I am the Bread of Life
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Intro
Intro
The Scripture verse I am going to use today is where Jesus proclaims I am the bread of life...
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
This message by Jesus is one of this great I Am sayings in the gospel of John and there are 7 in total, and it is very beautiful to say the least, it blesses us with a tremendous picture of Jesus and what He offers those who follow Him.
So what is happening here in this passage
In John chapter 6 Jesus has just done something wonderful, He has just finished feeding the 5000.
(explain more in a minute)
Now bread is a special topic in the Scriptures
God told Moses to have the table for the bread ( bread of the presence or the table of show bread) built for the tabernacle and stacked with twelve loaves as a way to remind Israel of His gracious provision for all their needs (; ).
For the most part, only the priests could eat this bread, though in exceptional circumstances it could be given to those in dire straits (). David came into the Temple and ate the bread of the show table...
Yet whoever ate this bread found that while it could sustain life for a time, it could not make anyone live forever. Israel needed a different type of food to find eternal life.
So as I said earlier, Jesus has just finished the feeding of the 5000, and what a wonderful meal this was as Jesus took the 5 small barley loaves and the two little pan fish. Jesus blessed it and broke it and met the needs of the people that day.
Remember it was late, the disciples has inquired about Jesus sending them away so they could get food and Jesus tells them you take care of their need. They looked to themselves and finally Jesus takes control and the people are fed and there is even more left over.. 12 baskets of food.
But them the crowd continued to follow Jesus… the next day they sought him out, but not for the right reasons… looking for food again, looking for a sign of who he was .... and Jesus tells them not to look for bread that perishes but for bread that leads to eternal life...
And with verse 28… They ask what they must do to attain this life...
28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”
And Jesus tells them to believe on the one God has sent into the world
29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
And you see how wrong there thinking is at this point, they has just witnessed Him feeding the 5000 just the night before, and they are asking for a sign...
And they tell Jesus that Moses gave them bread....
Verses 30-34
30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus corrects them, it wasn’t Moses who gave their fathers anything, it was solely God the Father who had provided for them then, and was doing the very same thing now...
Christ does not disagree that something must be done to receive this life-giving food, only that what is to be done is not works of the Law as traditionally conceived; rather, they must put their trust in Him (v. 29). In this, Jesus is implicitly claiming to be the one who ushers in the Messianic age, which is seen in the reference of the crowd to manna in verses 30–31. Jews in that day believed the Messiah would miraculously bring manna when He came, and Jesus does not dispute this assumption; He only says that their idea of life-giving manna is woefully inadequate. He is the real manna — the bread of God who satisfies the true hunger of the soul (vv. 32–35).
The works they must do, verse 29 was to believe on the one who was sent into the world by the Father...
In this, Jesus is implicitly claiming to be the one who ushers in the Messianic age,
30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”
Christ does not disagree that something must be done to receive this life-giving food, only that what is to be done is not works of the Law as traditionally conceived; rather, they must put their trust in Him (v. 29).
Jews in that day believed the Messiah would miraculously bring manna when He came, and Jesus does not dispute this assumption; He only says that their idea of life-giving manna is woefully inadequate. He is the real manna — the bread of God who satisfies the true hunger of the soul (vv. 32–35).
In this, Jesus is implicitly claiming to be the one who ushers in the Messianic age, which is seen in the reference of the crowd to manna in verses 30–31.
Jews in that day believed the Messiah would miraculously bring manna when He came, and Jesus does not dispute this assumption; He only says that their idea of life-giving manna is woefully inadequate. He is the real manna — the bread of God who satisfies the true hunger of the soul (vv. 32–35).
Christ does not disagree that something must be done to receive this life-giving food, only that what is to be done is not works of the Law as traditionally conceived; rather, they must put their trust in Him (v. 29). In this, Jesus is implicitly claiming to be the one who ushers in the Messianic age, which is seen in the reference of the crowd to manna in verses 30–31. Jews in that day believed the Messiah would miraculously bring manna when He came, and Jesus does not dispute this assumption; He only says that their idea of life-giving manna is woefully inadequate. He is the real manna — the bread of God who satisfies the true hunger of the soul (vv. 32–35).
Jews in that day believed the Messiah would miraculously bring manna when He came, and Jesus does not dispute this assumption; He only says that their idea of life-giving manna is woefully inadequate. He is the real manna — the bread of God who satisfies the true hunger of the soul (vv. 32–35).
The phrase “bread of God” was another name for the bread of the Presence (, ),
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Jesus is saying that I am the one that the soul craves, desires and I am the all sufficient and ordained by the Father to supply all the needs they have… There is complete satisfaction in Him...
Remember it was Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, which means the house of bread.
They might have been concerned more about their stomachs, but that was not the concern of Jesus.
so Jesus is saying in today’s passage that He is the fulfillment of the bread of the Presence under the old covenant.
Christ is far better than the former bread, for anyone, priest or not, can dine on Him by faith; that is, all who are willing may trust in Him alone for eternal sustenance and receive life that can never be taken away. And Jesus will never cast out any who truly put their faith in Him ().
If they came to Him they would no longer be concerned about their temporal things, but instead the eternal would be met and thus their truest need.
Look at
40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Just as it was God’s will to deliver them from the harshness of Pharoah and the death that reigned in that land, so God would deliver them in life.
Everyone who believes… would have eternal life and not only life But He would raise them up on the last day.
The Jews believed ( most did) that there would be a general resurrection of the dead on the last day. Here Jesus says that he will raise them up.
He said I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly…
Coram Deo - means -in the presence of God
Coram Deo - means -in the presence of God
The old English proverb that “bread is the staff of life” is never truer than when it is used to refer to Jesus. His flesh — His life — given for the sins of the world is the staff that upholds us, and only those who trust in Him alone can find eternal salvation.
We are to feed on Him by faith daily that we might be sustained by Him and persevere. Have you partaken of the Bread of Life who alone can satisfy all your hunger?
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.