Work And Food

Operamini non cibum, qui perit, sed qui permanet in vitam æternam, quem Filius hominis dabit vobis. Hunc enim Pater signavit Deus. Operamini, id est, operose requirite, non cibum qui perit, id est, carnalem, quia primae ad Cor sexto: Esca ventri, et venter escis, Deus autem et hunc, et has destruet. Matth quintodecimo: Omne quod in os intrat, in ventrem vadit etc. Sed cibum, qui permanet in vitam aeternam, id est, cibum spiritalem. Iste cibus est verbum Dei, qui in aeternum permanet. Unde Isaiae quadragisemo dicitur: Verbum Domini nostri manet in aeternum, et ideo dat vitam aeternam. Joan eodem: Domine ad quem ibimus? verba vitae aeternae habes. Hunc cibum dat Christus, propterea dicit: Quem Filius hominis dabit vobis, tanquam bonus pastor. Joan decimo: Per me si quis introierit, salvabitur, et ingredietur, et egredietur, et pascua inveniet. Et quod ipsius sit hunc cibum dare, ostendit: Hunc enim Pater signavit Deus. Signavit signo fui testimonii, ipsum esse suum Filium ostendit, qui possit vitam et cibum dare Matth tertito in baptismo: Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi complacui. Vel signavit, id est, proprio signo diserevit ab aliis, ut sit singularis, et in omnibus primatum tenens. Diserevit enim Pater Christum triplici diseretione, scilicet, Verbi unione supra primo: Verbum caro factum est; donorum plentitudine supra tertio: Non ad mensuram dat Deus spiritum, peccati immunitate supra primo: Ecce agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi. Ista signatio praesignata est Agaei ultimo: Assumam te Zorobabel fili Salathiel serve meus, dicit Dominus, et ponam te quasi signaculum, quia te elegi, dicit Dominus exercituum. Per Zorobabel intelligitur Christus. Ideo de agno Exod tertiodecimo: Erit quasi signum in manu tua, et quasi monumentum ante oculos tuos. Sanctus Boneventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput VI Source: Here, p667-668

Labour not for the food which perishes, but for that which remains in eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you. God the Father has put His seal on Him. 1 'Labour', that is, seek with toil, 'not for the food that perishes,' that is, not the carnal, because it says in the sixth chapter of First Corinthians: 'Food for the belly and the belly for food, but God shall destroy both.' 2 And in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew: 'Everything which goes into the mouth etc...' 3 But seek the food 'which remains in eternal life,' that is, spiritual food. This food is the word of God, which remains forever. Whence in the fortieth chapter of Isaiah it says: 'The word of our Lord remains in eternity,' 4 and therefore He gives eternal life. In this same chapter of John it says: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.' 5 This is the food Christ gives, whence He says: 'Which the Son of Man shall give to you,' as a good shepherd.' In the tenth chapter of John: 'If someone shall enter through me, he shall be saved, and he shall come in and go out and find pasture.' 6 And that He is the one who gives this food He says: 'God the Father has put His seal on Him.' He is sealed with the sign of His testimony, showing Him to be His Son, who can give life and bread. In the third chapter of Matthew, in the baptism: 'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.' 7 Or He puts His seal on Him, that is, with His own sign He distinguishes Him from others that He might be unique, and among all hold primacy. For the Father distinguished the Son in three ways, that is, in the union of the Word in the first chapter of John: 'The Word was made flesh.' 8 and by the plenitude of gifts in the third chapter: 'God gives Him the Spirit without measure.' 9And by immunity to sin, as above in the first chapter: 'Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.' 10 And this seal was foresealed in the last chapter of Haggai: 'I shall take you up Zorobabel son of Salathiel, O my servant, says the Lord, and I shall set you as a sign, because I have chosen you, says the Lord of Hosts.' 11 By Zorobabel understand Christ. And concerning the lamb the thirtieth chapter of Exodus says: 'He shall be as a sign in your hand, and as a memorial before your eyes.' 12 Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 6 1 Jn 6.27 2 1 Cor 6.13 3 Mt 15.17 4. Isaiah 40.8 5 Jn 6.69 6 Jn 10.9 7 Mt 3.17 8 Jn 1.14 9 Jn 3.34 10 Jn 1.29 11 Hagg 2.24 12 Exod 13.9