Words

For my Greek Exegesis class this semester we are going through the above passage in John. It is the place where Jesus claims that he is the bread of life. As I was doing some translating work on the passage I was struck by the use of the word ‘bread’ and how Jesus brings an ironic twist to the conversation.

A crowd of people and Jesus are having a conversation. The crowd asks for a sign to so that they might believe him. Quoting the Old Testament they recall how bread from heaven fed their forefathers; implying that this sign from heaven caused the Israelites to believe. Jesus replies saying that while Moses did give them bread from heaven, his father gives true bread from heaven, because this bread gives life. The crowd, believing that this bread Jesus speaks of is the sign they have asked for, ask Jesus to give it to them. Up to this point, the conversation could be entirely about physical bread; in fact that is what the crowd wants! They desire to be fed and the this bread Jesus claims will give an eternal life, so of course they want it. It is Jesus’ next statement that is quite astonishing, especially given this backdrop. Jesus claims that he himself is this bread! Jesus himself is the sign! Jesus himself gives life to the world! It is so ironic that what the crowd is asking for, what they want both to fill them up and cause them to believe, is standing right in front of them!

Like this crowd, so often we believe we know what we need. And most often, it is not Jesus. It is food, a nice house, a better job, lots of money, and the list goes on. That is what we believe we need and that is what we seek to obtain. Maybe instead we need to see that the true bread is not a nice house, a better job, or a more comfortable life. Maybe instead we must see that the true bread is Jesus himself. Jesus himself is live giving; Jesus himself is a sign for believing; Jesus himself is our true bread.