Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: JOHN 6:1-15

A large crowd followed Jesus because of the signs that he was performing on the sick. John does not say that the crowd was with him for a long period of time. They were just coming and Jesus was asking Philip about feeding them. The author also says that the feast of Passover was near. These background materials are important for what was about to happen: large crowd, signs that Jesus was performing, disciples’ inability, and Passover.

Humanly speaking what was going to happen was impossible. Two hundred days’ wages worth of food is a big amount for a small group (Jesus and his disciples). Among the crowd there was a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish but that would not be sufficient for so many. Jesus performed another sign among his followers. This sign was preceded by giving thanks to God and distributing the bread among the people. Giving thanks and distributing make up the sign.

அரும் அடையாளங்களை கண்ட மக்கள் இயேசுவை பின்தொடர்கிறார்கள். மீண்டும் ஒரு அடையாளம் காணவே. மனித சூழலில் அது நடக்க முடியாதது. அவ்வளவு பெரிய கூட்டத்திற்கு உணவு வாங்க அந்த குழுவிடம் பணம் இல்லை. உடனிருக்கும் சிறுவனிடம் உள்ள உணவோ பற்றாதது. இந்த அரும் அடையாளத்திற்கு பின்னணியாய் இருப்பவைகள்: பாஸ்கா பெருவிழா> அரும் அடையாளங்கள்> பெரும்கூட்டம்> சீடர்களின் இயலாமை.

GOSPEL READING: JOHN 3:31-36

‘The one who comes from above (Jesus)’ is contrasted with ‘the one from the earth. There are many people whose life and teaching are from the earth or earthbound. Their goal in life is earthbound and their lifestyle etc. They trust only those who speak of such earthly realities like success, self fulfilment, satisfaction, wealth, and so on.

The end of such people is destruction. It is not that God is a tyrant who sits there to punish these people. But the road that they have chosen is earthly and earthbound and hence it leads to corruption and destruction and decay. But anyone who listens to the Word (God has spoke through Jesus and God word is in Jesus/ is Jesus/ is active through him and he has come to bring the Spirit of God) then they are heaven bound because God is in them and His word is in them.

மேலிருந்து வருபவர் இயேசு. அவர் விண்ணுலகு சார்ந்தவற்றைப்பற்றி பேசுகிறார். அவரே வார்த்தை> அவரில் வார்த்தை உள்ளது> அவர் வழியாக வார்த்தை வெளிப்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. இயேசு வார்த்தையை கேட்டு அவர்வழி நடப்போர் விண்சார்ந்த வாழ்க்கை வாழ்வர். உலகுசார்ந்த வாழ்வு வாழ்வோர் அழிவுக்குச் செல்வர்.