"Next day, the people, who had stayed on the other side, realized that only one boat had been there, and that JESUS had not entered it with HIS disciples; but rather, the disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias landed near the place where all these people had eaten the bread. When they saw that neither JESUS nor HIS disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for JESUS.
When they found HIM on the other side of the lake, they asked HIM, 'Master, when did you come here?'
JESUS answered, 'Truly, I say to you, you look for ME, not because of the signs which you have seen, but because you ate bread and were satisfied. Work then, not for perishable food, but for the lasting food which gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give it to you for HE is the one on whom the FATHER has put HIS mark.'
Then the Jews asked HIM, 'What shall we do? What are the works that GOD wants us to do?' And JESUS answered them, 'The work GOD wants is this: that you believe in the One whom GOD has sent.'" - John 6:22-29
(In the following pages John expands JESUS' pronouncements in the synagogue of Capernaum. Surely JESUS HIMSELF at that time did not develop so fully the doctrine on the Eucharist [verses 48-58]. There is no doubt, however, that JESUS expressed HIMSELF in a manner that scandalized HIS listeners. What did HE say but to affirm clearly that we must go to HIM, for HE is the true bread from whom we receive eternal life?
People struggle for adequate food, and their first preoccupation is to survive, because if they do not eat they will cease to live. We do not have life in ourselves and have to constantly depend on others for what is necessary to maintain life. In spite of everything, some day life escapes us because we have not encountered the lasting food.
In fact, we need much more than bread: beyond eating and drinking, we seek something that permits us to no longer experience hunger or thirst. We will find this on the day of the resurrection, in the assembly of all the Saints in Heaven, where there will be total and perfect peace and unity. That is precisely what the Work of the Son of Man [the Human One] is.
The discourse begins with a question from the Jews: Which are the works that GOD wants us to do? JESUS replies: The Work that GOD wants is that you believe. The FATHER does not demand "works," that is, the practices of a religious law, but rather, faith. In the previous chapter, JESUS declared that HIS work is to raise people up. Here HE indicates our work: to believe in the Messenger of the FATHER.
The key word of the discourse is bread [or loaves]. That is why John repeats it seven times in each section of this chapter. The expression who has come down from heaven appears seven times in the chapter.
Here begins the first part of the discourse: JESUS becomes our bread when we believe in HIM.
In the past, when the Israelites wandered in the desert and lacked everything, GOD gave them a provisional meal, the manna. They had to give thanks to HIM for HIS gifts. But if GOD is only our benefactor and we go to HIM seeking favors, we end up concerned only for what GOD gives us; we will hardly thank HIM, and later will continue to ask and complain.
This was what happened with the Israelites who, after receiving the manna, rebelled against GOD and died in the desert. Material things, although they may come from heaven, do not make us better nor do they give us true life.
For this reason, GOD now proposes something new. The bread that comes down from heaven is not something, but someone, and that is CHRIST. That true bread communicates eternal life to us, but to receive it, it is necessary to take a step, that is, to believe in CHRIST and to make a personal commitment to HIM.)
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