Year B (Mark), 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The New Manna from Heaven (John 6:16-35)
Nephilim -> Noah (Genesis 7-10)
Opening Prayer/Prayer Intentions
Jesus is the New Manna from Heaven (John 6:1-15)
Context: The Gospel of John only gives us seven miracles, which he calls “signs” because they point to something beyond the miracles. Two of the miracle-signs are about food and, so far, both of them have now occurred: earlier in John, Jesus turned the large clay jars of water into wine at the wedding in Cana, and last week Jesus fed the 5000 near the Sea of Galilee. Bread and Wine! These Eucharistic themes are what tees up the entire chapter of John 6.
If you recall last week, after feeding the 5000 Jesus departed the crowds as the people were wanting make him king. This is where the reading below picks up.
Jesus Walks on the Sea John 6:16-21
When evening came, the disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and set off across the sea for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. The sea was rough and a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed three to four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat. They were frightened, but he said to them, “It is me [literally = “I am”]. Do not be afraid.” They willingly received him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
Q: What is did Jesus say to reassure the disciples? He said, “I AM,” which is how God referred to himself in the Exodus. Q: What was the sign? (The meaning of the miracle?) Jesus was divine. Only God has power over nature.
Q: What is the water connection to Exodus?
God parts the Red Sea, Jesus walks over the Sea.
Jesus is the New Manna from Heaven John 6:22-35
On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to
Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food [mammon] that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God: that you believe in the one he sent.”
So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
Q: Why are they impatiently looking for him?
a) Because he disappeared on them (another miracle!) b) Because they wanted to make him king
c) Because they wanted to see another miracle? d) Because they were ready for more food? e) all of the above
This time Jesus comments specifically about (d) but at other times the others are alluded to so all of these in some combination.
Q: Why does Jesus respond with two ‘Amens’?
Because they are missing faith. They ask what works they can do to but Jesus is telling them they need faith first. Faith and works, but faith first. Faith connects the works to God rather than to self.
Our “work of God” is to believe in God, because if we do, then we will be tethered to the truth as we live our lives. Don’t misunderstand, the works of love and charity that Christ calls us to through all the Gospels are also required of us, but all works start and finish with faith.
Q: What to the Jews mean when they say, “Sir, give us this bread always”?
The Manna in the desert was temporal and temporary. Temporal – this life/this world. Temporary – 40 years. Always means always!
Q: How does Jesus identify himself in the last verse:
“I AM. The identity of God.
I AM … the Bread of Life. God comes to earth and is the Bread of Eternal Life.
Genesis 6: 1-8 The Wickedness of Men and The Nephilim
We left off after Cain kills his brother and heads off to Nod, Seth is born, and the genealogy in chapter 5.
Genesis 6:1-8
When people began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and took any they wanted as wives.
And the Lord Yahweh said, “My Spirit shall not strive within these men forever, for they are flesh, but their days shall be numbered one hundred and twenty years.”
The Nephilim were upon the earth in those days, when the sons of God came to the daughters of men and they brought forth children. These were the heroes of days gone by, men of renown.
The Lord saw that human wickedness was great upon the earth and that every thought of his heart was bent upon evil continually. He regretted having made humankind and it grieved him in his heart, saying, “I shall rid the earth of these human beings whom I have created – from man and beast, from creeping animals to the fowl of the air – for I regret that I have made them.
But Noah won Yahweh’s favor.
Q: Does anyone know who the Nephilim are, or have you heard of them before?
Nephilim is translated from Hebrew as "giant" and also "fallen." It could also refer to great in the sense of renowned/famous/celebrated - but not necessarily good (i.e., Goliath). The "heroes and kings of old" were probably a bit of both (fallen and famous!).
Three theories of who the Nephilim were:
Theory #1: Literal reading of the text: The Nephilim were heavenly beings. The only other spiritual beings besides God were angels, and so it would had to have been the fallen angels who had relations with the daughters of men, resulting in a semi-supernatural beings.
Theory #2: The "Sons of God" are the offspring of Seth, however they turned their backs on God, were corrupted, and then were attracted to the beautiful women of the cities (Cain's line - Gen 4:17 Cain's wife bore him a son, Enoch, in whose name built the first city).
Theory #3: The "Sons of God" are the offspring of Cain and they intermarried with other evolving humans who were not descendants of Eden.
The arguments against the literal theory are several. The first is that angels don't have bodies and don't procreate, as Jesus explained to the Sadducees in Matthew 22:29-30. The second reason is that there is a reference to the Nephilim again several thousand years later when the Israelites of Exodus are surveying the promised land before inhabiting it; the scouts return to Moses claiming that some of the land's inhabitants belonged to the offspring of the Nephilim! (Numbers 13:33). Perhaps these were the ancestors of Goliath, who was a man. Regardless, the literal story would have had the Nephilim destroyed by the flood, but clearly the Hebrews thought they were still around.
Q: What is the Catholic Church’s official interpretation of the Nephilim?
The Catholic Church does not offer an official interpretation of this chapter.
Q: Why didn't the Church just pull this part of Chapter 6 out of the bible when they were formulating the canon?
Because the Church is not free to edit scripture.
Don’t worry, my guess is when we die, God will probably say, "I can't believe you guys didn't get that one! You see, it's like this...."
End of Genesis 6: 9-22 Noah
After these passages about the Nephilim, we engage Noah, whose name was introduced at the end of the previous genealogy. In the midst of evil overrunning the world, God finds a righteous man!
In verse 8, we read, “Noah won Yahweh’s favor.”
God then says to Noah,
“The world is filled with iniquity and the end of all flesh is before me … make thee an ark!”
God instructs Noah how to make the ark in some detail, The Ark was approximately 500 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 50 feet high, with one window at the top. He then gives Noah instructions about bringing animals and provisions aboard.
God tells Noah he is making a covenant with Noah, and the chapter concludes with, “Noah did all that God commanded him.”
Next Week: Genesis 7-10 The Flood and Aftermath
Closing Prayer
Eucharistia: Thank you, Lord, I am grateful for your saving presence in my life.
Maranatha: Come, Lord, enter, and make your home with me.
Kenosis: Lord, I will try to empty myself as you did, to be present to others.
Metanoia: Today, every moment, I yoke my mind, my heart, and my soul to You.
O Divine Wisdom and eternal Word of the Father,
I humbly ask you, by your grace,
to purge all harmful and unprofitable words from my mind and lips,
so that my mouth may never open but to the benefit of others, and to your praise and honor. Amen.
Taylor’s addition
Oh Lord…
…this is it!
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