John 6:41

When the people that had come from Judea hear these words from Jesus’ lips their attitude turns sour.  They begin to take on a negative attitude towards his claim, “I am the Bread that was sent from heaven.”  John 6:41 EFP

It is becoming clear the majority of the people had not traveled all that distance only to be sent away with talk of bread from heaven.  They want more bread again, from heaven or elsewhere, to fill their stomachs.  They do not seem interested in spiritual bread that will not squelch their hunger.

Of particular annoyance to them is the audacity of Jesus in describing himself as the bread that came from heaven—as if he was a present day miracle of God.  Unlike Nicodemus and the Samaritan Woman, who finally grasped the spiritual nature of his message, this group is not willing to surrender their understanding to the Holy Spirit in order to apply Jesus’ words to their lives.  They miss the spiritual message by getting hung up on the human words used to convey the heavenly truth. 

Do I react this way to the message I read in Scripture?  Do I miss the point when I approach the Bible without acknowledging my need for spiritual understanding which can only some from the Holy Spirit?  I end my time in the word and go away hungry because I do not take time to ask the Word to be in me and help me understand what he has to say to me at that moment.  I believe I do at times fall into this trap…and that is truly my loss.