Lent Day 17 [3.9.2026] This is My Body

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. - John 6:51

Scripture: John 6:41-59

Jesus provides an uncomfortable imagery of salvation calling us to feed upon His flesh and drink His blood. Without taking this teaching out of proportion (not cannibalism or zombie devotion), we must understand the radical teaching presented through His words. The Jews began to grumble in disbelief claiming how ridiculous Jesus’ words are; after all, to them, Jesus was just a carpenter’s son. Jesus remind them that bread had come down to their ancestors once when God provided manna from Heaven. Yet in their grumbling and disbelief they died in the wilderness. Jesus points out that now before them stands the eternal manna and they too would die if they continue to grumble and deny the identity of Jesus Christ. In order to receive Jesus and gain eternal life, they are called to consume what God has provided to them as their salvation and redemption: the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is far from the physical sense but the idea metaphorically applies. We are what we eat. What we eat is the source of the nutrients that make up our body and maintain its function. What we eat is directly reflected in our bodily composition. Jesus calls us to spiritually consume Him so that He would be the composition of our souls, hearts, and lives. In this way, those who consume of Jesus would abide in Christ and Christ in them.

Reflection:

1.          Why is grumbling a dangerous habit that leads to disbelief?

2.          Why does thanksgiving overcome grumbling?

3.          How does Jesus as the bread of life give us reason to be eternally thankful?

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you that you sent your one and only Son to be the bread of life to all. Thank you that He was offered completely for the saving of my soul from eternal starvation. I pray that you would meet my spiritual hunger today with the bread of life who gives freely and abundantly. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

제목: 이것은 내 몸이다

본문: 요한복음 6:41–59

예수님은 구원에 대해 매우 도전적이고 불편하게 들릴 수 있는 비유를 사용하십니다. 바로 자신의 살을 먹고 피를 마셔야 한다고 말씀하신 것입니다. 물론 이 말씀은 문자적인 의미의 식인 행위나 기괴한 헌신을 말하는 것이 아닙니다. 우리는 예수님의 말씀 속에 담긴 급진적이고 깊은 영적인 의미를 이해해야 합니다.

이 말씀을 듣고 유대인들은 믿지 못하며 수군거리기 시작합니다. 그들에게 예수님은 그저 목수의 아들일 뿐이었기 때문입니다. 예수님은 그들에게 하나님께서 옛 조상들에게 하늘에서 만나를 내려 주셨던 일을 상기시켜 주십니다. 그러나 그들은 불평과 불신 가운데 광야에서 죽었습니다.

예수님은 이제 그들 앞에 영원한 만나가 서 있다고 말씀하십니다. 그러나 그들이 계속해서 수군거리고 예수님의 정체성을 거부한다면 그들 역시 죽게 될 것이라고 경고하십니다.

예수님을 받아들이고 영생을 얻기 위해서는 하나님께서 구원과 속죄를 위해 주신 것을 받아들여야 합니다. 그것은 바로 예수 그리스도의 몸과 피입니다. 이것은 육체적인 의미가 아니라 영적인 비유입니다.

우리는 우리가 먹는 것으로 이루어집니다. 우리가 먹는 음식은 우리 몸을 이루고 기능하도록 하는 영양분의 근원이 됩니다. 우리의 식습관은 곧 우리의 몸에 그대로 나타납니다.

마찬가지로 예수님은 우리가 영적으로 그분을 먹고 받아들이라고 부르십니다. 그럴 때 예수님이 우리의 영혼과 마음과 삶의 본질이 되십니다. 이렇게 예수님을 받아들이는 사람은 그리스도 안에 거하고, 그리스도도 그 안에 거하시게 됩니다.

묵상 질문

1. 왜 불평하는 습관은 불신으로 이어지는 위험한 습관일까요?

2. 왜 감사는 불평을 이길 수 있을까요?

3. 생명의 떡이 되신 예수님은 왜 우리에게 영원한 감사의 이유가 되실까요?

   
   

기도

사랑하는 하나님, 모든 사람에게 생명의 떡이 되시도록 독생자 예수님을 보내주셔서 감사합니다. 제 영혼이 영원한 굶주림에 빠지지 않도록 예수님께서 온전히 자신을 내어주셨음을 감사합니다. 오늘도 제 영적인 배고픔을 생명의 떡 되신 예수님으로 채워 주시고, 그 은혜를 풍성히 누리게 하소서. 예수님의 이름으로 기도합니다. 아멘.