Jesus calls himself the bread of life

Bible Accent: Many names given to Jesus

Saint for Today: St. Cyril of Alexandria

Puzzle

Jesus calls himself the bread of life

Jesus spoke to the large crowd of people that had been searching for him. The news had spread that Jesus had fed thousands of people with only five barley loaves and two fish, and more people wanted to see this man who perform such miracles. “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you,” Jesus said.

Someone in the crowd asked, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”

Jesus answered, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” The people reminded Jesus that their ancestors ate manna from heaven when they were hungry in the wilderness. “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. “

“Sir, give us this bread always,” they said.

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst,” Jesus answered.

There were some Jews in the crowd who were angered by what Jesus had said. They asked each other, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

Jesus, who was always aware of what people were thinking, said, “Stop murmuring among yourselves. … Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Again the Jews argued over the meaning of Jesus’ words, so Jesus told them, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”

READ MORE ABOUT IT:
John 6

Q&A
1. What did Jesus say about the bread of life?
2. What happened to the ancestors who ate the manna from heaven?

Bible Accent: Many names given to Jesus

Throughout the New Testament there are many names or titles given to Jesus, some of which were used by Jesus himself. In today’s story Jesus said he was “the living bread.” In John’s Gospel alone are several, beginning with Chapter 1, when John talks about “the Word of God.” Other titles are “the good shepherd” and “the lamb of God.” Jesus told us he is “the way, the truth and the life,” and he also said, “I am.” When Jesus was crucified, Pilate had a sign posted on the cross of Jesus that read, “The King of the Jews.” Two of Jesus’ most important titles are “the Son of God” and “the resurrection and the life.” Can you think of names for Jesus that are found in some of the other books of the Bible?

Saint for Today: St. Cyril of Alexandria

Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) has been called the Doctor of the Incarnation, and also was respected for being a religious scholar. He studied the Scriptures deeply, but he also read the works of writers whose opinions he strongly disagreed with. When he was promoted to the see of Alexandria, he closed some of the churches and seized their sacred vessels. Cyril sent a letter of criticism to a priest named Nestorius for teaching a doctrine that did not appear to agree with the church’s position. The priest became angry and continued to teach his theories. The two men were brought in front of the pope, who agreed with Cyril, but Nestorius still refused to change. The argument was heard at the third general council in Ephesus, and Nestorius was again found to be teaching faulty doctrine, and was eventually exiled. Cyril was named a doctor of the universal church in 1882. We honor him on June 27.