Jesus is the Bread of Life

by Whitney V. Myers

Download a printable PDF of this post.
Go to the page, "Bible Verses - 'I AM's of Christ" (under the "Resources" heading)

Jesus is the Bread of Life - Pixabay photo with John 6:35

"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.' " (John 6:35)

"Christ shows that he is the true Bread; he is to the soul what bread is to the body." -- Matthew Henry (Ref. 1)

This lesson is the second in a series on the "I AM" statements of Christ.  This lesson discusses Jesus' statement, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35).

     Consider.  Have you come to Jesus, the Source of sustenance and strength for your spiritual life?

God-provided bread from heaven

     Jesus' Jewish listeners knew that God had provided bread from heaven (also called "manna") to the Israelites.  "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction' " (Exodus 16:4).  The manna that God provided was essential for the Israelite's survival (Exodus 16:35).  Note, however, at that time God did not provide the manna universally to all people.  Exodus tells us that God provided the manna only for the Israelites, and the manna was temporary (Exodus 16:35).  The people who ate the manna eventually died (John 6:49).

"I am the bread of life"

     In contrast with the manna that God provided temporarily to the Israelites, Jesus states emphatically, "I am the bread of life."

• Like the manna, Jesus Christ, God's Son, is God's provision sent from heaven.  Jesus said, "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world" (John 6:33, Luke 1:34-35, John 1:14).
• Like the manna, Jesus provides us essential nourishment.  In the same way natural bread is essential for our physical life, Jesus is essential for our spiritual life.  Natural bread is for the body.  Jesus himself is for the craving of our soul (Ref. 2). 
• Unlike the manna which only sustained earthly life temporarily, Jesus, the bread of life, sustains permanent, eternal life (John 6:40, Ref. 3). 
• Unlike the manna which God offered only to specific people at a specific time, Jesus Christ, the bread of life, offers spiritual nourishment and eternal life to the world.  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). 
  
  

"He who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst"

     Before the manna could benefit the Israelites, they had to eat it.  In the same way, for Christ to provide us spiritual sustenance and eternal life, we must come to him and believe in him.  When we come to Christ and believe in Christ, he alone satisfies the hunger and thirst of our souls (Matthew 5:6, John 7:37).

The Samaritan woman at the well responded to Jesus.  She said, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw" (John 4:15).  The multitude responded to Jesus when he described the bread of heaven (John 6:33).  They said, "Lord, always give us this bread" (John 6:34).

     Apply.  What is your response to Jesus?  Will you come to him and believe in him?  Come to him, believe in him, and you will receive the bread of life that your soul craves.

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhc/john/6.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/john/6.htm
3.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/bible-verses-about-eternal-life