Reference – Gospel reading for Aug. 18
The Aug 11 Gospel from John contains a preview of Aug 18. “Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
This week we start with the phrase. “Jesus said, ‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
The keywords are “living bread that came down from heaven” and “flesh”. The former was not included at the end of Aug 11.
The Presbyterian Outlook publication for Aug 18 gets at the heart of the issues.
“This is not a simple proposition. How is Jesus living bread? What does it have to do with eternal life? How is this bread Jesus’ flesh, and are we indeed asked to eat it? It was clearly confusing to his hearers. They immediately dispute among themselves, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (v. 52). And later in verse 60 on Aug 25, they say, ‘This teaching is difficult, who can accept it?'”
There are overtones with the Eucharist – “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you”. The other Gospels include the “Institution Narrative” at the Last Supper, where Jesus breaks bread and says, “This is my body given to you”. Luke 22:19 also includes the blessing of the bread during the Last Supper. John doesn’t do this but includes the first teachings about the Eucharist before the last Supper. Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, John does not include the moment of institution of the Lord’s Supper. In his upper room narrative, he focuses on foot washing.
John’s focus is not only on Jesus giving the bread as in the Euchairst but also on him being the bread. It is a focus on meaning as well as action.
From Presbyterian Outlook “For John, participation in Jesus’ life is a relationship of depth and intimacy. Jesus is the believer’s food, the required nourishment for a life far surpassing what we might consider a regular human life. It is not just about trusting in Jesus or doing what Jesus would do. It is about living within Jesus, having life from God as Jesus came from God.”
The word “abide” is a common phrase such as “Abide in Me and I in you” John 15. John uses the word “abide” 24 times! You may relate it to participation.
“In this text, Jesus both gives the bread of life, and he is the bread of life. He is both giver and gift. This is his deepest identity in John’s Gospel. We, as believers, receive this gift, and participate in Jesus. Thus, we too become both gift and giver for others.”
Yes, as followers we have to abide, participate, live, and extend Jesus’ version of the Kingdom and share it with others. The benefit which John contrasts with their ancestors is eternal life. They didn’t get this from the Manna though it came down from heaven as does the “Bread of Life”. With Jesus – “But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”