Manna That Keeps on Feeding
By Bishop Chris Giesler
Assigned Scripture Texts:
- I Kings 19:4-8
- John 6:35, 41-51
We have been talking “Manna” for several weeks now, and Jesus is at it again. “I am the bread of life,” Jesus says. Throughout John’s 6th chapter, Jesus has been talking about the manna that God provided for the hungry Israelites as they made their 40-year trek through the wilderness. Jesus is now answering complaints that he has named himself as such, so he seeks to explain who he is. That manna, Jesus says, was given out of God’s love, but its impact was only for the present moment because, eventually, these people died. The bread Jesus provides in himself is something far more profound and has eternal implications.
This week’s passage from I Kings is another Hebrew Scripture passage involving food. In this case, it is a dejected Elijah who is fleeing from Jezebel, who wants to kill him. Elijah asks God to take his life right then and there so that he would not have to face the threat and all of the stress that it was causing. But after some sleep under the broom tree, Elijah awakens to find bread for his sustenance.
Perhaps it is easier to understand manna in the wilderness for the Hebrews or bread baked on hot stones for Elijah because in both cases, it is physical bread that appears and is consumed. But it is a bit harder to understand Jesus saying, “I am the bread of life.” How does this bread satisfy our hunger?
In our reading from John’s Gospel, we continue to see just who Jesus is through the lens of God’s providing manna in the wilderness on their journey to the promised land. While the crowd did not complain that they had received bread from Jesus in his feeding of the 5,000, they do seem to take offense that Jesus had gone one step further and declared, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They seem to be saying that it is OK for Jesus to feed them physically but don’t spiritualize the event by claiming a direct connection with God.
The people’s complaint should be noted because it mimics what the Hebrew people did with Moses. While Moses served as God’s emissary in delivering them from slavery in Egypt, it did not take them long to protest that, at least when they were slaves, they could count on eating some food. They wonder if God has brought them out to the wilderness to die, and they are not shy about letting Moses know what they are feeling.
In her commentary on workingpreacher.com, Dr. Susan Hylen points out that the Greek word “pisteuo,” which is translated as “believe” in John’s Gospel, was more commonly used to define a trusting relationship. The people in the wilderness lacked that basic trust, as did the people who complained to Jesus in John’s Gospel.
Is trust part of our issue as well? It is hard to give of our resources of time, talent, and treasure when we feel uncertain about our future. Is a lack of trust keeping us from truly engaging in a mission to care for others?
What kind of manna is God offering you today? Jesus is the Bread of Life, but perhaps it is not whole wheat, rye, or pumpernickel. Perhaps it is the joy we feel when we know we have followed the example of Jesus, giving ourselves to a cause greater than ourselves. As we have been fed with grace, mercy, and peace, how can we share that with the world?
