“Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. (KJV John 6: 43)
“Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over me.” (MESSAGE John 6:43)
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. (NIV John 6:43)
“Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves.” (NRSV John 6:43)
I have not blogged in a couple of months mostly because I didn’t think I had much new to say. Then I came across this verse and remembering cancel culture and all the negative information silos on social media, I found my voice again. To murmur is to express subdued discontent or anger. It’s what the Israelites did in the wilderness. They murmured about Moses. They complained about not having food or water. They bickered about being lost. And they spent 40 years wandering so God could prove fidelity to them in meeting their needs. I love the word murmur because it’s archaic and not used much today so I rationalize it as something I would not do. Ha! LOL. But really, I can bicker, grumble and complain as much as the next person. Yet years of complaining have taught me that it doesn’t get much done to better the situation and does have the potential to make things worse.
In this passage from the Gospel of John, Jesus is teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum after he fed the 5000 and walked on water. The disciples have committed to Jesus and the crowds are hearing the good news of miracles. Jesus is getting a following. He’s getting lots of likes at this point in the ministry. Capernaum was a town on the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was about 20 miles northeast from Nazareth where Jesus grew up—this is Northern Israel, far from Jerusalem. Still early in His ministry, according to John, Jesus has already turned water into wine at the Wedding in Cana. I think our Gospel writer has that in the back of his mind too as he considers what Jesus is teaching.
The crowd asks Jesus where he came from. They wanted some background bio. And Jesus responds with one of His memorable “I am” statement: “I am the bread of life.” Naturally as any good orator would use the memory of the previous experiences with the people, Jesus is referencing his feeding of the 5000. He is linking this to his mission to be a source of genuine life (both now and eternally) with God. As they ask for more signs as proof, like manna given to their ancestors in the desert, they are searching for miracles to believe in him. He is also reminding them that the chief goal of faith is not to demand miracles, but to believe that God is real and offers eternal life in relationship with God. Food and water are, after all, the things that keep our bodies running in this world. He implies that his actions and teaching are also the things that keep our spirits humming in relationship with God. The crowd is a little obtuse and can’t digest this metaphorical teaching. So they murmur, grumble, bicker, and complain amongst themselves. No one thought to raise their hand and say. “I don’t quite understand this, Jesus. Could you explain it again in a way I can understand?”
Luther relied on the sacrament of Holy Communion as the explanation for Jesus’ “I am the bread of life” identity statement. In God’s perfect plan, the murmuring at Capernaum contributes to the conflict that would eventually lead to Jesus’ execution and God’s redemptive plan in the resurrection. Luther also wisely used the phrase “in, with and under” to explain Jesus’ physical presence in the bread and wine. This sidesteps the dogma of details possible when you consider just how we might actually be eating the flesh of Christ in this ritual. Luther understood that faith requires us to leave some things beyond human explanation and to learn to just trust God. And so we pray: Lord, increase our faith!
When we gather to celebrate Holy Communion, we are worshipping in a setting that intentionally recalls Christ’s teachings and edifies our spiritual growth. The goal is twofold: Praise God and strengthen our faith in God. This is best done in a community that reminds us we are not alone and we are loved by God. We profess our faith so that others see it when we resite the Apostle’s or Nicene Creed. We celebrate the resurrection every Sunday by remembering Christ-Messiah’s last supper with His disciples and rededicating ourselves to serving the Lord and to trying once more to follow the path of discipleship. Some spiritually inclined folks who may struggle with theology or the sins of organized religious demonimations may miss this opportunity to praise God and refocus their lives to share God’s love in the world. Perhaps they are trapped by a past hurt or resentment over a wrong done to them by “their church.” Others who are locked in the negativity of social media and news silos centered on specific partisan ideas also miss the opportunity to improve the social contract we have in our corporate lives and communities. They are, sadly, locked in negativity. There is good reason to invite these folks to return to worship in a community of faith. It is positive and more constructive for human life than the path they currently follow. Worship in community is Good News!
We just have to remember to not murmur among ourselves! This is a command from the Lord! It is written in red in the King James Version. Heed the warning that nothing good comes from complaining, bickering, murmuring, and grumbling. Complaining among yourselves in the codependent relationship model is like triangling which of course traps you in the impossible loop of victim, persecutor, rescuer. God has broken this triangle with Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are free to take appropriate action when something we don’t like happens. Life in God’s circle of love is sooo much more fulfilling that the co-dependent triangle. Relationships are more authentic and loving. God’s help converts anger to passionate active response that improves the situation and solves conflicts with mutually successful ressolutions. Let’s look at alternatives:
1. Express you opinion without blaming anyone or anything. It’s okay to be mad. Just don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Get it out and deal with the issue calmly using “I” language, not “you” language.
2. When you are in conflict with someone else, recognize that Christ also died for the other person. This helps you be gentler and more loving even within the context of the conflict.
3. While God is the ultimate arbiter, you can ask someone else to arbitrate the discussion. Pick a mature neutral party who does not have an interest in one side or the other when you do this. This may also lead to the use of a professional therapist who can teach you to “fight fairly.”
4. Separate needs from wants when you are in conflict over issues in our life.
5. Pray about it first. Yes, that seems like a cliché, but you need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to prevent you from falling into the triangle of co-dependency and to keep you open and honest in conflict resolution skills.
6. Walk away. If you find yourself in a group where the situation is becoming violent. Do not try to intervene. Ask God’s presence in the situation and know your limits. It’s okay to walk away now if it will help defuse the situation. Just say “I need a time out.” and leave.
7. When you hear someone complaining remind them “You can always complain, but how about doing something useful about it?”
For Your consideration:
1. Read the 6th Chapter of John. If you were in the crowd, what would have been your reaction?
2. Work on complaining less by asking a trusted friend to stop you whenever that friend hears you complaining. Call this person you self-improvement friend.
3. Ask someone who hasn’t been to church in a while to join you for worship. If they turn you down, ask the reason and pray for healing and an open heart to accept the community of faith again.
4. Journal about your feelings and beliefs about holy communion and Jesus’ I am the bread of life statement.