“I am the Bread of Life”

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 (NIV)

We cannot understand this declaration without interpreting it in the context of the feeding of the 5,000. In that story, Jesus and His disciples face crowds who have been listening to Jesus’ teaching, but have run out of food. Jesus, however, miraculously provides bread for the multitude, feeding them with abundance.

This story should remind us of the time Moses taught the Israelites in the wilderness, when the Israelites also had nothing to eat (Ex 16). Then, God provided manna to feed them. Each day, the amount provided was just enough to meet their needs. Yet, that manna didn’t last very long and quickly spoiled in their tents. So, day after day, the Israelites had to gather it fresh. But even then, the daily manna could never fully satisfy their hunger. And everyone who ate that bread from heaven eventually died.

This Old Testament background would have helped those who witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 to recognize that Jesus must be the prophet Moses had said would come—one who would be like Moses (John 6:14; Deuteronomy 18:15). As they pondered this, they might also recognize the manna in the wilderness as a “shadow” of the true “substance” that came in Christ. The daily provision of manna represented the Old Covenant along with its requirement of daily sacrifice, which was never able to fully meet the needs of sinful humanity.

Jesus, however, is the bread that brings eternal life. Those who partake of Him are eternally satisfied.

SHADOW: The manna that Israel ate in the wilderness that could never fully satisfy.

CONTEXT: Jesus miraculously feeds the 5,000 with abundance, with many leftovers.

SUBSTANCE: Jesus is the bread from heaven that fully satisfies and gives eternal life.

Reflect:

As you read John 6:1-59, consider the implications for your own life of Jesus’ claims in this passage. How does the story of God’s provision of manna (in Exodus 16) shed even more light on the nature of His claims?

In what specific area of life do you need to experience Jesus as the bread of life, who fully satisfies your every need.