John 6:27a (NRSV) Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.
Surely Jesus doesn’t mean we should not work to get money to buy food for our bodily nourishment. So what do you think he is talking about here?
The disciples are often confused by such sayings as these from Jesus. They tend to take things literally, while Jesus is speaking profound truths beyond the obvious.
Sometimes when we read the scripture word-for-word, we miss deeper meanings. If we read without guidance, we can be misled.
Metaphor, myth, and mystery often contain profound truth not found in literal translation. We may not like to entertain such a notion. It goes against our need to cling to truth instead of being open to truth.
What is this food that lasts forever? It is Jesus himself, the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. In his first of the seven great “I am” sayings, Jesus tells the disciples that he is that bread. Maybe when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we can also pray for this Daily Bread.
Join more than a half million readers worldwide who use Forward Day by Day as a resource for daily prayer and Bible study.
No comments:
Post a Comment