Page:Philochristus, Abbott, 1878.djvu/212

204 CHAPTER XVI.

How, after the Death of John the Prophet, Jesus foresaw that he also must be slain; and of the Bread of Life, and the Feeding of the Five Thousand; and concerning the Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Now so it was that, at this time, the more the hearts of the people were drawn toward Jesus (for though the people of Nazareth had rejected him, yet was he much honored in the rest of Galilee), so much the more did Jesus seem to thrust them away. For he began to teach us at this time that he should give us no new law, but a certain manna or bread from heaven. Now if he had said no more than this, this was not hard to understand; for our Scribes also taught in parables after this fashion: but he added that this manna or bread from heaven should be himself, his flesh and his blood, which should be given for the life of the world. Now albeit I have myself heard the Scribes speak of "the days when Israel shall eat the Messiah," meaning that Israel shall enjoy the presence of the Messiah, yet Jesus seemed to mean somewhat more than this, insomuch that his words were a stumbling block unto many. And straightway many of them departed from him.

But when I went (according to my wont) to question Nathaniel touching these words, he replied that they were hidden from him also. Notwithstanding it seemed to him that at this time our Master was receiving some new