The bread of lifeI am the Bread of Life:
(Prayer)
From last week: According to John's account Jesus had not discussed or explained the miracle of feeding the five thousand, nor did He explain to the disciples, of His walking on water. (perhaps none was needed). The rest of this entire study includes John 6:22-71, and provides perhaps the most in depth New Testament explanation of the significance of the Communion, which is something we do in remembrance of Jesus, and much more! We will study the topics individually, as John presented them, over the next two weeks.
In today's study Jesus tells the people that He is the true bread of life. (eternal life)
I Am the Bread of Life(scripture: John 6:22-40)VERSES 22-23 "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." Tiberias was a large, culturally Greek oriented city on the sea of Galilee. It does not appear in New Testament history except apart from this mention and there is no record of it being visited by Jesus. So it was not a Jewish town and the Jews were not likely to have entered. The Romans reportedly took advantage of this fact to hand out favors to allies without interference from the Jews.
So, now other boats had been drawn to where Jesus had fed the five thousand.
VERSE 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." And when they didn't find Him there they got in the boats and went on to Capernaum where the disciples had gone.
VERSE 25 "When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
This was the first question they asked. These people had not seen Him walking on the water and were observing Jesus on a human level. Based on their lack of faith, do you think it would have made a difference if they had seen Him walk on water? In the next verse Jesus attempts to lead them in to a deeper understanding.
VERSE 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." Jesus knew they weren't looking for Him because they had recognized Him as the Messiah. He knew their motives , that they simply for another free meal, and an earthly king. Even today people seem to be more interested in earthly things than the things of God.
And in verse 27: VERSE 27 "Do not labor 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."
In the first part of this verse Jesus mentions the word labor, or "work, and He knew the principles and the necessity of work and He also knew the desperation of these people." This was a poor country, and the people wanted to make sure there was a continual supply of food, but Jesus was telling them they had their priorities wrong; securing their eternal live should have been their first priority, and (the same goes for us).
The second part of the verse mentions the "seal," and the "Amplified Bible" says, - "for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him." (anyone have a comment on this?) In Webster's New World Dictionary" "to seal" means to "certify as by oath' 'to authenticate or affirm the genuineness thereof." This fits with the Amplified version. God was a witness for Jesus, and had placed His seal of approval upon Him, and at Jesus baptismal had testified by a voice from heaven that He was "God the Son." "and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."(Matt 3:17) We are also told the Spirit descended upon Him at His baptism. Some see this as the seal.
Matter of interest: "Vines Expository Dictionary" (Keyed to Strong's)lists the word "seal" in this instance as a verb. (and states that this verse 27 "as perhaps a figurative allusion to the impress of a mark upon loaves" So it's possible that the commercial bread of that time might have had some sort of stamp on it, and that Jesus was alluding to this in reference to Himself as having been sealed by God the Father.
VERSE 28 "Then they said to him, What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"
They thought they knew the kind of "works" it took to get to heaven. They had attempted keep the law at all cost, yet by this question they seem to be ready to accept even more laws.
I've heard it said that "the religions of the world are mankind's attempt to answer the question of what kind of works do we need to reach heaven." According to scripture there is only one way to heaven, because Jesus said, "...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:5-7) NKJV.
But as in the next verse, verse 29; AGAIN, Jesus, just says that we are to trust on the one God has sent. Like a child with his parents, we don't have to know all the answers, we just need to trust in Him.
So in verse 29: VERSE 29 "Jesus answered them, This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." Jesus said "This is the work, that you believe on me, the one He has sent". He was saying, that's your work, the only work necessary to receive eternal life.
This was intended to be a great day for the Jewish people. The "Messiah," with the "New Covenant" as promised by the prophets had arrived! But they were having a problem accepting that the only work necessary to enter heaven under the New Covenant was to believe in the one whom God had sent. Now, we're supposed to work to provide for our families and others in need, and we're also suppose to work to bring others into the Kingdom.
But we no longer work to get into heaven. Our works now reflect our love and faith in Jesus.
VERSE 30 "So they said to him, Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?" So, in the previous verses they had asked Jesus what work they were supposed to do, and He had told them that they need to believe in Him; (it is by faith, not works)so then they said to Him, Okay then what works, or signs, do you do? They certainly had the "work to enter heaven" concept didn't they?
And if they were looking for the truth what better proof could they have hoped for than His miracle of feeding an estimated twenty thousand people. Doesn't it cause you to wonder if there was anything He could have done that would have convince them. Nevertheless, they were still looking for a/the sign, and it seems, more food, because they went on to say: (speaking of Moses, in verse 31)
VERSE 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat." Jesus tries to lead them to the eternal bread of life concept, but they just keep going back. They just didn't seem to be able to think of, or to foresee anything other than what Moses had done. The only faith they seemed to have was faith in the Law.
In addition there seems to be hidden insinuation that Jesus may not have been as great as Moses; because Moses provided food every day for years, but Jesus had only a few thousand for one day.
VERSE 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."
In other words He was telling them that the bread Moses gave them in the desert was not the same as 'His bread from heaven.' Their bread was heavenly bread only in that it was provided by God and came down from heaven, but it was for their natural body, and although they received it regularly, it was not eternal, it did end.
and Jesus said "my Father gives' (as in, present and perpetual) the 'true bread' from heaven. Jesus continually gives life to the world His Spirit comes in and we are born again become Spiritual beings and live forever, at one with Jesus and the Father. (John 17:20-23)when praying to their Father, "I in them, you in me." Perhaps the greatest challenge as well as reward is to discover this Spirit (the Holy Spirit) that Jesus has placed within everyone who has accepted Him as their Saviour? And then to learn to hear and recognize Him, His voice, and to be guided by Him?
Do you find it strange for Jesus to speak of himself as being 'food and drink?" We have to think of it in a Spiritual manner. Just as when we are baptized (we symbolically die, are buried and resurrected with Him) (when we partake of the communion we are symbolically taking in His eternal life giving Spirit, and more.)
A little history: the Passover Feast came about when God had placed a curse on the Egyptians that took the life of all the firstborn in their country, even of livestock. But God had instructed the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and place the blood on the door posts or mantel and all their first born were spared. So that became the Passover Feast which they celebrated one week out of each year. They would slay and eat the sacrificial lamb, and drank the symbolic blood, which was wine. Some older manuscripts refer to it as the "Blood of the Grape" (It was against the law to drink blood in the Old Testament)
Then Jesus came as the "Lamb of God" and gave His life as the ultimate sacrifice once and for all, no other lambs need to be sacrificed again. He was deity, He was God and gave His life to pay for all the sins of the world. Attempting to relate this to the Jews Jesus made reference to partaking, or of eating of His body and His blood, so that they could understand that He was now the Sacrificial Lamb, and that after His death the New Covenant would take effect. There would be no more need to sacrifice bulls, or goats, sheep, or anything, because the old law of works would no longer in effect. We'll be studying more about that in our next study.
VERSE 33 "For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Jesus" is "the bread of God," sent for the world, (not a single race) (John 3:16).
VERSE 34 "They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." (Have you noticed the similarity of the case of the Samaritan woman at the well, where the water springs up into eternal life and this bread that gives eternal life)? They are both symbolic, and different ways Jesus had of possibly reaching these people. but they are both significant in that they each have spiritual meaning and connection even in the Old Testament. Jesus had been telling them about the eternal life they could receive through "this bread," so in this verse they asked Him to give them this bread "always."
It seems they are close to grasping what Jesus is saying here, - and yet, So, VERSE 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."
So they asked Jesus for this bread, and in this verse Jesus says, I am that bread. but they didn't seem to understand that Jesus was speaking of the spiritual hunger and thirst. That Spiritual hunger and thirst is still in the people of today, who also find it difficult to recognize. That's the hunger and thirst for God that the Holy Spirit creates in each and every one of us. Helping the unsaved to recognize that this is the calling of the Holy Spirit is a major step in leading them to Christ. In trying to fulfill this hunger people often fill their lives with things that have nothing to do with God, because they fail to recognize His voice, (calling).
Moving on to verse 36: VERSE 36 "But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe." They had asked for another miracle, which within it's self is an indication of their unbelief. They had seen "Him" do miracles, and had eaten the food He miraculously provided, and yet wanted another miracle.
VERSE 37 "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out."
Jesus said "All the Father gives me will come to me." Doesn't this indicate that the Father is definitely involved in guiding the lost to the Saviour. (All the Father gives to me) the believers are God's gift to Jesus, and Jesus is God's gift to the believers.
and "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" Jesus never rejects anyone who comes to Him. This lets us know that Jesus will accept whoever we bring to Him.
VERSE 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me." Regardless of whether these people accepted Jesus, He was doing what God had sent Him to do. After Jesus obeyed and did as the Father had instructed, wouldn't we say that the responsibilities for the results were then transferred to the Father? And wouldn't that also apply to us? Because sometimes when we witness to others they don't accept our word.
Yet, we can have confidence in knowing that when we pray, testify and try to lead them to the Lord that we are doing God's will. And I firmly believe that after we have done our part, and though they may go their way, that the Holy Spirit continues to work with them in ways we can't, to bring them to the Lord.
And now, our last two verses: VERSES 39-40 "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. 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." The word "All" in verses 37 and 39 properly translated, sum up everything the Father has given to the Son.
Here Jesus is looking ahead to the end of the age when all will be finished and the dead in Him will be raised to eternal life and His eternal kingdom will begin, and we will reign with Him forever.
He is the bread of life, the life of the world, and in eternity all will praise him as the true Bread of Life. And we are told that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that "Jesus is Lord!"
A story I like: "Seeking and hungering after Jesus is as the story of the Hungry Arab on the desert who Once sought a spring of which he knew to quench his thirst. As he rose he saw a bag, dropped by some traveler, and he joyfully exclaimed, "Here is food." Eagerly he tore it open, and then in bitter disappointment he cried, "Alas, it is only pearls!" Nothing will feed the soul but Christ. To the hungry soul he is more precious than the gems of Golconda."
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