Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 14:13-21

The disciples were like any other religious groups. They felt that they have done enough for the people. People have been healed and they have listened to their master and hence what more did they have the need of the master; and so they wanted the crowd to be dismissed.

Jesus was a different type of a leader. He did not just satisfy their requests only. He went beyond their requests and looked into their needs and had pity on them. He taught the disciples to go beyond their requests and look into their unexpressed needs.

சீடர்கள் மற்ற தலைவர்கள் பிற சபை தலைவர்கள் போல் சிந்திக்கிறார்கள். மக்கள் எதற்காக வந்தார்களோ அது நிறைவேறிவிட்டது அவாகள் திரும்பிப்போகலாம் என்று நினைக்கிறார்கள். இயேசு அவ்வாறு அல்ல. அவர்கள் விரும்பிக் கேட்காத ஆனால் அத்தியாவசியமான தேவைகளையும் நிறைவு செய்கிறார்.

GOSPEL READING: JOHN 6:24-35

Jews believed in signs. Signs revealed the presence of the divine. Their journey of exodus began with the signs. God worked signs against the Egyptian which were proofs that God was with them. Later he worked signs for them in the wilderness and they were again proofs of the presence of God among them. God redeemed them with signs and wonders. Now they asked Jesus to work miracles to prove the presence of God in him and in his activities.

In this passage Jesus reproached them for going lower than asking for signs. They were coming to him because of food. They came to him for food that perished. People who experienced the divine; seen the signs from the divine were stooping down to material things. He challenged them to go after eternal things: eternal food. Eternal food has to come from above (from the Father) and Jesus was the one who came down from the Father and he is the eternal food.

இறைவனை அரும்அடையாளங்களில் கண்ட மக்கள் அழிந்துபோகும் உணவை தேடுகிறார்கள். இயேசு அவர்களை சாடுகிறார். மேலுலகிலிருந்து வரும் அடையாளங்கள் கண்டு இறைவனோடு வாழ்ந்த மக்கள் (பாலைநிலத்தில் நாற்பது ஆண்டுகளாய்) அழிந்துபோகும் உணவுக்காக அழைகிறார்கள். அழியாத உணவு தந்தையிடமிருந்துதான் வரும். இயேசுதான் தந்தையிடமிருந்து வந்தவர்; நிலைவாழ்வுதரும் உணவு இயேசுதான்.