Eat my flesh and drink my blood (John 6b)

John 6:25-71
Key verse 6:53-54

Many years ago, when I was alone in my church, the church phone rang. I picked it up and a woman said that she was looking for a church. Then she asked me if my church provided babysitting during the worship service and weekly Bible study. I said we didn’t yet. I hope she found a church that provided her with babysitting. A new phenomenon today is that megachurches are growing popular in America. Megachurches usually have good pastors and provide all kinds of programs and facilities for their church members, such as a banquet hall, computer room, counsel program, schools, babysitting, fitness center, coffee shop, and all kinds of entertainment. Megachurches try to tailor themselves to give people what they want. The trend is that people want to go to churches that can give them what they want. If their churches can’t, they leave the churches. Many Christians search for churches where they can get other benefits other than the gospel. So there are many church-hoppers. Today we are going to talk about people who come to Jesus and then leave because Jesus doesn’t give them what they want. What is that they want? And what is that Jesus wants to give them? I pray that the Holy Spirit enlightens our hearts and minds to hear Jesus’ words and believe in him.

In the previous passage, Jesus fed more than five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. That was a great miracle, which was reminiscent of the event that God fed Israel with the manna in the wilderness. The crowd thought that Jesus was the Prophet Moses prophesized (Deut 18:15) and tried to make him king by force. So Jesus stayed away from the crowd and crossed over the lake to Capernaum. However, the people did not give up. Some of them went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. Today’s passage is the dialogue between Jesus and these people and then between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus says to them that he is the true bread they must seek and eat.

Work for food that endures to eternal life

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

Finally, after their long search, the people found Jesus in the synagogues in Capernaum (6:59) and asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here? Do you know how much we looked for you?” They worked hard to search for Jesus. Their desire for Jesus was amazing. But Jesus was not pleased with them because their motives were not desirable. So he said to them,

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

After they got full, their desire was degraded. They hankered after a miracle-worker who could fill their hungry stomachs. This showed that they lived a food-oriented life. They even followed Jesus for material benefit. So Jesus warned them that the food they worked for would spoil and they would end with nothing. Instead they should look for and live for eternal life, which the Son of Man would give. God the Father has placed his seal of approval on Jesus. In ancient time, a seal was used to signify ownership or to validate a document. By placing his seal on the Son of Man, the Father has approved and certified the Son as the one who alone can bestow the food for eternal life.

However, they did not give up on food they wanted. They tried to maneuver their way to get food somehow, asking Jesus a series of questions and requests.

28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

As Jesus said that they should work for food that endures to eternal life, they asked a question, “What then must we do to do the works of God requires.” Jesus’ answer was, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” This was what he intended when he fed them with five loaves and two fish. Jesus performed the miracle to help them believe in Jesus.

Hearing that they need to believe in Jesus, they demanded another sign such that they could believe in him. And the sign they demanded was to feed them, saying, “He gave our ancestor bread from heaven in the wilderness.” They justified their demand based on Exodus 16:4, Neh. 9:15 and Psalm 78:24-25 – “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” Wow, they were so persistent with food and smart. But Jesus corrected their misunderstanding.  

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

First, they thought that Moses gave them bread. So their logic was that if Jesus were the Prophet Moses prophesized, Jesus should also give them bread as Moses did. But Jesus said that it was the Father not Moses who gave them the manna and that even now God gave them bread. Jesus tried to help them look up to God instead of men because God is the sole source of bread.

Secondly, the bread God wants to give is the true bread that gives life to the world not the bread that spoils.

The gist of Jesus’ message is that now God gives the bread of life through Jesus. This theme runs through the whole passage. In the rest of the passage, Jesus elaborates on that and persuade them to believe in him.   

I am the bread of life

When Jesus talked about the true bread, they said, “That is what we are talking about. Sir, always give us this bread so that we won’t be hungry anymore.” Then Jesus revealed what the bread of God is.

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Jesus declared that he is the very bread of God, the true bread that gives life to the world. He is the bread of life such that those who come to him will never go hungry or be thirsty. And he pointed out that though they had seen Jesus and his miraculous signs they still did not believe. But Jesus was not disappointed because he knew who would come to him. Here one who comes is also expressed in the passage as

·         One who believes in me (35)

·         One who the Father gives me (37)

·         One who looks to me (40)

·         One who God draws (44)

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Jesus came to do the will of God and the will of God was to lose none of those who God gave him and to raise them up at the last day.

In short, Jesus says that everyone who believes in him shall have eternal life. (cf. 3:16; 5:24) Therefore Jesus is the bread of life we should look for and live for.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven

Seeing that Jesus would not grant them what they wanted, they began to grumble about Jesus, “How come he says that he is the bread that came down from heaven (38).” They could not believe that Jesus came from heaven because they knew his parents.

Jesus again pointed out their unwillingness to believe. Only those who the Father draws can come to Jesus. Isaiah chapter 54 says about what God will do for his people in the future. That day they will be taught by the Lord (54:3). They will hear from the Father and come to the Son. Now the Son was here. But these Jews did not come to him and believe because they never learned from God and never knew him.

46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life.

After pointing out their unbelief, Jesus said that he is the only one who has seen the Father and is from God. So he proved that he indeed came from heaven. Then he declared again that he is the bread of life and the one who believes has eternal life. This time he compared the manna the Jews demanded and the bread of life he gave. The manna only sustained their life for a while and then they all died. But here is the bread of life, Jesus.

50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.

The bread is my flesh

Then to their astonishment, Jesus declares, “This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

At this, the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves. “What is he thinking? Does he mean we should be carnivores? How can he give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.

So far Jesus has declared that he is the bread of life they must eat. Now he explained what it meant. The bread actually refers to his flesh. So eating the bread means eating his flesh and drinking his blood. His flesh is real food and his blood is real drink because those who eat his flesh have eternal life. In fact, he meant his death on the cross. Just before he was crucified, Jesus had his last supper with his disciples. Matt 26:26-28 read,

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (See also Mark 14:22-25)

When we have the Eucharist, we eat a piece of bread and drink a cup. The bread is Jesus’ flesh and the drink is his blood. So when we eat his flesh and drink his blood, we mean that we accept his death for our sins and believe that we have eternal life by it. How then do we have eternal life by faith in Jesus’ death?

56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

Here Jesus says a more profound meaning of eating his flesh and drinking his blood. By eating his flesh and drinking his blood, Jesus remains in us and we remain in him. That way, his life remains in us and we have his life forever. In other words, we become one with him.

Paul said in Ro 6:3-4, “3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

He also said in Gal 3:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Now by faith in Jesus, we are united with Christ in his death and resurrection and his life is in us. So we have eternal life. Amen!

58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

So far, the Jews demanded bread but Jesus said that he is the true bread because he came down from heaven and gives life. And at last he concluded his discourse: He is the bread that came from heaven so whoever feeds on his flesh will live forever. (cf. 27,31,49; 35,50,51,54,57) Do you believe this?

You have the words of eternal life

Now hearing this, many of Jesus’ disciples also grumbled, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

Here Jesus points out their problem. Their problem was that like the other Jews they understood Jesus’ word in view of the flesh though Jesus talked about the spirit. The flesh is completely incapable of producing life. Only the Holy Spirit gives life. But the Holy Spirit works in and through the words that Jesus speaks to us. Those words are spirit and life.

Jesus saw that there was a commotion among his disciples and many of them were leaving him. This should be a great crisis for his ministry from human point of view. But Jesus did not compromise the truth to please or pamper them. Jesus had already known who did not believe among them and who would betray him. The reason Jesus came was to do the will of God. He believed that God sent his people to him. Those who left him were not people God sent to him. Seeing co-fellows leaving, the Twelve could have been shaken. Jesus challenged the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” At that moment, Simon came forward and answered.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

We don’t know whether Simon Peter understand all of Jesus’ words or not. But what he knew for sure was that Jesus has the words of eternal life. The Twelve except Judas Iscariot came to believe and know that Jesus is the Holy One of God. What made the Twelve different from the other disciples who left?

Now we can look back what happened while his disciples, likely the Twelve, were crossing over the lake and stuck in the midst the storm. When their lives were in danger, they saw something walking on the water toward them. They were frightened, thinking that it was a ghost or something like that. But then they heard Jesus, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” It was Jesus. He was walking on the water in darkness! He walked to be with them and rescue them. They recognized Jesus and took him into the boat and then immediately the boat reached the shore.

What is the implication of this incident? The Twelve experienced Jesus’ deity and his divine power that he came from heaven and his word is true. He came down from heaven to give life to the world as he came to them to save them in a unnatural way. So they knew that Jesus’ word is true and gives life. On the contrary, the crowd and other disciples failed to accept his word. However, this does not mean that the people left because they didn’t see Jesus walking on the water. Judas saw Jesus walking on the water but did not believe and betrayed Jesus. The important thing is whether we accept his word or not and believe him or not. That is what matters. By the way, we have all seen the greatest miraculous sign, which is Jesus’ death and resurrection. We have the Bible. We have the word of God. Now Jesus is challenging us, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” What is your answer?

In today’s passage, we have learned that Jesus is the living bread that came from heaven to give us eternal life. But whether you have eternal life or not depends on your faith. There are two different breads before you – one is food that spoils and the other is food that endures to eternal life. Which food is more important to you? Why do you follow Jesus? What do we look for from Jesus? If it is something else rather than eternal life, go ahead and seek it as the crowd did. But life is only in his Son Jesus. God wants us to eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood so that he may remain in us and we live. Do you want to live or perish? Let’s mediate on his word again:

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

By David Yun