The bread of life

John 6:21-71

Peter warns us of a group of people that will sneer at the veracity of the Bible. (2Pe 3:3) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, I have read and heard more times than I can count the S&S (Sceptics and Scoffers) assertion that Jesus was simply a good ole boy, a wandering rabbi with a message of peace who never intended himself to be taken more than that. It was his followers after his death which elevated him to god-hood. This simply isn’t true. Last time we looked at God’s plain name as revealed to Moses, I AM; and we are going to see how Jesus invoked that same name in reference to himself on purpose. Our journey starts with Jesus at the height of his popularity. Things were going really well from a numbers standpoint. He had just finished with the miracles of bread and fish where approximately 15,000 people were fed on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had gone away to rest, but the crowds tracked him down. Jesus knew that their hearts were bad; they were not following him because of who he was, but rather for what he was doing for them. When confronted with this truth, the people responded as typical unbelievers would, “Well then, show us a sign to prove who you are.” (v. 30) After the feeding of them with temporal food, Jesus launched into a metaphor contrasting the manna that God gave with Moses to true bread that came down from Heaven. (Joh 6:32-33) 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. The people in typical people fashion wanted the good stuff. Where is this true bread they asked? And Jesus answered with an incredible statement, and he didn’t stutter. (Joh 6:35) 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. When Jesus said this, the Jews in the crowd began to murmur among themselves, and the reason is given, because Jesus had invoked a name that belongs to God. He was placing himself on equal footing with Jehovah. (v. 41) Three times He does this (v. 35, 48, 51) and each time he is using this metaphor of eternal sustainment to show the people that Life is only found in him. Look at the phrases he uses after each statement of deity. (Joh 6:35) 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. (Joh 6:49-50) Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. (Joh 6:51) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Do we not see this? Jesus is the only source of eternal life; personal faith in Him. Have you trusted Jesus today? (Joh 14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.