HUMAN MISERY AND HOPE (John 6:22-40)
HUMAN MISERY AND HOPE
John 6:22-40
The person who ate the bread of heaven, like a miracle, still doesn't know what the bread of life is. This is the true misery of humanity. Jesus declares that he will not let go of your hand, while telling you not to work for perishable food. The realization of this declaration is the cross. The cross is a ray of hope for those who have fallen into the swamp of misery.
Do not work for food that spoils
After Jesus performed the miracle of feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish, he sent his disciples to go ahead to Capernaum while he dismissed the crowds. That night, the disciples saw Jesus walking on water. The passage continues with the story of the bread, which is not just any ordinary bread, but the bread that gives life.
People followed Jesus to Capernaum and asked him when he arrived, to which Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 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." (John 6:27) People were probably taken aback, as their true intentions were exposed.
So basically, the gist of Jesus' words is "I know you came to me all night because of the bread. Don't let your hearts be captivated by that bread. I will give you the bread of life, so set your hearts on it." When Jesus told them to work for the food that endures to eternal life instead of just for perishable food, people asked, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" (v. 28) They hadn't yet made the connection between the miracle of the loaves and the bread of life.
Yes, Jesus' words are true - don't focus on the bread that perishes, but pour your heart into the bread of life that He gives. If you believe in Jesus, there's no denying that fact. Like the people who followed Jesus, we also need to decide to set our hearts on doing God's work - specifically, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent" (v. 29) We must believe in the one God sent - Jesus. We must entrust Him with our bread, our sorrows, our pains, our joys, our children, our future, our thoughts, our love, our life, our flesh, and our soul. Christians cannot deny this fact.
But like the people who ate bread and meat from the miraculous feeding, we also ask, "What is the bread of life and the work of God?" We say we are pursuing the work of God and the bread of life, but deep down we hold onto the hope of getting more bread like yesterday.
The Sad Reality of Human Beings
When Jesus said, "Believing in the One whom God has sent is the work of God," some of the people who followed Him stepped back or avoided the conversation altogether. They asked:
"What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?" (v. 30)
This verse may seem like a casual inquiry, but it's not. The people who asked this question had just been fed by Jesus, from the five loaves and two fish in Bethsaida. They had been hungry and would have starved if not for the miracle of food multiplication. Despite this experience, they were still seeking more signs. They wanted to be fed again, just like yesterday. Jesus understood their state of mind well (v. 26).
We don't really know who Jesus is and that he is the true bread of life. Although we may have memorized that Jesus is the bread of life, when asked if we truly know that he is the bread of eternal life, we show a pitiful lack of understanding. Our words and actions prove that we don't really believe or know this fact. If we truly knew Jesus, we would not shy away from his command to believe in him, sent by God.
We confess belief in Jesus as our savior, but we cannot firmly grasp onto him and keep hold of his hand. We are afraid of the rough seas that we must navigate in this world and in heaven. Jesus sees through the doubts in our hearts.
But he tells us, "But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe" (v. 36).
Perhaps, like the people in the passage, we also ask for a sign before we believe, buying ourselves some time. We may think this is wise, but in reality, it's useless wisdom. We can't see a being that we can believe in. We're willing to risk our lives for bread that we can eat and die, but we can't do the same for bread that we can't see. Asking for a sign to believe may seem like a rational and intelligent question, but it's actually a final act of rebellion. It's like struggling harder as we try to get out of a swamp, only to sink deeper. Struggling in a swamp is not wise behavior. We're too deeply immersed in the delusion that we might be able to get out of the swamp by struggling harder. We say it's good and appropriate to be whipped by Jesus, but we're afraid of actually being whipped every day. Can we accept it with gratitude when Jesus puts a noose around our neck or foot? Our reality is that we're afraid Jesus will open our hands and take away what's inside. The passage places us in front of a mirror and asks us, "Do you truly believe that Jesus is the bread of life?"
The people who followed Jesus talked about Moses and manna, but Jesus said, "Do not be mistaken. It was God who gave you bread, not Moses. In fact, God gave you bread through Moses" (v. 34). Jesus explained this clearly, but the people still did not understand. They only focused on physical bread, not the spiritual meaning behind it. Even when Jesus talked about the bread of life, they still asked for physical bread. They said, "Lord, give us this bread always." Even though Jesus told them that believing in him was like eating the bread of life, they still wanted physical bread like the miraculous manna. This is the sad state of the people who followed Jesus and even us who believe in him today.
The Crucifixion of Jesus that Shatters Human Delusions
Jesus breaks through our delusions and reminds us that fulfilling our expectations is not God's work. If our expectations are focused on the bread we ate during the miracle of the loaves and fishes, then Jesus says that God is more concerned with giving us life in the midst of our delusions. The Bible refers to the life-giving bread that God has given us as the cross of Jesus. The cross of Jesus is a ray of light shining into our misery and a healing medicine given to our sick bodies.
No matter how much strength, effort, or wisdom we have, we cannot hold onto Jesus. Jesus knows this fact well, and instead of calling us those who cling to him, he identifies us as "those whom the Father gives me." Jesus speaks not of our wisdom, but of God's wisdom. That is the meaning of the cross. In verse 37, we encounter the hope that Jesus has hidden away, a ray of light given to us in the midst of our misery.
"Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."
Pastor Eugene Peterson led a Bible study group and translated the Bible into everyday language in "The Message Bible." In this translation, he renders verse 37 as follows:
"Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don't let go."
Jesus promises to seize and hold on to people like us who the Father pushes towards Him, and never let go. This is a glimmer of hope that Jesus offers us who live in the miserable reality of being lost in delusion.