ACC ~ John 6 v35

DESIRE THE BREAD OF GOD

IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH: Do not talk about Jesus Christ while you desire the world. Do not let envy dwell among you…. I take no pleasure in corruptible food or the pleasures of this life. I want the bread of God, which is the flesh of Christ who is of the seed of David; and for drink I want his blood, which is incorruptible love. EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS 7. [1]

[1] AF 173-75.

THE BREAD IS A REFERENCE TO THE GODHEAD

CHRYSOSTOM: Now he proceeds to commit to them mysteries. First, he speaks of his Godhead, saying, “I am the bread of life.” For this is not spoken of his body since he says toward the end, “And the bread that I shall give is my flesh.” At present, [bread of life] refers to his Godhead, [1] which is “bread” through God the Word, just as this bread [of the sacrament] through the Spirit descending on it, is made heavenly bread. Here he does not use witnesses as in his former address, for he had the miracle of the loaves to witness to him and also had the Jews themselves for a while pretending to believe him. In the former case they opposed and accused him. This is the reason why here he declares himself. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 45.2. [2]

[1] Cf. Theodore of Heraclea below.

[2] NPNF 1 14:161*.

THE BREAD OF LIFE GIVES POWER OVER DEATH

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: In effect, Jesus is saying, “I am the bread of life,” not bodily bread, which merely eliminates the physical suffering brought on by hunger, but rather that bread that refashions the entire living being to eternal life. The human being, who had been created for eternal life, is now given power over death. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 3.6. [1]

[1] LF 43:373-74**.

CHRIST PRESERVES OUR BODY FOR INCORRUPTION

THEODORE OF HERACLEA: Since earthly bread customarily does give life to our weak nature of the flesh, [Christ] also does this through the energy of the Spirit by making the spirit alive and preserving the body for incorruptible incorruption after the resurrection and giving this to those who believe in him. Certainly he calls his flesh the bread of life in this place since it is eaten in the sacrament. FRAGMENTS ON JOHN 33. [1]

[1] JKGK 73.

THE BENEFITS OF FREQUENT COMMUNION

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: What then does Christ promise? Nothing corruptible, but rather that blessing [1] in the participation of his holy flesh and blood that restores humanity wholly to incorruption so that it should need none of the things that normally drive off the death of the flesh, for example, food and drink…. The holy body of Christ gives life to those who have it within themselves, and by holding them together, [it] grants incorruption, inasmuch as it is commingled with our bodies…. Since these things are so, let those who have been baptized and tasted the divine grace understand this: if they are sluggish or reluctant about going to church and for long periods of time keep away from the eucharistic gift through Christ, feigning a pernicious reverence by not partaking of him sacramentally, they exclude themselves from eternal life inasmuch as they decline to be enlivened. Thus, their refusal [to partake of the Eucharist] though seeming to be an expression of reverence, is turned into a snare and an offense. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 3.6. [2]

[1] The Eucharist.

[2] LF 43:376**.

THE BREAD OF CHRIST IS THE FOOD OF SAINTS

AMBROSE: [Christ] is a rich treasure, for his bread is rich. And “rich” is an apt term, for one who has eaten this bread will be unable to feel hunger. He gave it to the apostles to distribute to a believing people, [1] and today he gives it to us. For he, as a priest, daily consecrates it with his own words. Therefore this bread has become the food of saints. ON THE PATRIARCHS 9.38. [2]

[1] Mt 15:36.

[2] FC 65:263*.

JESUS GIVES REAL FOOD, REAL LIFE

THEODORE OF HERACLEA: Because we have all died to sin—or because after the eternal, incorruptible resurrection he will give life to those who believe, when there will be neither food nor drink perceived by the senses—therefore we “will certainly not hunger.” To be sure, the manna of those who ate it “in the desert” nourished the body for a little while, but it did not contribute anything to the soul to help it live virtuously and nobly. All of them (except for a few) were discovered to have been godless. But the living Bread recovered the souls of the believers by his words of life and procured real life for the world. FRAGMENTS ON JOHN 31. [1]

[1] JKGK 72-73.