John 6:41-69 (NIV)
Read By: Anna Li
Today’s passage begins in the middle of a conversation between Jesus and his followers. He has just given a puzzling speech, comparing himself to the manna sent from heaven--but elevated as a new manna: Manna that’s able not only to satisfy physical hunger, but spiritual hunger as well. To the woman at the well, he declared himself to be living water. Now he is “the bread of life.”
Sometimes people get tripped up on this passage because at first glance it’s kinda strange. But we can be pretty sure that Jesus isn’t calling his disciples to cannibalism. We have to keep in mind that as John writes this gospel he’s doing so with the benefit of hindsight, knowing that as this story progresses these very people will sit with Jesus at the last supper and eat his body, the bread, and drink his blood in the cup.
----------REFLECT----------
1. What word or phrase stood out to you in this passage? What did you find encouraging, what did you find challenging?
2. John understood Jesus’ words about eating his flesh and drinking his blood in light of the Eucharist; the Lord’s supper itself is a sacred sign of participation with the death and resurrection of Jesus. Believing in the Son and binding ourselves to his death and resurrection are the menu options on this table. What might keep you from participating in Jesus death and Resurrection today?
3. The parallel between the grumbling in this story and the grumbling of the Israelites in the wilderness is unmistakable. We too tend towards disbelief and discontent. In what ways have you found yourself grumbling to God in your life? What would it look like for you to submit that to Jesus today? What would need to change?
----------CONNECT----------
