Bread for who?

John 6:25-34
Grace and peace to you from God our Father, from our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, and from the Holy Spirit who gives us life. Amen.

For those of you younger than forty you might not know of the comedy team of Abbot and Costello. They hit their heyday in the 40s and 50s of the last century. Although they were well known for their many movies and comedy skits, their most famous, and most widely imitated skit was called “who’s on first”. I have a portion of it right here:
Abbott: ... Well, let's see, we have on the bags, Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third...
Costello: That's what I want to find out.
Abbott: I say Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third.
Costello: Are you the manager?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: You gonna be the coach too?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: And you don't know the fellows' names?
Abbott: Well I should.
Costello: Well then who's on first?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: I mean the fellow's name.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy on first.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The first baseman.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy playing...
Abbott: Who is on first!
Costello: I'm asking YOU who's on first.
Abbott: That's the man's name.
Costello: That's who's name?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Well go ahead and tell me.
Abbott: That's it.
Costello: That's who?
Abbott: Yes.
PAUSE
Costello: Look, you gotta first baseman?
Abbott: Certainly.
Costello: Who's playing first?
Abbott: That's right.
Costello: When you pay off the first baseman every month, who gets the money?
Abbott: Every dollar of it.
Costello: All I'm trying to find out is the fellow's name on first base.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy that gets...
Abbott: That's it.
Costello: Who gets the money...
Abbott: He does, every dollar. Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.
Costello: Whose wife?
Abbott: Yes.
PAUSE
Abbott: What's wrong with that?
Costello: Look, all I wanna know is when you sign up the first baseman, how does he sign his name?
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: How does he sign...
Abbott: That's how he signs it.
Costello: Who?
Abbott: Yes.
PAUSE
Costello: All I'm trying to find out is what's the guy's name on first base.
Abbott: No. What is on second base.
Costello: I'm not asking you who's on second.
Abbott: Who's on first.
Costello: One base at a time!
Abbott: Well, don't change the players around.
Costello: I'm not changing nobody!
Abbott: Take it easy, buddy.
Costello: I'm only asking you, who's the guy on first base?
Abbott: That's right.
Costello: Ok.
Abbott: All right.
PAUSE
Costello: What's the guy's name on first base?
Abbott: No. What is on second.
Costello: I'm not asking you who's on second.
Abbott: Who's on first.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott: He's on third, we're not talking about him.
Costello: Now how did I get on third base?
Abbott: Why you mentioned his name.
Costello: If I mentioned the third baseman's name, who did I say is playing third?
Abbott: No. Who's playing first.
Costello: What's on first?
Abbott: What's on second.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott: He's on third.
Costello: There I go, back on third again!
As we see from this routine, this could be a case of either not asking the right questions or making the mistake of interpreting the answers wrong. Such is the case in our gospel lesson today. We have a crowd of people who do not ask the right questions and based on their own biases interpret Jesus answers incorrectly.

At the beginning of this text we hear this phrase, “when they found him on the other side of the lake…” So, who are they? This is the part of the crowd that has recently been miraculously fed with the 5 loaves and 2 fish. After the feeding, Jesus and the disciples leave for Capernaum. We pick up the story at verse 22:

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
(John 6:22-24)

These folks are mystified as to how Jesus would have gotten to the western side of the lake and so they ask the question. “Rabbi, when did you get here?” This is the first of four mistaken questions the crowd asks. Jesus, in his answer reveals what their true motives were into asking that question. “You are looking for me not because of the miraculous signs, but because you had your fill”. Their question uncovers an unconscious hypocrisy. Jesus fed the 5000 so that those who saw and received would be directed to seek the true spiritual satisfaction of God’s teaching. However those who sought Jesus only wanted the material benefits. They imagined that the feeding was only the beginning of many similar miracles, each more thrilling, unexpected, and satisfying than the last instead of seeing the material miracle as a sign of God’s promise of spiritual food to draw them to God. For the crowd, following Christ would surely mean a more comfortable, exciting and luxurious life than ever before. Their question gives no hint of a true hunger for righteousness. Then Jesus gives two commands for the crowd. He first tells them not to work for food that is perishable. That is, cease to direct the efforts of your life into seeking material gain and temporary satisfaction. Just as food ultimately perishes so too the material things return to their origins. Jesus then commands the crowd to work for the food that endures for eternal life. That is put your efforts into seeking the true righteousness found in Christ. Matt 6:33 says this: “seek first his kingdom and righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you”. To seek Jesus righteousness means to receive his free gift of everlasting life. With this gift he gives all gifts that he sees his children need.

The second question by the crowd, “what must we do to do the works God requires?” again misses the mark. Having heard the word “work”, I imagine that their minds began thinking up different ways in which they could earn their right to more miracles. Their question reveals the superficiality and legalism of their lives as they seek a list of works of merit they can do themselves to entitle them to the reward of being fed. As Lutherans we know that this is wrong thinking. We know that there is absolutely nothing we can do to earn God’s gifts. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this over and over in his letters. Righteousness, justification, salvation, through Jesus, is a gift. Even Jesus’ reply to the crowd implies no work on their part. “The work of God is this: believe in the one He has sent”. Jesus’ reply involves the method by which God desires us to work for him. This is not some intellectual belief but a heartfelt belief. It is a deliberate choice on our part. Our belief then should be reflected in the way in which we serve him. It is not in mistaken service to earn our way, but rather our service is to live out our faith so that everything we do in church, home and in the community is done through Christ and for him.

What amazes me is the next question that the crowd asks, “What miraculous sign will you give?” Haven’t these people been paying attention? They’ve just witnessed thousands being fed with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. What more do they need? Yet they do want more. These are a hard hearted and selfish people. The fact that they invoke Moses implies that Jesus was not greater than Moses. They say in effect that “Hey you did it once, but Moses fed our ancestors for over forty years. If God has sent you do something greater than Moses. If Moses our first redeemer can cause the manna to fall, surely you can do better than that.” I’ve spoken of this kind of conditional belief before. I’ve told you of my own conditions for believing. In essence I've said “How can I trust you if you do not bless me with what I want.” [There are sometimes I feel like the man who brought his demon possessed boy to Jesus for healing who declares, “I believe. Help me in my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).] It is here that Jesus replies to the crowd’s misconceptions about the power of Moses. First he says, it was God, not Moses who gave the bread. He also makes the point that the manna was also perishable bread. He then goes on to say that it is not only this perishable bread that God the father sent, but the father has also sent true bread, that is Jesus, which gives life to the world.

This brings us to the final question. It is obvious at this point that the crowd just doesn’t get it. Like the Samaritan woman at the well in chapter 4, the people respond with a request that indicates their lack of understanding. Just as the Samaritan woman thought that Jesus had been speaking to her about physical water and thirst, so too the crowds respond as though Jesus has been offering physical bread that will forever fill their stomachs. In a sense, the crowds say the right words: "Lord, give us" (verse 34), but with the wrong understanding. To have properly heard Jesus' words would have prompted faith, not a fixation on bread. They have wrongly associated Jesus with Moses, rather than associating Jesus with the bread from Heaven. And so Jesus tells them plainly: “I am the bread of life.” “I am offering myself to you”. In other words the gift that they professed to request was already given to them. They just needed to accept the gift to receive him. In receiving they would be given this promise: “that he who believes in me will never hunger and never thirst”. We too are given this promise when we come to this table and are told, “This is the body of Christ given for you”. It is in the person of Jesus, of his work of redeeming us from the guilt and power of sin, and of his words to us that are the bread of life-this is the bread that should sustain and satisfy us completely.

Abbot and Costello crafted their “Who’s on first” routine on the premise that our language contains enough ambiguities to cause hilarious misunderstandings. On the other hand there should have been no misunderstanding between Jesus and those who wished to follow him. After all, in the feeding of the 5000 they should have seen the glory of what has happened. There was no ambiguity as to what had happened. What they witnessed was a sign pointing to Jesus himself as the bread of life. [And yet the crowd persisted in pursuing their own agendas.] Have you heard the phrase, “you are what you eat”? If so what “bread” are we eating? Is it is it “bread” that fills our bellies or is it “bread” that fills our souls? [That is a question that should not be misunderstood.] Amen.