耶穌一定很擅長自絕於人。首先，祂對自己的神性作了排他的宣告。其次，祂對法利賽人的宗教思想是出了名的輕視。此外，祂還相當的「孤僻」。祂本可以吸引一大群人奉行祂的每一句話，對祂忠心耿耿。但在本章裡，我們看到耶穌對這一群人最嚴重的冒犯。

        耶穌用五餅二魚餵飽了五千人以後，祂休息了一天。那晚，祂還在湖上散步──著實使祂的門徒大吃一驚。次日早晨，一些日前嘗過免費晚餐的人在迦百農找著了耶穌。他們就要求耶穌顯一個神蹟：「耶穌，來點天糧如何﹖」你相信嗎﹖他們五餅二魚的神蹟裡所吃下去的食物還沒消化完呢，現在他們卻又要耶穌行一個神蹟好叫他們能信祂。他們是瞎了眼嗎﹖還是太愚眛，或太遲鈍了﹖

        耶穌不管他們的愚鈍，而用比喻的語法告訴他們（繼續使用糧食的意象），祂是「生命的糧」。接下來的話大大冒犯了他們。

        耶穌對他們說，如果他們要有「永生」，他們將必須要「吃人子的肉，喝人子的血」。當眾人還在為這句話驚訝不已時，耶穌又繼續將自己的肉比做他們先祖所吃的嗎哪。難怪「從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行」（66節）。耶穌太過分了。猶太人聽多了有關異教徒吃人肉的野蠻習俗，他們可一點也不想效法外邦人的行徑，他們一定認為「耶穌太狂妄自大了」。而耶穌並沒有多作解釋，也不在意眾人離他而去。

        祂的門徒一點也不知道祂是指著自己在加略山之死說的，在那裡，祂成了「上帝的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的」。逾越節的筵席、祝謝過的餅和倒出來的酒成了救贖的象徵。每一次當我們享用餅和酒時，我們就「記念祂的死，直到祂來」。

        最大的冒犯已成了最偉大的救贖。

        親愛的主，我們現在停駐下來記念您破碎的身體和流出來的血。謝謝您為我們委身至死，願我們也對您表現出這樣完全的委身。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        Jesus certain was skilled in alienating people. First of all there were His very exclusive claims to deity. Secondly, there was His flagrant disregard for the religious sensibilities of the Pharisees. Then there was His “lonerism”; He would get a big crowd, hanging on His every word, and thought nothing of walking (or boating, as the case may be) away. But the great offense was what is recorded in this chapter.

        A day after Jesus had fed the five thousand with five barley loaves and two small fishes; He took the rest of the day off. That night He took a stroll on the lake – much to His disciples’ astonishment. The next morning, some of the crowd from the day before caught up with Him in Capernaum. They wanted another free meal, but Jesus wouldn’t co-operate. Then they asked for a sigh – “How about some heavenly bread, Jesus?” they asked. Can you believe it? The food they had ingested at the previous day’s miraculous meal wasn’t even digested, and they’re asking Jesus to perform “a miraculous sign” so they can believe in Him. Were they blind? Stupid? Or just plain dense?

        Jesus ignores their lobotomous density and tells them (to continue the bread imagery) that He is, metaphorically, the “bread of life”. Then comes the great offense.

        He tells them they’re going to have to “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood” if they want to have “life”. While they’re gasping at that, He goes on to compare the bread of His flesh to the manna, which their forefathers ate. Little wonder we read, “From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him” (v.66). Jesus had gone too far. They had all heard or read enough of pagan religious systems, which incorporated cannibalistic practices, and wanted nothing to do with this. “His ego has exploded”, they must have thought. And Jesus just let them go, without any further explanation.

        Little did any of His disciples realize that Jesus was speaking of His death on Calvary, where He became the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” The Passover Seder’s broken and blessed bread and the outpoured and blessed wine became the symbols of salvation. And every time we partake, we “remember His death, until He comes.”

        The great offense has become the great atonement.

        We pause now, beloved Lord, to remember Your broken body and spilt blood. Thank You for Your commitment to us, even unto death, and may we also exhibit such a total commitment to you.