The Paradox Par Excellence
After the martyrdom of the Baptist, Jesus crosses over to the other side of Galilee. A multitude of people follow Him. For, they had seen the signs He performed for those who were sick. He sits down with His dear disciples. The Passover, the great feast of the Jews was at hand. Lifting up His eyes, Jesus sees a multitude enthusiastically coming to Him. Our Lord uses the chance to test Philip. He asks Philip: “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people” (Jn.6:5). The all-knowing Son of God did know what he would do. Of course, Philip answers Him: “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little” (Jn. 6:7). Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother tells Our Lord: “There is a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” (6:9) And the Lord tells the disciples: “Tell everyone to sit down”. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes.(The men alone numbered about 5000). Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterwards he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted”. So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself” (Jn. 6:10-14).
The crowd was greatly excited. They wanted to make Jesus King, even by force. Realizing this He withdraws to the hills by Himself. The effect of the miracle was simply stupendous upon the multitude. There is no denying the fact that Christ had the Divine power. It is this sublime truth that is proved in multiplying the bread. It brings their minds at once, back to Moses, who had given their forefathers manna while they were in the desert. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Then how can they make Him King again? The Wise Men knew this. That is why they asked: “Where is the new born King of the Jews? We saw his star at it rose, and we have come to worship him” (Mt. 2:2).
No unclean hands would place a crown on His head. Certainly, they would place one of sharp thorns upon His divine head. His kingship would ultimately be proved through the ‘Divine Necessity’ of the Cross. Popular acclaim! Far from it. It is the second time that Our Lord denies a crown. It is Satan that dared offer Him Kingship of the world first. He declares, “My Kingdom is not of this world”, He would tell the timid Pilate later on. None can ever push Him up. But He would permit to be “lifted up”. Actually this was His very mission. He is to be enthroned in the hearts of millions and millions the world over.
The people were still bent on crowning Our Lord King as they found Him on the following day at Caparnaum. Knowing their intention, Jesus tells them in the face: “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs”(Jn. 6:26).
They had not taken the miracle as any sign of the Lord’s Divinity. They were looking “for” Him, instead of “to” Him. They see Him just as a person who would very well satisfy their ‘bread-hunger’ not their ‘soul-hunger’. Now Our Lord clearly tells them: “But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval”(Jn.6:27).
Definitely He is setting before them two kinds of bread- the bread that would easily perish and the bread that would gain them life everlasting. He tries to lift their carnal minds to the Eternal Food. He suggests that they seek the Heavenly Bread, (the Bread that comes down from heaven). Jesus, Our Lord, is the Bread that has come down from heaven. He Himself will give them this Bread He can do this because God the Father has set His seal upon His son, Jesus.
The Jews want some more proofs that the Father has authorised Him. True, He gave bread (after multiplying five barley loaves and two fish). But that is neither unique nor altogether new. Moses had given them bread “manna” from heaven, and that do for several years. Still, they called it “light bread”. Now they belittle His gift. Lord Jesus takes up the challenge. He makes it clear: Manna was not Heavenly Bread. Nor had it come from heaven. Furthermore, it only nourished only one nation and that too just for a short time. More important of all, it was not Moses, it is His Father in heaven, who gave them Manna.
Jesus now tells them plainly that the true Bread comes down from heaven. Then they pray: “Lord give us this bread now and always” (6:34). Jesus once and for solemnly proclaims, “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you have not believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his son and believe in Him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day”.
Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven”. They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven? ‘But Jesus replied, “stop complaining about what I said. For no one can come to me unless My Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him).
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”
Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.
So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you, eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live for ever”. He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum” (Jn. 6:35-59).
Because Our Lord told them plainly that to gain eternal life, they must eat His body and drink His blood, lots of them desert Him. Truth is bitter. But there is no denying the truth. Jesus Christ is the only Saviour of the world. He only has paid the price of salvation. This salvation is to be attained through the sacraments and the obedience of God’s commandments. In order to affirm that He is the only Saviour, the light that enlightens all, the following of His teachings (declarations are pronounced)
“I am the light of the world” (Jn. 8:1).
“I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures” (Jn. 10: 7-9).
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he is working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd: I know my own sheep, and they know me” (Jn. 10: 11-14).
“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying” (Jn. 11:25).“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (Jn. 14: 6). “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn. 10:10)
An honest man who reads chapter 6 of St. John’s gospel with an open heart can never leave the Catholic Church, the Custodian and the depository of all the revealed truths. This is the third time that Our Loving Lord uses an instance from the OT to symbolize Himself. The other two are Jacob’s ladder and the brazen serpent. He has His other unique and invincible claims.
In the chapter 6 He calls Himself Bread of life three times.
Here once again he causes the shadow of the cross appear. Bread has to be broken. “It has to become sacrificial victim that men might truly feed on Him”.
Hence it would be a Bread that would result from the voluntary offering His own flesh to save the world from the slavery of sin into the newness of life.
