Ordinary Time Week 11

Psalm: Psalm 130 or Psalm 34:1-8 
Old Testament: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
  or 1 Kings 19:4-8 
Gospel: John 6:35, 41-51 
Epistle: Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Well since last week I misread the Lectionary passage and discussed some of the struggles the David had with his children, I think we can leave the reading from 2 Samuel aside this week. But in chapter 18, David's family struggles continue and his son Absalom, who is the leader of the rebellion against him, is killed by David's soldiers. So this chapter kind of acts as a closing bookmark to the familial struggles that were begun in chapter 13, which we explored last week.

Instead I want to focus on the words of Jesus from John 6. John 6:35 is the first of Jesus' seven "I am" sayings in John. It doesn't take a Biblical scholar to realize that the author of John is placing Jesus in the same category as the God of the Old Testament. If there is any doubt about Jesus being divine, the author also uses seven sayings--seven being a divine number. So these seven sayings are critical I think to the life and mission of Jesus according to John, and how Jesus is to be understood in relationship to the Father, humanity, and indeed all of creation.

There are a couple of things we can draw from these few verses and that we can discuss in brief. The first thing is that Jesus is able to satisfy our needs. (vs. 35) Those who comes to Jesus for the bread of life will never hunger or thirst. The most basic needs to human life are bread and water, and Jesus said that in him we can have those needs meet. He is the one who can satisfy us in ways that we never thought, and in ways that even true bread and water can't.

An interesting study actually may be to look at the use of hunger and thirst in the Gospel of John. John alone tells us the story of the Samaritan women at the well. (ch. 4) Jesus tells her that he will give her water and she will never thirst again. Also, only in John's Gospel does Jesus say from the cross, "I thirst." (19:37) Finally, in chapter 7 at the Passover feast, Jesus proclaims to the people, If anyone is thirsty let him come to Me and drink." (7:37) So there is definitely something to explore here, but for now we will leave it at saying that Jesus can satisfy our needs.

The next point is that Jesus came down from heaven, that is, from the Father. To us this point is no doubt obvious but to his audience it may have been shocking and even blasphemous. Just as manna came down from heaven from God to provide for the people, so now Jesus comes from God to provide just what the people need. The difference will be that whereas the people's fathers ate the manna and still died, in Jesus now the people will never die.

An interesting note in the comparison between manna and bread of life, is the the use of the word "grumble." If you are like me, then that reminded you of how the people "grumbled" in the Exodus when manna was introduced. And indeed in Exodus chs. 15-17 when the people are wandering around grumbling and eating manna, the exact same Greek root is. (γογγύζω) So Jesus is getting the same reaction as the Father, the people grumble, and he now provides an alternate to manna, bread that will satiate ones needs eternally.

The next point is Jesus provides eternal life. (47, 51) I don't think Jesus' audience had any idea what Jesus was talking about here, and probably in many other cases as well. They couldn't have understood the hope Christians have in the resurrection and new life Christ provides. But post Jesus' resurrection, we can reflect on these words, and recognize the hope we have in our own resurrections provided through Jesus.

The last point I will make is that Jesus gave his flesh "for the life of the world." (51) I have often thought of this phrase after reading a little book by Alexander Schmemman titled appropriately, "For the Life of the World" in which he discusses Orthodox liturgy and sacraments. But what concerns us today is just the title, although there are plenty of great things Schmemman says. John doesn't say Jesus is dying for Israel, or for those who will come to believe in Jesus, or even for all of humanity, but Jesus flesh will be given for the whole of creation. All of creation will be redeemed through Jesus' death and resurrection. New life, a restored and renewed creation, is possible because of what God has done in Jesus. These words take the personal individualized salvation we typically focus on, and expand it to the cosmic scale. As important as the salvation of humanity is, all of creation groans as Paul says in 8:22, for the day when all of creation will be redeemed by the saving of humanity. God is working to restore all of creation, not just to pluck his followers off the earth to live with him in some spiritual realm. I just read a chapter on this very idea in N.T. Wright's book, Surprised by Scripture entitled "Jesus is coming--Plant a Tree!" and I encourage you to check out that chapter.

Well, I think we have said enough this week. There are a lot of great things to discuss from John, but unfortunately, now I don't know how to wrap things up. I guess, go plant a tree! Or go down to the library and see if they have an N.T. Wright book...Or Schmemman's book.

Grace and Peace.