Discourse on the true bread of life

Capernaum

John 6:22-59
22On the next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea realized that there had been no other boat there except the one Jesus' disciples had gotten into, and that Jesus himself had not gotten into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23Then other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do to do the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “What sign then are you going to perform so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” [] 32Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life0x3B he who comes to me will never hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and I will never cast out anyone who comes to me. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of the Father who sent me, that I should lose none of those he has given me, but should raise them up on the last day. 40And this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” 41Then the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone therefore who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— [] 46not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God0x3B he has seen the Father. 47Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52Then the Jews began to quarrel with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me will also live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna, and died. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59He said these things in a synagogue while teaching in Capernaum.

John 6:22-59

22On the next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea realized that there had been no other boat there except the one Jesus' disciples had gotten into, and that Jesus himself had not gotten into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23Then other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do to do the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “What sign then are you going to perform so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” [*] 32Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life0x3B he who comes to me will never hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and I will never cast out anyone who comes to me. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of the Father who sent me, that I should lose none of those he has given me, but should raise them up on the last day. 40And this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” 41Then the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone therefore who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— [*] 46not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God0x3B he has seen the Father. 47Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52Then the Jews began to quarrel with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me will also live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna, and died. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59He said these things in a synagogue while teaching in Capernaum.

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Capernaum

Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ ministry, is no longer inhabited. Although abandoned after the Islamic conquest of the seventh century, the earthquake of 747 A.D. left the town desolate, and only remains are left. It was once a thriving town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. As you pass the vibrant colors of the bougainvillea, eucalyptus and palm trees at the entrance, you are reminded of the fertility of the soil and the mild climate.

Only part of the city lies within the walls of the Franciscan compound. To the east of the walls is another part of the city owned by the Greek Orthodox Church. Most of the city in which Jesus ministered lies unexcavated, eastward along the shore and northward toward the hills. You can see black basalt stones in the fields, indicating the remains of buildings below the soil. This lovely village, with its white limestone synagogue and black basalt houses, gives evidence of its prosperity over several centuries.

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Capernaum

Footnotes

John 6,31

Exodus 16:4+15; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalms 78:24; 105:40

John 6,45

Isaiah 54:13