This week’s Gospel passage is the morning after the passage for last week. The transition from one day to the next is a bit awkward. While 5,000 were fed, we cannot be sure how many of the crowd remained behind. Jesus and the disciples left the area and crossed the sea. The crowd got into boats and followed when they realized that Jesus had left. We might expect that some of the crowd has dwindled or are we to presume that there were boats for 5000 people to board at once and cross the sea? That itself would be remarkable.
Jesus now takes on the role of the skeptical one. He is not enthusiastic about the arrival of this horde, and is dismissive in his response. We might easily hear what Jesus says as: “I fed you dinner and now you want breakfast.” He tells them that they are looking and working for the wrong kind of food.
Because this crowd has experienced – and reasonably understood – the meaning of the miracle, they are open to his teaching. There is more dialogue between Jesus and the crowds in this moment than at any other time in his teaching. This will be very much in evidence as we move through the chapter over the next few weeks.
Let’s consider the questions: “Rabbi, when did you get here?” “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?” And then their response: “Sir, give us this bread always.”
These are real and authentic questions. You can imagine the crowd speaking with Jesus trying hard to understand. They have figured out that he is a prophet in their midst – but his teaching isn’t that easy to understand.
They were inspired – indeed enriched – by the multiplication, but they sought a deeper understanding. They know what Moses accomplished, they know that Elisha accomplished, now they wonder what is next. They knew that being fed once was not what Jesus came to do. They could not have realistically expected that this it. One meal of bread and fish and then it was over.
Is that not so often true for us? We can get swept up in a moment of grace, have a lucid moment of faith, and then say in the next breath – “what’s next?” or “now what?”
Jesus begins to speak to them of the Bread of Life – that he will bring them the food that lasts forever – the food that will lead them to the eternal kingdom. Jesus has previously spoken to the woman at the well in Samaria and promised her an ever-flowing well so she never has to draw water again. Now to this crowd, Jesus offers eternal bread.
What are they to make of eternal bread? Will Jesus offer them a symbolic sign that is eternal bread? The food that the Israelites ate in the desert – the mana – sustained them in the desert. That bread dried up when they settled in the land. Is Jesus to come every day and give them bread? Even they didn’t seem to think so.
They are also asking the deeper faith questions – not only “what can you do” but “what can we do?” Jesus is seldom asked this question. They understand that discipleship is more than just about faith – yes they needed that, but they needed more – they needed to know what to do.
So do we. Faith is not enough. We need to know what to do. What we do is borne of faith, and what we do is essential in nourishing that faith.
They seek the bread that Jesus offers them. They wanted eternal life, they wanted what would sustain them to eternal life. But as we will see, they are not ready to hear what he has to say. The desire to be a disciple is easy, discipleship is hard. The desire to believe is easy, belief itself is difficult. This dialogue will take a different turn as we move into the following weeks.
Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.