The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
Gospel Trivia:
This passage can be considered as the "keynote of John's gospel."*
It presents Jesus as the most intimate and personal mediator between the Father and humanity -- the Father speaks and teaches through Jesus, and it is faith in Jesus that enables one to know and learn from the Father.
The "murmuring" refers to the Jews' doubt and lack of faith, just like in the Old Testament when the they doubted Moses during certain challenges in their journey through the desert: "The people grumbled [murmured] against Moses, saying, 'What are we to drink?'" (Exodus 15:24)
They doubted because they knew the origins of Jesus ("the son of Joseph"), and it was the general belief at that time that the Messiah will appear suddenly.
John, the evangelist, clearly draws the line, and this is his keynote message:
- God does not speak to man directly (this is perhaps to counter other preachers claiming to speak in behalf of God); but only through Jesus who has the most intimate and most personal relationship with the Father.
- The way to God is through Jesus, and faith in him is required.
- Jesus is the "bread of life." If one has faith in him, then you can overcome both physical and spiritual death.
When you receive Jesus, the bread of life, in the Eucharist, such an act does not automatically transform you, but it is an expectation for you to become who you partake.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1989), pp. 90-93.
*J.H. Bernard, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. John.
No comments:
Post a Comment