‘I am the Bread of Life’

‘A nd Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35) I can remember sometime in the nineties when bread makers became popular, and everyone had to have one (like the instant pots and air fryers of present time) and I remember when my mother got one and I can still smell the wonderful smell of the bread as this machine sitting on the counter in the kitchen would work its magic and delicious bread that would be devoured by my sisters, my dad, and me when mom would put it on the table at supper. Thinking back about the bread that my mom would make, and a few others that are well-known (at least in my mind) for making delicious bread, I sometimes wish that I could have some more. My grandmother made wonderful biscuits and was a favorite of all her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and as she has now passed away, we wished we could have just one more of Granny’s biscuits. John 6 is a unique chapter as it describes some of the miracles Jesus performed, feeding the multitude with five loaves of bread and a few fish, the people desire to take Jesus by force and make Him their king, the disciples see Jesus walking on the sea, and the people seek after Jesus and it is at this moment that Jesus takes the opportunity to teach a valuable lesson.

Jesus has already performed wonderous miracles, feeding five thousand, and walking on the sea, and the people seek after Him again (John 6:22-25). Jesus, being able to discern their thoughts, knew they sought after Him because they desired to be fed again and encourages them to not seek after physical food but to seek after that which brings about eternal life (John 6:26-27), which causes the people to ask an important question. “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” (John 6:28). Jesus reply was to seek after that which is sent from the Father, but the people were still looking for a sign from God, and spoke of the manna which was given from God to the fathers in the past (John 6:29-31). As the people were seeking food and discussed the food God had given in the past, Jesus speaks of something better than they could imagine and they desired to have it. “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.” (John 6:32–34). Jesus tells them, He is the Bread of Life, and those that take this Bread will never hunger. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35).

It is interesting that these people were seeking the things of this earth to satisfy the needs they had at that moment, but Jesus was trying to correct their mindset and have them focus on the eternal matters. Has this changed any since Jesus spoke these words to these people? People often look for the pleasures of this life to satisfy their desires and will go to great lengths to enjoy the pleasures of this world, but those pleasures are only temporal, and after a while they seek after those things again. Jesus offers everlasting life, and those that will stop seeking earthly pleasures and seek after Him will have their needs met to the fullest degree. Jesus can provide eternal life to those that obey Him, have their sins washed away (Mark 16:16), and begin to follow Him (Luke 9:23). We have the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5), and someday He will confess us before His Father in heaven (Matt. 10:32), and there we will ever be with the Lord (Psalm 23:6).

Physical food is necessary and is enjoyable, but it will not sustain us forever. Jesus is the Bread of life that is necessary to inherit eternal life that can supply our spiritual needs forever. Are you enjoying the pleasures of the world that will not last or are you being sustained by the Bread of Life?

Jeremy Thornton