True Bread

When someone mentions bread, there are various things that come to mind.  For some, it means money; when one talks about being a breadwinner, or bringing home some dough.  For others, it is a music group from the 70s that had a whole bunch of love songs that many of us could identify with.  However, for most, it usually refers to that delightful, tasty food that goes with anything.  Bill Cosby once quipped, Americans are the only people that can eat anything if it’s between two slices of bread.

When selling a home, many realtors suggest that you bake bread just before the potential buyers come to look at the house.  For us, that was a no-brainer when we sold our house in Kansas.  At our home, even though we’re used to the smell of fresh bread, we still look forward to it.  Maria used to come into the house after Jannita had just finished baking bread, would grab a zwiebach (or large dinner roll) and head up to her room to study or to read.  When there’s nothing to eat or nothing that we might enjoy eating, one can always survive on bread.  There’s also the saying that the menu for those in jail used to be bread and water.  

Bread is something which we can just take for granted.  We don’t think about it a whole lot.  Yet, throughout the Bible, we get the strong impression that bread is essential for life.  Today, we’re going to learn a bit more about this.  In fact,

For anyone to have eternal life, they must have the true bread of heaven. 

That may sound a bit confusing and even a bit weird, but stay with me and let’s look at John 6.30-50 and learn about this.

Several commentators point out that John spends a very small amount of time dealing with the miracles which Jesus did.  Of course, we have already seen that many people were enamored by the miracles but still missed the truth of Who Jesus was.  It is not so unlike today, when people think they need evidence and visible proof of God.  The reality is that Who Jesus is can be understood by what He says. 

After all, Jesus is the Word.  This seems to be where John focuses much of his writing; around Christ’s preaching and teaching.  Personally, I believe the churches around the world would do far better to simply proclaim the Bible and let the Holy Spirit do the work, rather than try to convince people through all kinds of programs and presentations.

So let's look into this passage now and see just exactly what is this true bread of heaven.

Earthly Sign vs. Eternal Salvation - 6.30-33

So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?  Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’ ”  Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.  For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”

Do the questions the crowd present seem ridiculous?  They had just seen the incredible miracles of healing, plus had personally experienced full bellies from eating a meal which they hadn’t brought.  Now, Jesus had just finished explaining that He was from God and they needed to believe in Him to experience salvation.  So they ask this absurd question in verse 30, as if He needed a better resume.  

What a reminder to us today that for the person who is focused on themselves and refuses to acknowledge God, it doesn’t matter how much evidence is presented; they still will not believe.  Even then and still today, rather than admit to the truth, they come up with some means of denying it, covering it up, or mocking it.  So, instead of believing, they demand another sign.  

How sad that their concern was focused around the material things which cannot last.  They had no concern about that which would really last, which was their eternal souls. Now, Jesus is about to give them a scathing lesson on their ignorance they showed in their comments.  

First, Jesus lets them know that they didn’t understand how their forefathers got the manna.  Moses was not some magician or scientist or chef who produced that food everyday.  Here Jesus lets them know they were looking at the passage wrongly.  Moses is not the subject; God is the subject.  God provided the manna supernaturally.  The only part Moses played was to give instructions as to what to do with it and what not to do.  In addition, that manna was not the true bread of heaven.  It was temporary.  It simply showed God’s gracious provisions for physical life right then.  It was a foreshadowing of God providing the true bread of heaven right now.  The verbs are in the present tense which shows that the manna from the past was for physical only.  What Jesus is sharing right now is that He is, right then and there, the Bread of heaven Who gives “spiritual” life.  

Why would I say that this refers to “spiritual” life when the English translation doesn’t say that?  Simply because of the fact that whenever John used the word (zoe), it always referred to spiritual life and never physical or temporary life.  

Also, you will recall that the manna was only for the Hebrews whom God rescued out of Egypt.  However, Jesus, as the true bread out of heaven came to give life to the whole world.  It was no longer limited to a select group, but eternal life was now being offered to all who would believe.

Let’s look further into the passage and see how the crowd responds to Jesus.

Rising of Sustenance vs. Raising of Souls - 6.34-40

Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”  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.  But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.  All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

It seems that they still didn’t get it.  Their focus was not on Jesus but on physical bread.  We observed this already when they tried to make Him king by force.  We recall Jesus telling them that they sought Him out because they had been fed a good meal.  They seemed to be looking at a continual provision of physical benefit rather than a willingness to make a spiritual change.  It is almost like the person who goes to church looking for his/her needs to be met or to be entertained.  

Another evidence that seems to show that they didn’t get it is the wording which Jesus uses in making it even clearer when He says I am the Bread of life. By the way, this is the first I am which Jesus uses to describe Himself. Sadly, the people were still thinking about a constant supply of “Wonder” bread, when they should have realized that Jesus was talking about the “ONE” bread of life, Himself.

Then Jesus continues by talking about what salvation is all about.  I would like to camp here just a little bit and help us to have some clarity about this.  There are many who suggest that all one has to do is to believe; there is no change that is required; you can keep on doing whatever you were doing as long as you believe. It is as if Groucho Marx had become an evangelist: say the “Magic words” and you too can win heaven and a host of other prizes.  This is not biblical.  When one looks at the context of the entirety of Scripture, there is more to this and it is not in any way works oriented.

Let me explain.  Jesus states that there are two verbs that take place in salvation that is up to us—1) comes, and 2) believes.  To come to Jesus implies that we are leaving or turning away from the place and direction we currently find ourselves. (After all, we were not even looking for Him.) We are willing to come under the authority of Someone else. 

There are those who suggest that this does not mean repentance since John doesn’t use that term, so we shouldn’t either.  Folks, just because John doesn’t use the term, he utilizes the principles of repentance and it is taught throughout Scripture.  I appreciate Charles Spurgeon’s comment about this idea:  “You and your sins must separate, or you and your God will never come together.”  

After confession and repentance, turning to Jesus, a person finds that they believe all that Christ said about Himself and what He would do.  You believe that Jesus is indeed God; you believe that Jesus is the only One capable of paying the penalty for my sins; you believe that you can get to heaven only through Jesus Christ; you understand that there is absolutely nothing you can do to earn salvation; and you certainly cannot stay in the same lifestyle of sin that you find yourself.  John MacArthur states:  Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin; to repent is to turn from sin, and to believe is to turn to the Savior.  

Now Jesus comes back at the crowd with a “but.”  Basically, Jesus is letting them know that they chose not to believe in Him.  He revealed to them Who He was, yet they refused to acknowledge that and accept it, for they wanted Him on their terms. 

How much like today this is for so many.  People want a Jesus who can make life easier.  People want a Jesus who will answer prayers the way we want them answered.  People want a Jesus Who can provide what we desire.  My friends, Jesus is Lord of all!  We need to help people believe and follow a Jesus Who is Savior and Lord.

Jesus then continues by describing His Sovereignty.  He reminds all of us that those whom the Father has chosen to be called children of God will indeed be so.  Those who have been chosen since before the creation will not be lost.  And if the Father wills it so, then that coming or repentance and faith will be given by God, as well.  It doesn’t matter what the polls may suggest.  God cares not what the world may say about His plan and will.  Regardless of the attacks against Christianity and the Church, God’s perfect will must be accomplished. 

In addition, just because one eats and drinks does not guarantee that they will live forever.  Likewise, just because one has seen Jesus and has experienced His provisions does not guarantee eternal life.  It requires beholding and believing. 

I understand the confusion that can develop when we look at this and wonder if God is doing the work or if man has a part in this.  We must respond to what God is doing.  God helps us to respond because we won’t on our own.  Though this may seem contradictory in our minds, to God it is not at all contradictory.  We are confused because we do not see clearly in this sin-infested world and life.  Our flesh and our will try to overrule God in order for it to make sense.  My friends, if it made sense to us, none of us would be saved to begin with.  The only sensible thing would be for God to destroy all humanity because of our propensity toward sin.  Yet, His grace and mercy and love provides salvation to all who would come to Christ and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.  

Well folks, do you think that they're going to get it yet? I highly doubt it. Let's read on.

Focus on Self vs. Follow the Savior - 6.41-50

Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”  They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves.  No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.  It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.  Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.  Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.”

Let the grumbling begin.  That almost sounds like the native tongue of those who will not submit to God and believe.  In fact, by John’s use of the phrase, the Jews, he makes it clear that these were not curious people, but actually people who were opposed to Jesus.  We see it throughout the Old Testament and here it is again.  In fact, when we read that they were talking about manna during the exodus, it causes us to think back to the rebellious grumblers when they wandered around in the wilderness.  But what was it that was causing them to grumble against Jesus?

Well, if you go back to verse 35, you see that Jesus, claiming to be the Bread of Life, was claiming to be the source of eternal life.  Plus, they think Jesus is no different than they.  Yet, He claimed to have come down out of heaven, which only God could do or His angels on assignment from God.  Sadly, they are revealing, just like Pharaoh did, what their hearts were really like.  

Yet, Jesus didn’t deal with their issues, except to tell them to stop grumbling.  It’s almost like us saying, “Grow up!”  There would have been no point to give further information or clarification.  That would have been a waste of time.  Instead, Jesus points out the impossibility of them trying to come to Him in repentance and faith unless His Father works on that person’s heart.  In fact, Jesus goes further by stating that the person who is drawn by the Father, will be saved and will be saved for eternity.  How do we know that?  Another phrase in here that teaches eternal security or the assurance of salvation is when Jesus says that He will raise him up on the last day.  That cannot happen if a person can lose their salvation.  And if God is doing the work, it is done with absolute perfection and completeness and cannot be undone.  

This was nothing new.  The Old Testament spoke of such things as Jesus went on to share.  By being taught of God, Jesus restates the truth of the Father doing the work and not man.  It is the truths as found in the Bible, God’s Word, that draws people to the Son, Jesus Christ.  Interestingly, these so-called spiritually smart people weren’t all that bright.  If they truly knew the Old Testament, they would have understood what Jesus was saying.  They had made it all about them, their experiences, their desires, and not about God.  

I am also encouraged once again about the fact that eternal life can begin right now.  Jesus uses the present tense to show that he who believes has eternal life.  And quite unlike the manna which their forefathers ate and later died; Jesus stated, I am the living bread that comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  

Reflections

The trip this crowd made to find Jesus again should have been because they were in need of their souls to be saved, rather than their saliva to be satisfied. 

They should have been looking at the eternal picture, rather than the temporal provisions. 

Instead of coming and begging, they should have been coming and believing. 

Instead of being self-centered, they should have been Savior-seeking.

It is quite easy for us to look at this group and shake our heads in disbelief.  However, there are many in the churches who are so focused on the things of this world and all that is going on all around us that they are not seeing that which God is doing all around us for His glory. 

It is easy to get side-tracked with what we are experiencing.  Focus beyond that.  Ask God to help your vision to be fixed on Him.  Be amazed at what He has done in your life and what He desires to do through your life in order to make a difference in other people’s lives. 

Don’t be apologetic or scared of who you are in Christ.  There are many in your sphere of influence who are waiting to be moved to do more than just experience provisions for today or tomorrow.  They need for you to live in such a way that they will come to the true Bread of Life and believe in Him.  Then they will experience eternal life and never hunger for that which is temporary again.