Christ is both human and divine, indistinguishably and inseparably so.  It is a quality of life that is enduring and eternal, and includes today but is not limited or perishing.  And it is the food of this life that we are asked to seek, and of which we are invited to partake by Christ.  In Greek, the word translated as "eternal" or "everlasting" is αἰώνιος/aionios, meaning of an age.  Strong's Concordance describes it as "partaking of the character of that which lasts for an age, as contrasted with that which is brief and fleeting."  Christ has come to establish a Kingdom, and He invites us to participate in that Kingdom, even as we live in this world -- and it is the bread of the Kingdom which He teaches us to pursue, and that Kingdom begins today.  He has taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," meaning the today's bread for the eternal day of the Kingdom, which is here with us.

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come with them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing ear the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 

- John 6:16-27

Yesterday we read that after events of the first Passover at Jerusalem during His ministry, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come with them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing ear the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  This is the fifth sign that is given in John's Gospel.  As noted in yesterday's reading, this sixth chapter of John parallels the story of Passover and Exodus of Israel from Egypt in different ways.  This particular event parallels Moses leading the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the middle of the waters (Exodus 14:15-31).  In John's Gospel account, Christ first sends His disciples across the sea, and then He Himself walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.  In the Exodus account, those following Moses complain that they were brought out of Egypt simply to die.  But Moses cries to God for help, after which he is told to tell the Israelites to go forward, and instructed what to do so the waters part.  Here the disciples are sent alone, and Christ Himself comes to them on the water.  Interestingly, the people have just tried to make Jesus their king, calling Him the Prophet (foretold by Moses).  But the differences in the scenaria also tell us of the differences between Moses (and the Prophet foretold by Moses), and Christ.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."    Once again, my study bible expresses the understanding that this chapter of John gives us parallels to the Exodus.  Then, God fed the people manna (Exodus 16:1-17:7).  Here, Christ speaks of the food which endures to everlasting life, which He as Son of Man will give, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.

We see the people's desire at conflict with what Christ wishes to give them.  He is the One who has fed the 5,000 men (and more women and children) in the wilderness, for which they have pursued Him to take Him by force and make Him king.  Subsequently He fled from the very crowd He fed, and now they have followed Him by anticipating His arrival across the Sea of Galilee.  It's almost a hilarious picture, if you think about it in a certain way.  But in the meantime, He sent His disciples across the sea by night (the Sea of Galilee is actually a very large lake), and walked to meet them in about the middle of the lake and in the midst of a storm.  Therefore, at that point in this chapter, our understanding of Christ has expanded not only to include mysteriously multiplying and distributing a supply of food (with Eucharistic overtones), but for the disciples, manifestly displaying a command over the physical elements of the world and even of gravity.  We are to understand these are indeed signs that "a greater than Jonah is here" (Matthew 12:41), and this "feeds" our perception of what He tries to teach the people who pursue Him to make Him king.  In that framework of revelation through the signs John gives us, Jesus begins to speak to the multitudes about what kind of food He wants to offer them.  He tells them first that the only reason they pursue Him is because they are filled with the loaves with which He fed them in the wilderness.  But then He tells them, "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." Here Jesus ties in themes of work (labor), His identity not merely as Son but as Son of Man, and the Father who has set His seal on Him,  with a food which endures to eternal life.  We are to understand Him as one made Incarnate, come into the world and so fulfilling this title Son of Man -- which He has earlier indicated is linked to the power of judgment, and here links to the Father setting a seal on Him.  He is uniquely qualified to offer the kind of food for which He proposes that they labor.  They seek Him to make Him king so that they will be fed with earthly food.  But here, in a sense, Jesus confronts them and offers them what we might call a much better deal, a far rarer and precious item that no one else could give them, and which He alone is uniquely qualified to offer.  In a sense, this ties in His admonitions in Luke about excess worry and toil and anxiety (Luke 12:22-34) by comparing earthly food to the special kind of food which He alone can offer to them.  He's telling them that it's really far preferable to labor for that special thing He offers, as Son of Man upon whom God the Father has set His seal, than the thing they're working so hard chasing Him down to get a hold of.  And that is where we need to start to approach today's Gospel, because He's talking about what precious thing is worthy of our time and effort, and comparing it to that which we are willing to go to the ends of the earth to seek.  In a sense, He's telling us that if we think if the purely earthly is so much more worthy of our time and labor, then we are selling ourselves short.  So in light of these things, let us consider what we put our best efforts and our time into in life.  Do we really take His offer as seriously as the rare and precious gift Jesus describes would warrant?  Do we take Him at His word, and think about what it means that He is not simply Son, but rather the Son who has come into the world and lived a human life, experienced the Passion and death and Resurrection, so that the Father has set a seal on Him?  Let us consider such treasure and weigh its value in terms of our own work and what it is we choose to labor for.  Think about the world that offers us promises and bills of goods, and then think about this Son of Man, the One so unique that the Father has set His seal upon Him.  From whom would you rather buy?  Who would you rather trust?  What might He offer that the world with all its venues and points of sale could not?  What better offer can you get?

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

- John 6:16-27

Yesterday we read that after all things that happened at the Feast of Weeks (or the Old Testament Pentecost, fifty days after Passover),  Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberius.  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with his disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  This is the fifth sign of the seven recorded by John.  Again we note the parallels to the story of the first Passover and Exodus of Israel in chapter 6 of John's Gospel.  Here we recall the story of Moses leading the people across the Red Sea.  They walked on dry ground in the midst of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  But here, Christ sends His disciples across the sea and then He walks on the sea as if it were dry ground. 

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."     Once again there is a parallel here to Exodus.  In the Exodus, God fed His people manna and gave them drink from a miraculous source of water (Exodus 16:1-17:7).  But here, Christ declares that He Himself is the true food and drink, the true bread that has come down from heaven.  Once again, as in yesterday's reading (see above), the people want to make Jesus their king, but this time Jesus tells them they desire a lesser thing that what it is that He offers to them.  My study bible comments that all the parallels to Exodus in this chapter show that Christ our God is the fulfillment of the old covenant, and that the breaking of His body and shedding of His blood, which free human beings from the slavery or sin, fulfill the sacrifice of the Passover lambs (1:29), which brought hte people out of slavery into the Promised Land.  Here the true Promised Land is the Kingdom of which Jesus speaks. 

Jesus tells the crowds (and hence, He's telling us), "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."   This opens up for us a really important question.  What do we "labor" for?  What do we work for?  What are our true goals in life?  Obviously, Jesus does not tell us that we should starve to death -- why would He have fed five thousand people in the wilderness if God doesn't know that we need food to live?  That is not the point here!  The point is what we consider a true goal as fullness of life, and the quality of the life that we need and want for ourselves.  A few readings back, we discussed the term "work" in Greek, and how it's related to "energy."  (Work is ἐργάζομαι/ergazomai, and energy is based on the same root; it's energeia/ἐνέργεια -- which is actually translated as "working" in the Bible.)  So what do we "work" for?  What do we put our energy and strength into?  What is the most important thing?  Jesus will teach, in the very next verses in tomorrow's reading, that to work the work of God is to have faith in Christ (6:28-29).  But we want to focus right on in to this word "work" and its ties to "energy" so that we see what our lives are about.  We have a certain level of energy, of strength to use in the world.  What must our efforts be geared to?  Are we setting ourselves up for a kind of "fallen" state if we leave out the work of God?  Aren't we missing the mark when we think that labor in our lives should be only about material things, and not a more full and complete life that includes the energies (grace) of God in it and amongst all those other things we need for the body?  Jesus is teaching us to set our sights higher for quality of life than simply the material stuff we think we need or want, as life subsists of so much more than the material.  We are not just the body -- we are soul and spirit.  And at heart, without that which quenches and satisfies spirit and soul, we lead very empty lives.  Our energies are depleted on what is only satisfying to a body without consciousness and animation -- without true life.  If we want to truly live, Jesus is saying, we need to work for more in life than simply the food that perishes.  We need a better goal, something that will pay us back immeasurably more than that.  And that means that everything in life needs to be couched within our faith in order to truly reward us with what makes life worthwhile, valuable, of quality, satisfying, and with joy contained in it for us.  We all have natural gifts and talents.  Do you have the experience of the difference between a work you take on because the work itself gives you joy, fulfills a part of your character or soul or spirit -- and work taken on just for the money?  There's a vast world of difference in the two.  But more than that, faith itself changes the very quality of our lives.  Faith can mean that we do something because it's right in front of us and needs doing -- but we do it in the context of the satisfaction of knowing that this is where God leads us.  We get an inner fulfillment that can't be easily explained or expressed, but which motivates us with energy, with the grace of the time.  We may even find, with faith, that we can take on responsibilities we never felt we'd want, and triumph in them with God's help and grace and truth.  Let us set for ourselves our highest and most fulfilling goals.  Let us find what satisfies body, soul, and spirit for a fullness of life without which life is inevitably "less" than what He offers to us.

 

It is I; do not be afraid

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 

- John 6:16-27

Yesterday we read that Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundered denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."    Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

  Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  Yesterday's reading gave us the fourth miraculous sign reported in John's Gospel, the feeding of five thousand men (and more women and children) in the wilderness.  This is the fifth sign, given here.  Both are part of a chapter which has parallels to the story of Exodus.  In yesterday's reading, there was a fulfillment of the passage in which the Jews ate unleavened bread, as they'd left Egypt without taking provisions (Exodus 12:39).  In today's reading there is a parallel of Israel's crossing of the Red Sea, when they walked on dry ground in the midst of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here Christ has sent His disciples across the sea, and then walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.  In the Greek, It is I is written ego eimi, or I AM, the name of God given to Moses (Exodus 3:14).   For the second time in John's Gospel, Jesus is declaring His identity in the text (see also John 4:26, in which He uses this same phrase in the Greek when speaking to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well).

 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."   We see how desperately the people follow Jesus, and conclude how strongly they feel they need Him.  But Jesus did not want to be taken by force to be made king (see yesterday's reading, above).  Here, Jesus tells them bluntly that they seek Him, "not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled."  He then tells them there is a kind of labor to do, but it's not the labor they are thinking of.  They are aiming for the wrong goal.  In our next reading, Jesus will answer their question when they ask how they may work the works of God.

In today's reading, we are given to understand how desperately the people search for Christ.   Elsewhere in the Gospels, we're told that Jesus is filled with compassion for the people who come to find Him, because they are weary and scattered, "like sheep having no shepherd" (Mark 6:34, Matthew 9:36).  This is the way that we find these people, who have made such a diligent effort to follow Jesus.  But Jesus takes the opportunity for teaching, to tell them the truth.  They labor and search for the wrong thing in this circumstance.  That is, there is something else more important to put first, and to seek in Him.  Everything points to an understanding of faith, and the kind of faith that Jesus wants from us.  There is a type of dependency encouraged here, but it's not one that ignores our intelligence and our capacity for labor.  Neither is it one that ignores our creativity; rather true faith and dependence upon God encourages us to use and to develop all the skills and talents with which we are endowed by God.  The type of faith Jesus wants us to place in Him is more about leadership for our lives; good direction, and an invitation into the life that He promises to us.  Jesus' words to His disciples, "It is I; do not be afraid," mean that He is always at hand for us.  Our faith is what teaches us exactly how this dependency works, and we go forward learning more about what that means, and deepening that relationship of faith, as they do.

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

- John 6:16-27

Yesterday we read that, after confrontation with the leadership at the Feast of Weeks (when Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath), Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  Walking on the sea is the fifth sign in the Gospel of John; that is, signs of the presence of the Kingdom of God in the world.  We have noted already how readings from this chapter parallel events from Exodus.  We remember here that Moses led his people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the midst of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  In today's reading, Jesus sends His disciples across the sea and then walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  In yesterday's reading, we read that the people wanted to make Jesus king by force, after He performed the fourth sign in John's Gospel, the feeding of five thousand in the wilderness.  In today's reading, we observe how tenaciously they seek Him.  But Jesus tells them, "You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled."  To grant them what they ask is a false teaching.  He's here to give them another king of food, the food which endures to everlasting life.  His miraculous sign becomes an occasion for teaching, for giving them that which surpasses and transcends the worldly bread with which they were fed -- for a food that endures to everlasting life.

We have to ponder this food which endures to everlasting life.  Of course, the feeding in the wilderness is linked to the Eucharist (yesterday's reading).  Jesus "gave thanks"  (the word Eucharist comes from the Greek word for giving thanks), gave it to His disciples, and they distributed it to the people.  But today, the teaching about the Eucharist continues.  The meanings multiply and give us something more.  And that something "more" becomes a whole new basis for thinking about what the Eucharist means when we take it in our own church.  When we pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread," it sounds as if we are praying for the bread that these people seek who want to make Jesus king.  It sounds as if we are praying for worldly sustenance, for the food of physical survival.  But in the Greek, there's something much more profound going on.  The word in the Greek that is translated as "daily" really means something like "supersubstantial."  This is a kind of bread with a super-essence contained in it, with a quality to it that is something far more than the daily bread we eat for worldly survival.  "Daily," in the true context of understanding, really means that we pray daily for the bread of the "eternal day of the Kingdom of God," as my study bible says.  It is this food which endures to everlasting life that is tied up with what Christ gives, what He is here to offer to people.  As we wrote in yesterday's commentary, to assume that making Him king is simply about being fed with worldly bread all the time is to cheapen who Jesus is.  He knows our needs for survival in the world, He knows our human dependencies and necessities.  But as human beings, we have need for something that surpasses what we eat and is gone at the end of a meal.  We have needs to fill the depth of our souls, to tinge time with meaning, to give us depths of love and care we couldn't know were possible, and to find hope when the world gives us despair.  This is the bread He is offering us.  Not only does He teach that this is what He has to give, but also that this is the bread for which we are to labor.  How does one labor for the food that endures to everlasting life?  This is something we will find in tomorrow's reading.  But as hard as these people are working to make Him the king, so this is what He teaches them they must do to find an eternal kind of food.  This is what comes first.  The power in that food which endures for a life everlasting is a  power that fills us beyond our capacity to understand, and keeps on working through time, through the sum total of existence and memory.  Let us count on it, and seek it for ourselves.