Guided reading · 4 passages
Bread from heaven
Manna, Wisdom offering herself as food, and the synagogue argument in John 6. A triple typology: wilderness, Christ, Eucharist.
Exodus 16:4–15
Bread from heaven
16:4Then the Lord said to Moses: “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Let the people go out and collect what is sufficient for each day, so that I may test them, as to whether or not they will walk in my law
16:5But on the sixth day, let them prepare what they use for carrying, and let there be double what they were accustomed to collect on a single day.
16:6And Moses and Aaron said to the sons of Israel: “In the evening, you will know that the Lord has led you away from the land of Egypt
16:7And in the morning, you will see the glory of the Lord. For he has heard your murmuring against the Lord. But as for us, truly what are we, that you would whisper against us?
Wisdom 16:20–21
Bread ready without labor
16:20Instead of these things, you nourished your people with the food of angels, and, having prepared bread from heaven, you served them without labor that which holds within itself every delight and the sweetness of every flavor
16:21For your nature showed your sweetness, which you hold within your sons, and serving the will of each one, it was converted to what each one preferred
Sirach 24:19–22
Come to me, eat of my fruit
24:19I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road
24:20I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh
24:21And I perfumed my dwelling place with sweet gum, and aromatic resin, and flower petals, and aloe, as well as the finest cedar from Lebanon. And my fragrance is like undiluted balsam
24:22I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace
John 6:31–51
The true bread from heaven
6:31Our fathers ate manna in the desert, just as it has been written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’
6:32Therefore, Jesus said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, Moses did not give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven
6:33For the bread of God is he who descends from heaven and gives life to the world.
6:34And so they said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.