John – Chapter 6:26-31
6:26-31 “Jesus answered and said” – The Bread of Life discourse is a complex interweaving of various ideas and themes through Old Testament allusion and metaphor. This discourse took place in the synagogue at Capernaum (6:59). This suggests the structure is that of a synagogue homily. The story of the Manna (Exodus 16) is the underlying and guiding text, with two interpretative texts quoted, Ps 78:24 in 6:31and Is 54:13 in 6:45. The first section (6:32-40) expounds on the “He gave” from the quotation. Who is the giver of the bread, and who is the true bread, the gift given. The second section (6:41-51) expounds on the heavenly origin of the true bread. The true bread is “bread from heaven,” that is, the Christological and soteriological aspects of the true Bread are laid bare. The third section (6:52-58) expounds “to eat” in the quotation. What does it mean “to eat” the true bread from heaven? The effect and fallout of the discourse is the subject matter of Jn 6:59-71. v. 27 “The food which the Son of Man will give” – Jesus doesn’t directly answer the question fo 6:25 but immediately draws connection between the feeding of the five thousand (6:1-15) and the realities to which it pointed. He speaks with total authority, as one who presents truth that is the final, absolute, and perfect revelation of God’s will: “Amen, amen, I say to you.” Jesus recognizes that the people had sought Him out because He had performed a miracle that filled their physical needs. Yet, they had not perceived the “signs” (6:26, 2, 14), that is, they had not recognized the Passover truth to which the feeding pointed. Two different “foods” are contrasted, one that “perishes” and the other “remains unto eternal life.” And the Giver of the food is Himself the food given (6:35). The “Son of Man” (6:27, 53, 62) is a title associated with the historical mission of the Son and especially with the crucifixion of Jesus as the exaltation of the Son. The one who “eats” God’s Word becomes himself a manifestation of that life given by God’s Word. The food that remains unto eternal life is the flesh of Jesus given into death. And on Him, the Father has set the seal., therefore He has received full and absolute authority to act on behalf of the Father. The Father set…