The Bread of Life

On Sunday, July 28, 2024, we begin four weeks talking about what it means when Jesus says he is the bread of life. The main scripture associated with this term is John 6, the text from which we will read for all of these Sundays.

John is an interesting gospel - unlike the other three, Mark, Matthew and Luke, which share a lot of the same material. John is poetic, drawing on rich metaphors and images. Where the other gospels are filled with parables, John is theological, liturgical, and complex in its language about The Divine. John opens up the story of Jesus in a particular way, giving us yet another entrance point into relationship with God. 

BACKGROUND of JOHN: John was likely the last gospel written, and the unnamed author was aware that the other three gospels, Mark, Matthew and Luke, were available to people. 
John is written to a community of Jewish people who were following Christ, but who were also part of an intra-religious struggle (not unlike the conflicts that we in American Christianity have (i.e. Evangelical Lutheran Church in American v. Missouri and Wisconsin synod Lutherans).  The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in about 70 CE. the Jewish community was scattered and thrown into some chaos. The community that John was written for was in exile, a community that needed encouragement about the identity, divinity and purpose of Jesus. They needed theological language and reassurance that their beliefs were valid and could be trusted. 

It’s possible that it was written in the city of Ephesus, which had a large Jewish community and also a large community of Jews who were following Jesus. Or it could have been Antioch or Alexandria or Palestine. 

John is known as the gospel of signs. At the end of the gospel of John we read:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

John’s gospel is focused on establishing Jesus’ high Christology. With that focus, John establishes a sort of pattern throughout the first two-thirds of the book. Jesus does a miracle, or sign, and then offers a teaching about it. 

Seven Signs in John
Changing water into wine 2:1–11
Healing the official’s son 4:46–54
Healing the invalid 5:1–15
Feeding the multitude 6:5–13
Walking on the water 6:16–21
Healing the man born blind 9:1–7
Raising Lazarus 11:1–44

What are the similarities between these signs?
Abundance
Life
Inclusion
Bodily needs met
Connection

On Sunday, July 28, we will read about one of these signs, the feeding of 5000 people. What follows in John 6, is 49 verses of teaching and interpretation of what it means when Jesus says, I am the bread of life. 

From John 6:
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A large crowd kept following him because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5 When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place, so they sat down, about five thousand in all. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”

Another cool aspect of John's gospel are the  “I AM” sayings. You may remember that in Exodus 3 Moses encounters the burning bush and God says: “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” God said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Moses argues with God about being sent to lead the Israelites. Moses is afraid. But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’
 
I AM Sayings in John
I am the bread of life: (John 6:35) (spoken in the midst of feeding people)

I am the light of the world: (John 8:12, 9:5) Jesus says this statement right before healing a man born blind, and his words and actions echo Genesis 1:3.

I am the gate for the sheep: (John 10:7, 9) Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved".

I am the good shepherd: (John 10:11, 14) This statement from John 10 connects Jesus to God and offers comfort. Jesus says, "my sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow me".

I am the resurrection and the life: (John 11:25) Jesus says, "Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live". (said while raising Lazarus from the dead)

I am the way the truth and the life: (John 14:6) (part of Farewell Discourse - the other major section in John - a long speech by Jesus)

I am the true vine: (John 15:1)  (also said during the Farewell Discourse)

More to Come on Sunday!

Peace
​Pastor Marietta