Was Jesus speaking metaphorically in the Bread of Life Discourse?

Was Jesus speaking metaphorically in the Bread of Life Discourse?

Initially, the crowd believed Jesus was speaking metaphorically. Jesus addressed this metaphorical interpretation the crowd had and gave “literal imagery” 3 TIMES before the crowd finally took him literally.

First Literal Imagery

Jesus says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” 32-33

The crowd thinks that he is referring to literal bread; they don’t think that he’s referring to himself. Their response is, “Lord, give us this bread always.” 34

Second Literal Imagery

After the crowd did not understand, Jesus said to them: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 35-38

The crowd still doesn’t take him literally. They instead are shocked that he said he came down from heaven. “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 42

The crowd disregards the “bread of life” reference entirely and assumes it to be metaphorical.

Third Literal Imagery...

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