Jesus Christ declared 7 important ‘I AM’ sayings about Himself, which are recorded in the Gospel of John. The first I AM saying of Jesus Christ is “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE” (John 6:35). Let’s meditate on what Jesus meant by Bread of Life.
Bread is the most common food throughout the world and is the very basic component of every diet. Bread is referred to as “staff of life” as it is an important source of life’s sustenance.
Different Types of Bread mentioned in the Old Testament:
- Bread of affliction (1 Kings 22:27)
- Bread of heaven (Psalm 78:24)
- Bread of tears (Psalm 80:5)
- Bread of sorrows (Psalm 127:2)
- Bread of wickedness (Proverbs 4:17)
- Bread of deceit (Proverbs 20:17)
- Bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27)
- Bread of adversity (Isaiah 30:20)
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ Himself came in the flesh as the Living Bread and Bread of Life.
The miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000 is recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, John 6). The people ate and were satisfied. Disciples took 12 baskets of fragments that were left over. After this, the men believed that Jesus was truly the Prophet who came into the world.
On the next day, people came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. Jesus said that they sought Him not because they saw the sign but as they ate of the loaves and were filled.
1. Do not labor for the food which perishes (John 6:27):
The bread, which people eat to sustain their physical life, is perishable. They eat loaves of bread to satisfy their physical hunger. This hunger is satisfied temporarily. Again, when people feel hungry, they need to consume the bread.
2. Labor for the food which endures to everlasting life (John 6:27):
Jesus tells them to labor for the food, which will give them eternal life. It is the food which is essential for the inner man. It is the food that will satisfy their spiritual hunger once forever. Spiritual hunger is the desire to know Him and love Him.
3. Son of Man will give (John 6:27):
It is the Son of Man who gives the food to inherit eternal life. The only way to eternal life is through Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. We can never earn eternal life. However, eternal life is a gift from God (Romans 6:23), and the only requirement is that people believe in the Son of Man (John 6:29).
Though Jesus fed the 5000 with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, the people were spiritually blind and asked for a sign from Jesus to believe Him. They reminded Him that their fathers ate manna in the desert.
4. Father gives the true bread from heaven (John 6:32, 33):
The true bread from heaven gives life to the people and satisfies their spiritual hunger. It is not a physical food, but it is Jesus Christ who is the true bread.
5. I Am the Bread of Life ((John 6:35):
Jesus is the bread who gives eternal life. If we do not receive Him just as we receive our food, He cannot save us. Receiving Jesus by faith will lead to everlasting life and satisfy our spiritual needs forever. Once we accept Him as our Savior, we will no longer have any spiritual hunger. Only Jesus can satisfy the people spiritually.
6. Not the will of Jesus but the will of His Father ((John 6:37-40):
The people had witnessed the wonderful miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000, but they were not ready to believe Him. However, Jesus will never reject anyone who trusts in Him. He says that only those people whom His Father has given Him will believe in Him. Jesus always wanted to do the will of His Father.
What is the will of the Father? The Will of the Father is that Jesus should not lose any soul that is given to Him, but He should raise them on the last day. Whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life. They will face only physical death on earth, but their spirit will not have death.
7. I Am the Living Bread ((John 6:51):
The Jews complained as Jesus declared that He was the bread that came down from heaven. No one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him. Their fathers ate manna in the desert and yet died. But those who eat this bread from heaven will not face spiritual death. They will continue to live in heaven even after physical death.
Jesus Christ offered His flesh on the cross, which is the bread of life. He laid down His life for the sins of the world. He was made the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. As a result of which, sinners receive everlasting life when they accept Jesus as the Savior.
8. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood will have eternal life ((John 6:54):
Bread represents the flesh of Jesus, and wine represents the blood of Jesus. Here, flesh separated from blood symbolizes the death of Jesus. We take part in the Eucharist, confessing our faith that Jesus died for our sins, which leads to our salvation. The Eucharist is a remembrance of Jesus’ death.
The main message of this saying is that anyone, who receives Jesus, will have eternal life.
