JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE

Passage: John 6:30-40

Key verse: 35

NIV

30 So they asked him, “What sign(A) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?(B) What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna(C) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[a]”(D)

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven(E) and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”(F)

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am(G) the bread of life.(H) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes(I) in me will never be thirsty.(J) 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me(K) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven(L) not to do my will but to do the will(M) of him who sent me.(N) 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,(O) but raise them up at the last day.(P) 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son(Q) and believes in him shall have eternal life,(R) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

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Footnotes
  1. John 6:31 Exodus 16:4; Neh. 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

30 So they said to him, (A)“Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 (B)Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, (C)‘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 (D)he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, (E)“Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, (F)“I am the bread of life; (G)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 (H)All that (I)the Father gives me will come to me, and (J)whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For (K)I have come down from heaven, not to do (L)my own will but (M)the will of him (N)who sent me. 39 And (O)this is the will of him who sent me, (P)that I should lose nothing of (Q)all that he has given me, but (R)raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who (S)looks on the Son and (T)believes in him (U)should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus has already performed many miraculous signs. Feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fish already proves he is the Messiah. Yet, the crowd demanded Jesus give more free food, just as Moses had given manna from heaven for forty years in the wilderness. Jesus corrected them; it was not Moses, but God who gave Israel manna. Moreover, manna was not true bread that gives eternal life. The Israelites ate manna and died in the wilderness. God who had given manna has now given the true bread from heaven, Jesus Christ.

Jesus declared himself to be “the bread of life” (35). Just as physical bread sustains our physical life, Jesus sustains our spiritual life and satisfies our heart and soul. Whoever comes to Christ and believes in him will have the bread of life that gives eternal life. People without Christ have spiritual hunger in their soul. It is hunger for God’s love and for eternal life. Jesus the bread from heaven satisfies spiritual hunger and thirst. God sent his Son to save all God’s chosen people. Christ will lose none of them and will give them the resurrection body and eternal life on the last day.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for saving us by your grace and by your faithful shepherding. Save many lost souls so that they too may have eternal life.

One Word: Eat the bread of life each day