We continue to read the controversy Jesus created when he taught about the bread of life to the Jews who sought him after the feeding miracle. Jesus was trying to teach the Jews something totally beyond their understanding. But I were Jesus, I would not have any better teaching methods.
These Jews had very painful experiences before in their dealings with the prophets. There had been many false prophets who brought their nation disasters. Though Moses had taught them how to differentiate between true and false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:22), it was easier said than done. Too often, they listened to false prophets because their messages were more popular, more pleasing to the ears and more suitable for the agenda of the politicians. Consequently, they persecuted true prophets instead.
Now, standing in front of them was a prophet from Nazareth. Was this Jesus a false prophet or a true one? That was the reason why they demanded Jesus to work miracles to prove the authenticity of his messages.
So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform?
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" (John 6:30-31)
It should be noted that the miracles they were looking for must somehow be mentioned in the Scripture. Therefore, they accepted manna as a miracle because the Scripture had talked about it.
Indeed, we Chinese believers always "complain" about the lacklustre miracles of Jesus mentioned in the gospels. Compared with the miracles worked by the Monkey King, Jesus' miracles were negligible. However, with hindsight, we know that the miracles worked by Jesus were related to events happened in the Old Testament. Jesus worked those miracles only to remind the Jews that he was the Messiah announced in the Old Testament. Jesus was he.
In teaching the Jews about the bread of life, Jesus needed to clarify what he meant by life.
For the Jews and most of us, life would only mean the physical life we are living and nothing else. Ancient Chinese with Buddhist background would be more receptive to the idea of an afterlife. Jews and modern people do not buy this. Of course, this is a sweeping statement. There are always exceptions. It is enough to remember that Jesus had difficulty in knocking the idea of resurrection into the heads of his apostles.
Jesus came from heaven. Therefore, the life he was talking about did not refer to the physical mortal life here on earth. Jesus cared more about giving us his eternal life. He made it very clear at the early stage of his discourse.
Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal (John 6:27)
Yet, the minds of his audience were preoccupied with filling up their own bellies. Therefore, when Jesus told the Jews about life, the Jews were not hearing the same thing as Jesus spoke.
Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world."
They said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always." (John 6:32-34)
In answering the Jews' remark about manna, the bread from heaven, Jesus made clear that to be qualified as the true bread from heaven, it must be able to give life, eternal life. This was the message of Jesus. From the answer of the Jews, it was obvious that they had misunderstood Jesus. They marvelled at the miracle of feeding of 600,000 people for 40 years in the wilderness. They continued to focus on the physical side of manna. They were asking for something else.
Jesus spent the next few lines to bring them back to the idea of eternal life.
and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day.
For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day (John 39-40)
Jesus repeated several times that he was talking about eternal life and that affirmed it again with the promise of raising us up at the last day.
But the Jews had a new problem in their understanding. They failed to see how Jesus would have come from heaven. The same old logic came up. They knew his parents.
They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" (John 6:42)
We meet this same objection in all the gospels. The Jews knew Jesus' background. Some of them even knew Mary before she became an unwed mother. Once again, it was easy to disprove the divinity, the pre-existence of Jesus. The Jews had made this mistake. Shall we follow them?
For our sake, Jesus told us something about predestination. The concept of predestination is a bit discouraging but like it or not, some truths are rather inconvenient.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me (John 6:44-45).
Only the elected will be saved. Only those God sends to Jesus will receive eternal life and Jesus will raise him up at the last day.
But had God not chosen them to set up the old covenant? They also had the advantage to be the first group of people to meet Jesus. Did God not send them to Jesus? However, Jews were very pragmatic. They wanted signs, miracles and proofs because they had seen too many false prophets. Do you want proof? Sorry, the only proof is the resurrection of Jesus. Can I prove the resurrection of Jesus? I am sorry. No, I cannot.
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life (John 6:47).
How would the Jews believe? If I were Jesus, would I be able to handle the situation better, and taught them in a more convincing way? I am afraid I would do no better.
Dear Lord, I thank You for leaving us the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist to nourish our spiritual life. There are many obstacles in accepting this truth. I pray that we deserve to receive Your grace. Amen.
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