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 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 disputes with the religious leaders (see John 5), 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 given to us in John's Gospel.  We recall that chapter 6 of this Gospel reads as a parallel to the story of the Exodus.  In the Exodus, Moses led the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the midst of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here, Jesus has sent the disciples over the sea, and Himself walks on the sea as if it were dry land.  We note how, as with Israel in the Exodus, Christ allows the disciples to be alone in the storm on the sea.  It is a type of pattern in which faith is tested and strengthened.  My study Bible comments that Christ strengthens their faith that He will always be with them in the storms of life.  It is I is literally translated "I Am" (ego eimi/εγω ειμι), the divine Name of God which so enrages the religious leaders when Christ uses it in chapter 8 (see Saturday's reading). 

 

 On the following day, when the people 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."  Let us note that these people who so assiduously seek Jesus were the same ones who had been fed in the wilderness with Him (see yesterday's reading, above).  They are the same people who had wanted to forcefully make Him king, and whom He avoided by going to the mountain alone (also in yesterday's reading).  Jesus knows and understands their motivation, but turns that into an opportunity for teaching.  As so often happens in John's Gospel, His teaching turns us from an "earthly" understanding of earthly things, to the spiritual understanding illustrated by them.  Here Christ turns their thoughts, and ours, to the food which endures to everlasting life.  Just as "giving thanks" and distributing the bread in yesterday's reading gave us an image of the Eucharist, this understanding is given more clearly in Christ's final teaching here.

Jesus takes note of all the effort that these people have put into following Him.  They're the ones He fed in yesterday's reading (above), and they've followed Him on foot by anticipating where He would go after watching the disciples sail away without Him, and discovering He's not in this area after all.  They've gone to Capernaum in search of Him.  After all of their "work" Jesus continues to teach these people -- whom Matthew and Mark write were like sheep without a shepherd -- what exactly they should be "working" for.  They have made all this effort, followed Him all this way, "not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled."  After He fed them with the multiplication of loaves and fishes, they wanted to take Him and make Him king by force, but Jesus eluded them.  But now is another opportunity for teaching, and as the Good Shepherd, He says to 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."  This is another order of magnitude of meaning beyond anything they have even considered.  Even the miraculous signs aren't what got them this far, but the desire for a king who can feed them at will, and provide everything for their physical needs.  He shifts their attention not only to the signs He's done (rather than the fact that their appetites were so filled), but beyond them.  What is the real substance of the food He offers?  It is the food which endures to everlasting life, the stuff that makes for salvation, for a substance beyond what the world the can give.  And this is what comes uniquely from the Son of Man, and only because God the Father has set His seal on Him.  Here they are presented with several orders of meaning:  the authority and blessing that comes only from God the Father (God's seal), that Christ is the Son of Man whose has come into the world to offer this food to us, and that the kind of food He wants them to work (labor) for is the food which endures to everlasting life.  What Jesus offers them, in addition to these valuable things, is a teaching that turns all of their thinking around -- and He will go further in our subsequent readings also.  So, we learn all kinds of things from today's reading, and Christ's teaching.  First, it is important to work.  God does not just want us to sit back and receive everything without working for it.  The disciples go through a test, one in which they are extremely challenged and threatened with a storm on the sea that even has seasoned fishermen (whose territory is this sea) afraid.  And yet, He is with them.  This period of fear and perceived risk is as important to their discipleship as to the period when Israel fled Phaaroah and came to the Red Sea.  The people chase after Christ, because of the physical food He was able to give them in the wilderness.  But they, too, must learn to work for something, and for the proper thing.  The good God is not just about making us into beings who simply wait to be cared for, but God's children, formed and shaped in the image and likeness of God with which we've been endowed.  We, also, must learn to labor, and what to labor for.  We need to learn the values we can serve with full hearts and ready souls.  We need to understand that it is God the Father who sets that true seal upon what is truly good for us, upon the One whom God has sent to us.  This is the place of real value, of true teaching, and the true Shepherd, because it is the One upon whom God has set His seal.  And finally, the kind of food Christ has been sent to offer us is the food that endures to everlasting life.  They're not merely to labor for the food they can put on the table as the ultimate goal in life, but something of a substance much greater, which can give fuel for an eternal life, and the value of which  is far beyond anything this world can offer, more rare than what most seek.  Let us consider all these ways in which Jesus teaches us what is good, what God wants for us, what we are to seek, and for what we are to labor -- because the One who loves us and calls us back to an eternal life has willed it, has sent Him, and He will sacrifice His life just so the sheep can receive what He is here to give.

 

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.  And 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.  Here is the fifth sign of seven given to us in the Gospel of John.  My  study bible has illumined the parallels between the story of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt and this sixth chapter of John.  For these verses, it reminds us that in the Exodus, Moses led the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the middle of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here, Christ sends His disciples across the sea, 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 see the efforts of the people who wish to make Jesus king by force (see yesterday's reading above).  They search Him out in Capernaum.  Jesus affirms that they seek Him out because He gave them food to eat in the wilderness (again, in yesterday's reading).  But as He does frequently in John's Gospel, Jesus teaches and reveals what is His to give, by turning their thoughts from earthly food which perishes, toward 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."

 

 What does Jesus have to give?  In yesterday's reading, we read of the feeding of the five thousand men (and more women and children) from five barley loaves and two fish.   As a result, these men wanted to take Jesus and make Him king by force.  Today we see how He's evaded them, He remained alone on the mountain as He sent His disciples back across the Sea of Galilee, and came to them walking on the sea.  John sets this in a parallel to events of the Exodus or liberation of Israel from Egypt, as they began their trek to the Promised Land.  But in the other Gospels where we read this story, Jesus' words to the disciples are the same:  "It is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14:27, Mark 6:50).  It's also always a story where the disciples are in the middle of the sea, straining against rowing in a huge and threatening storm, and in the middle of the night; Matthew and Mark set it at about three o'clock in the morning ("about the fourth watch").  Jesus' statement, It is I, is, in the Greek, the Septuagint version of the Name of God given to Moses, I AM (Ἐγώ εἰμι/ego eimi).  And it is always connected to "do not be afraid."  In Matthew and Mark, it also follows the feeding of the five thousand.  But here in John, it's uniquely connected to these events of the people seeking to make Him king by force, and Jesus' evasion of this multitude.  In what is the characteristic style of John, Jesus will take these basic understandings beginning with the feeding of the five thousand, and expand on what it means to be truly fed, and the powerful reality of the food which He is offering to all.  He will expand understanding from the worldly to something multi-dimensional, if you will, something much greater than what these men expect.  The whole point of the Incarnation is to understand this intersection of the world and the divine, that both must dwell here with us, and that in fact the divine comes into the world in order to heal and create a synergy within which we can dwell and seek to live our lives.  Jesus comes to illuminate the normal, every day things of our lives, including even basics like the food that we eat.  The Eucharist will give us the fullness of such possibilities, just as Christ lives as both human and divine.  Let's think about the crowds who chase Jesus in order to make Him king because they were fed by Him.  He has walked on water in the middle of the night to get where He is, where they find Him, in Capernaum.  The disciples know and understand this; He has revealed Himself with the divine name.  What about these men who chase Jesus and track Him down here?  What do they want? What do they seek?  Will they understand Him and come to terms with what it is He really wants to offer?  How does your life go from concerns of the worldly to an understanding of where it is that God wants you in life, and what it is that God offers you today?  How does your prayer illuminate the options you have, the relations you have, the things you want and think you need?

 

 

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 the 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

 In yesterday's reading, the lectionary took us back to chapter 6.  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 sign of seven in John's Gospel.  (The first sign was the changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana (2:1-11); the second was curing the nobleman's son (4:46-54); the third was the healing of the paralytic near the Sheep Gate at the temple in Jerusalem (5:1-15); and the fourth, feeding the five thousand, in yesterday's reading, above.)  In John's Gospel, these are called "signs" to emphasize that they point beyond themselves to the truth that the Kingdom of God has come among us, and specifically in the Person of Jesus.  The whole of chapter 6 parallels the story of Exodus and the Passover, which we read discussed in the commentary on yesterday's reading.  The events in these particular verses here parallel Moses leading the people across the Red Sea, and walking on dry ground in the midst of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here it is Jesus sends His disciples across the sea and then walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.  Of course, it the Lord working in the miracles of the Exodus, and the Lord who walks to the disciples on the sea.  "It is I; do not be afraid" are the words of the Lord to comfort and guide us.  They are the words of God with us (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 7:14).

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 the 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."  Te people follow Christ as they still wish to make Him king over them, but as Jesus said, it is because they ate of the loaves and were filled.   It was for this reason (that Christ understood they wished to make Him king) that He withdrew to the mountain to pray, in yesterday's reading, above.  But at this stage, it becomes an opportunity for teaching.  His miraculous feeding of the five thousand in the wilderness becomes an image to use (and an important one for the Eucharist which the miracle prefigures), to teach about true substance in the food which endures to everlasting life.

Jesus contrasts the food which perishes with the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give . . . because God the Father has set His seal on Him.  In this period of Lent, with its traditional practice of fasting or abstinence, we may be tempted to fall into what is a type of heresy.  That is, into thinking of material things as "bad" by contrast to the spiritual things which are "good."  But the Church itself and our entire body of understanding of Christ goes much further and deeper than this simplistic assertion of good versus bad.  In Christ, as He will state about Himself, we have the very bread which endures to everlasting life.  Later on in chapter 6, in verse 51, Jesus will reveal, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven."  All things will tie together in the Eucharist, of which the feeding of the five thousand is a prefiguration (see yesterday's reading and commentary).  Moreover, this passage reminds us that when we pray the Lord's Prayer (see Matthew 6:5-15), there is a particular word that greatly challenges us as to the significance of this bread of which Christ speaks.  It is usually translated as "daily" -- as in the plea to God our Father, "Give us this day our daily bread."  But it is a very special and particular Greek word.  So special and particular is it that this word appears in no other literature that has been found and no other source.  The word in the original Greek is επιουσιον/epiousion, and it only appears in Matthew 6:11 and Luke 11:3.  Its literal meaning is super-essential.  That is, a kind of bread which has essence or substance atop or upon it.  It is translated as "daily" to indicate that it is the bread of the coming day, what is following (another word which is similar, επιουσα/epiousa, means "the following day").  But this "day" which the bread is for us not a day like any other; this special word indicates that what we are to pray for is the bread of the coming day of the Lord.  That is, the bread which not only consists of the food which perishes, but also the food which endures to everlasting life.  In essence, this is a picture of the Eucharist -- which is in turn a picture of Christ Himself, Immanual, God who is with us.  Moreover, it can be seen even as a portait, an image, or better yet, an icon of what our lives in this world can become; Christ's words teach us what it means to abide with Him (15:5-6).  That is, the daily bread for which we pray is that of the bread which endures to everlasting life.  Our wholeness consists of our daily lives prayerfully lived, with Him.  This is an image of what our lives in the world are for, a true spiritual and Christian understanding of daily life -- one in which we seek in the midst of everything to remember we carry our own crosses with Him as He did, and that we seek a daily repentance in which His substance is at work in us.  It is as wholistic and integrated concept of life as one can find.  Far from separating out the "good" spiritual and the "bad" earthly, our faith is meant to transfigure out lives and to render us whole, in communion with God through all things of our daily lives:  every pain, every challenge, even down to the fine and seemingly unremarkable seconds of our lives.  We seek to remember God in all things; even our suffering at the hands of the "worldly" or what may be truly "evil" is meant to be transfigured through our faith, just as the Cross was transfigured from death to that which defeats death and gives everlasting life.  This is, in fact, meant to be what our Lenten journey to the Cross is all about, to Resurrection.  You don't get one without the other, and we don't leave out of our faith any part or piece of our lives.  This may seem strange, and difficult, and too mysterious to even try to understand -- and on some levels that will almost certain remain true!  But that is just because our faith connects up the worst moments of our history (even the Crucifixion) with God, and God asks us to invite God in to help us work through even our worst and ugliest times, the things we don't want to share or let anyone see -- even to the things we don't want to look at ourselves.  It is all of these wounds He invites us to bring to the Cross, to Him, our wounded Savior who endured death for us.  Let us consider the bread which endures to everlasting life -- and the times of our own lives we can bring to Him today for the sustenance He offers 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 sign, 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 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 in John's Gospel.  In yesterday's reading, we discussed the parallels in this chapter of John with the Exodus story of Moses.  Here there's a parallel between this sign of Jesus walking on the water and Israel's crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:15-31).  Jesus sends His disciples across the sea, and then walks on it as if it were dry land. 

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 sign, 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 the people still intent on making Jesus their King.  They are so desirous of this that they get into boats and come to Capernaum, still seeking Him.   Jesus will not be made King simply because they desire someone who will give them the "goods" they want, and God's blessings are not merely about material life.  But He will still teach them, and it's from compassion that 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."  The question is whether or not they will consider that of value to them; if they have the capacity to see what it is He's really offering. 

Earlier in John's Gospel, Jesus has complained, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you people will by no means believe."  Here, the complaint is on a seemingly new level.  He tells the people, "You seek Me, not because you saw the sign, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled."  Everything that happens is a way to lead into teaching.  Here, their seeking after the food He gave them becomes an occasion to teach not only about the Son, but about the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man (Christ) can give to them.  Everything becomes about mission, what He's doing in the world.  Everything comes down to teaching and leading the people to God and to the mission of the Son of Man, Christ.  And we observe once again, that everything comes down to the Cross, which uplifts to everlasting life.  We may well wonder what, in the end, happens with these people.  Do they all come to faith?  Do they have any idea what He is talking about?  Will they understand Him later?  One wonders, indeed, if all of these questions occur as well to Christ.  But nevertheless, the point is that He is always all about His mission.  He is here to give us something.  All the signs in the Gospel point to this one thing, this divine origin, this divine purpose, this earthly mission to uplift all with Him.  The people put tremendous energy into seeking Him and making Him King.  What of the labor we can put into the food which endures to everlasting life?  Do we put work into that?  Does it seem worthwhile?  What does it require of us?  In tomorrow's reading, Jesus will answer the question of just what kind of work He's talking about.  But we can stop to think about this question that Jesus is asking by teaching them not to labor for the food which perishes.  What are we willing to work for?  What do we hope to gain through our faith?  What's the main goal?  What do we put first?  What is real wholeness and health -- and how are we nurtured?  It's a question even of how we organize our lives and identity, and what we're willing to give up for this search, what priorities and goals we put first.  Something to think about, indeed.

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 skipped back to chapter 6 of John's gospel.  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 sign given to us in John's gospel.   It's nearly the time of the Passover, as recorded in yesterday's reading (see above), and we're given more allusions to the time of the Exodus, of Israel leaving Egypt.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus fed the multitudes bread in the wilderness, and today He sends His disciples crossing over the sea, just as the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.  Moses walked on dry ground in the midst of the water; Jesus walks upon the water 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."   Jesus turns thoughts, once again as is common in John's gospel, from everyday things to the things of God.  Everything works as metaphor, and in this sense, everything is a kind of sign.  It's not so much the bread He fed them that is significant, and for which they seek to make Him king.  What He wants them to understand is the great gift of the heavenly bread He offers, for which the "worldly" bread was a sign.

Jesus repeatedly gives us signs of divinity, signs of the presence of God.  They are signs that only God could make:  walking on water and defying the laws of physics, appearing before the disciples although they left Him on the mountain (defying time and space), the breaking and multiplying of the bread, and the other signs reported so far in John's gospel.  But, the great thing is that these signs are to be read a particular way.  He's just fed thousands of people in the wilderness from five loaves and a few fishes.  But he doesn't want these people to be impressed by that in such a way that they want to call Him king.  This is what He resists, and resists very strongly.  So the text tells us.  Instead, He tells them that they've got it all wrong.  They received that bread and were fed in the wilderness not for the bread itself, but for the thing that the bread is a sign of.  It's that that He wants them to desire.  It's that heavenly bread, heavenly food that is the point.  That's what He wants them to work for.  No matter how spectacular the sign, it's not the sign that's the thing.  It's where the sign is pointing, -- and over and over again, Jesus tells us to look up from whatever material viewpoint we're using and take a good look at what the sign is pointing to.  That's His point.  That's what He wants us to get excited about.  That's what He wants us to work for, to chase after, to thirst and hunger for.  And this is what John's gospel will do for us over and over and over again.  From the surface meaning of the words Jesus uses, He will always point us to a deeper or higher meaning, something beyond the surface of what we see or hear or experience.  The signs work the same way.  These people in today's reading have followed Jesus everywhere, even across the sea, in order to demand to make Him king over them, because He fed them in the wilderness.  But it's not that bread He cares about.  It's the food of eternal life that makes the difference, that He wants them to labor for.  It doesn't matter how great the sign, there is always something more important He's pointing us toward, something more spectacular, and better news, that the gospel message is really all about.  A man walks on water?  Then you have to think about who that Man might be.  Moses crossed the Red Sea, but here is Someone clearly greater than Moses.  Even so, Moses and Jesus have this in common:  it's not the signs done through either one or by either one that are important.  What was important to Moses and what is important to Christ is faith.  Moses may have "pointed" to Christ when he prophesied about the "Prophet" who was to come, and Christ is both God and man, but the great good news is really the grace of God, and the food of heaven that He's here to give and to present to us.  The really good news is in those words to the disciples:  "It is I; do not be afraid."  That's because He's always with us. His grace is with us.  His food -- the food of heaven -- is always on offer to us.   And it's these things that all the signs point to.  It's this reality of grace that is present to us that the signs are meant to speak to us about.  And if we miss that, we miss the entire point.  There's a famous quotation from President John Kennedy, made during his inaugural speech, that many people like to repeat:  "Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country."  This was a compelling statement, asking people to think about the community of the country.  But the gospel message stands that on its head.  Jesus is here as the Son Incarnate, and He appears with a different saying.  His message, His signs, say to us:  "God doesn't ask what you can do for God -- God is here to show you what God can do for you."   God doesn't just give food for the day, but food that endures to everlasting life.  We have grace on offer.  Salvation.  Mercy and love are here in the signs, and even in the direct question posed to the paralytic He healed, for which Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath, "Do you want to be made well?"   This mercy, this love, that makes whole, that heals, that feeds us, that gives eternal life, and life in abundance, those are what the signs point to.  That's where He wants us to look.  That's what He wants us to value, and to work for.  Can we see?  And do we have ears to hear?

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life

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

In yesterday's reading, we read of the feeding of five thousand people. Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee, and was up on the mountaintop, where the people had followed Him, because of all the miracles of healing that had taken place earlier in His ministry. There were only five barley loaves and two small fish as food to eat. In a clear preview of the Eucharist, Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down. The people wanted to make Him a king, but He refused, and 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. Immediately after the feeding of the five thousand, we read of this episode of Jesus walking on the water. In other readings, the fear of the disciples is quite palpable here. My study bible notes that this is the fifth of the miracles or signs reported by John in his Gospel, and it is a re-enactment, or fulfillment of a type, of ancient Israel's passage through the Red Sea. Chapter 6, which we began yesterday, is a great passage on the fulfillment of Old Testament types - a great lesson on the nature of Christ and the identity of the person Jesus. While ancient Israel was led to liberty through faith, Jesus, as God of all, walks on the water to rescue His disciples and lead them to safety, out of their fear. In some sense, we must see His whole ministry as that of healing -- healing our fears and vulnerability in ways that only faith in a loving God can do. We must always remember this loving ministry as central to the reality of our faith: the Bread of Life comes to us incarnate, through all things for us, even unto death on the Cross.

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. Clearly, the people seek Him out. They have witnessed miraculous healings and experienced for themselves the feeding on the mountaintop, a fulfillment or reenactment of the feeding of the ancient Israelites in the desert. But it is important to remember why we seek Him out. We know He is here for us in our distress, and to liberate us in the spiritual and other senses. But why do we seek Him? He has already refused them when they sought to take Him by force and make Him king.

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." What does Jesus offer to us? What kind of people must we be to accept that offer, and to want what it is He offers to us. Here, He takes the people from one level to another: the bread with which they were fed is the obvious thing, but He wants something else. He desires in His followers that they want the true value He has to offer, and it is the Bread of Life - everlasting life - that He wishes for them to seek and value.

My study bible says, "He does not chide them for seeking and working, but for pursuing temporary satisfaction rather than eternal fulfillment." What is it to seek that which Christ truly has to offer, "the food which endures to everlasting life"? What does this mean for us? Christ offers us liberation in an extraordinary sense; that is, a liberation from sin. The food He seeks to give us feeds us on levels that explore our depths in every sense, and touch on every sense of life, even unto life everlasting. How many ways does this food nurture you, and feed you with life? It is inexhaustible, but it is something we need to desire with our hearts, and it comes from the depth of our relationship to Him. How have you been filled with this bread, and how have you come to know its nurturing in your life? When you fear, do you hear the words He said, too? "It is I; do not be afraid." Our Lord has manifest His life to us, in order to bring us His bread, His spiritual food. Let us understand all the ways in which we can be filled, and give thanks.