The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-09
BY M. j. Mclean

Jesus the Bread OF Lie. JONI
6:22-4O.
BY M. j. Mclean
The first thing to observe in the
study of this lesson is the'methphor'
ical language found in the nara
tive. Metaphor is figure Of speech
in which one subject is likened te
another by asserting it to be that
other, or by speaking of it as if il
were that other. When Jesus speaks
of himself as the bread of life, he
gives increased vitality to the word
This suggests the importance OF
studying the words of Jesus if oul
souls are to be fed on his character
and life. His gospel should be stud.
led carefully by every one claiming
to be his disciple. There is no other
way by which one can assimilate his
spiritual strength more than the
body can assimilate physical
strength from another who eats
your pOILlOn OI IOOO.
The narrative follows the incident
after the feeding of the five thous-
and when the crowd attempted to
make him king. The easiest way for
him to foil their plan was to get
out Of their reach. When they dis
eoved he had gone and was not with
his disciples, they went to Caper-
nsum seeking him. When they had
found him on the other side Of the
sea, he said unto them, Eye seek me
not because We saw the miracles,
but because We did eat Of the loaves
end were filled. Labor not for the
meat which perisheth, but for that
meat which endureth unto ever
lasting life, which the Son Of man
hall give unto you: for him hath
cod the Father sealed" Here they
seemed unable to grasp his view
yeint, for they asked how they
might work the works Of God. He
easwered their question with these
words: "This i the work Of God,
hat ye believe on him whom he hath
ssnt." Although they had followed
him on account Of his power to work
miracles, q sign was asked for, that
they might believe on him. These
followers of Christ were seeking
meat which would perish. Their mo-
tive was the lowest. Unless we can
sssimilate the food we eat, it will
rot in the body and make it's poss-
essor sick. When it is assimilated, its
sustenance is materialized in a new
form, bone and flesh and blood. The
kind of food Christ offered his
disciples was spiritual food. Faith in
him as the Son of God would en-
able them to work the works Of God.
This does not perish. 1t is sealed up
in the soul, like the honey in the
honeycomb.
Here their attention was turned
to history and they recalled how tie
children Of Israel were fed witt,
mama. This bread came from hea-
ven. they said. cant you rival Moses
and bring down a sign from heaven
also. The bread you fed us with was
already here. Quite true. Jesus in
formed them, but both the mamma
and the bread T fed to you are per-
ishable. But the real bread of God
Is Ee which cometh down from hea-
ven, having the life Of God and Civ
ing the life of God unto the world. y!
| am the bread of Life. he that
cometh to me shall never hunger;
he that believeth on me shall never |
thirst" Then he said unto them, /
sfe also have seen me, and believe /
not They were striving to prove he !
was q mere man. Men have never
,een Plato, Aristotle, Homer, Shake I
'peake, and aiaer Great historical
characters OF the past whose lives
ire still a potent influence in the
world, yet they do not strive to
prove that some of these historical
ever existed at all
The last verses OF the lesson bear
N the doctrine of selection. Jesus
:ame down from heaven, not to do
lis own will, but the will of the
Father which sent him, to lose none
ghich the Father had given him, but
Q wi sH faith unto everlasting
lfe and to zaise them up at the last
nv. The salvation Of man is bound
p with Christ. Those protesting
iscipleship, should be concerned
bout their loyalty to him and have
heir souls strengthened with, his
fe and spirit every dsy. One is aott,
real Christian because he has been
aptized, nor because he Believes i
sersed from Is purely iatsilscsaal I