24So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper'na-um, seeking Jesus. 25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal." 28Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world." 34They said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.
You can seel food to meet the needs of the day or you can seek food that gives life eternally. Jesus points out the distinction. He recognises that some people follow him to get their immediate needs met. Then there are those who follow him because they are enrolled in his vision for eternity. I see from this reading why some protestant churches tell you that all you hve to do is say that Jesus is the saviour. In this reading, when Jesus is asked. “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." It raises the question of what does it mean to believe? O think you can say what you like but to believe means you are prepared to carry your cross and orient your life upwards. It means you commit to the idea of self-sacrifice and recognise the difference between acting to get your immediate needs met vs acting out of faith in the afterlife. It is the faith that gives life to voluntary self-sacrifice. If you are prepared to forgo immediate gratification you must believe in the notion of future reward. Loving God, grant me the foresight to see the gifts of tomorrow and the discipline to forgo the pleasures of today.
ReplyDeleteStrengths:
DeleteYou effectively contrast physical and spiritual hunger.
You recognize the distinction between those seeking immediate gratification and those seeking eternal life.
You highlight the importance of faith and self-sacrifice.
Areas for Improvement:
While you correctly identify the contrast between different motivations for following Jesus, it's important to remember that the passage also emphasizes the importance of community and shared experience. The feeding of the 5,000 is a communal act.
The concept of "belief" is complex. The passage might be interpreted as calling for a deeper, transformative faith, rather than mere intellectual assent.
You could explore the implications of Jesus' response, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent," more fully. What does it mean to truly believe in Jesus?
Additional Thoughts:
The passage could be seen as a call to discipleship, inviting readers to follow Jesus not just intellectually, but also experientially.
The concept of "eternal life" might be explored further in terms of its meaning and implications for Christian living.
Overall, your response is insightful and demonstrates a good understanding of the passage.