“So they asked him, ‘What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, 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. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘from now on give us this bread’” (John 6:30-34, NIV).
The Jews asked Jesus for a sign that they may believe in him. They implied that in the case of Moses, he gave a sign when their ancestors were able to eat the manna – the bread from heaven in the wilderness.
But Jesus replied, “…it is NOT Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father…” And He continued on to say that the Father was already giving “the TRUE bread from heaven.”
Notice that this true bread is called “the bread of God.” It is different from the physical “manna,” for now it is “HE who comes down from heaven…” Then the favor – “life” – that is being given is not just an ordinary kind of life (which we’ll understand better as we go on). And that “life” is given NOT only to the Jews, but also to the non-Jews – “to the whole world.”
Jesus Christ is the “true bread” – the bread of God – He who comes down from heaven.
He said, “I am the bread of life” “I am the bread that came down from heaven." “I am the bread of life.” “…here is the bread that comes down from heaven…I am the living bread that came down from heaven… This bread is my flesh…” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 50-51, NIV.)
While the manna sustained only the temporary physical life of the Israelites, the True Bread sustains the life of the Christians for all eternity.
He said, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:39-40, NIV).
He added: “Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever… This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever " (verses 49-51, 58, NIV).
The manna did not give the Israelites complete satisfaction. One of their complains was: “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost -- also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" (Num. 11:4-6, NIV.)
They were not contented with the manna. They told Moses, “Give us meat to eat!” (verse 13, NIV.)
But the True Bread will truly satisfy us. Jesus said, “He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35, NIV).
We read in Psalms 107:8-9, “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things” (NIV).
The prophet Isaiah recorded these words of God: “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare” ( Isaiah 55:2, NIV).
Do we really like to have life? Do we want to sustain our life not just for forty, or eighty, or longer years, but even for eternity?
And do we long for to have a truly satisfying, fulfilling and joyful life?
There’s a very good news! We can have both. We can have a long life – even eternal life – and have it abundantly! We can enjoy an all satisfying life – filled with contentment, excitement and joy – not only for a brief period of time, but even until time no longer exists!
Jesus Christ said, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10, NAS).
Again, we read in John 6:35, “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty’” (NIV). Also in verse 51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (NIV).
He is not the “bread” – but the TRUE Bread, who can fill us with true and total satisfaction!
Through Him, we also hear these words:
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live” (Isa. 55:1-3, NIV).
His words in the New Testaments are: “"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt 11:28-29, NIV). If we come to Him, we will experience contentment in our life!
But, how can we come to Him and eat “this bread”? The Jews asked, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" (John 6:52, NIV.)
Unfortunately, not everyone will come and savor the satisfying taste of the Bread.
There are those who prefer to spend their money (or time, or other resources) “on what is not bread” and “labor on what does not satisfy.”
Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him… no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him” (John 6:44, 65, NIV).
At that time, what did the majority of His followers do? We read in verse 66 that “…many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (NIV). Only the chosen ones remained with Him.
We do not need a sign in order for us to come or to believe in Jesus. God the Father has to draw us to His Son. And He has to choose us!
Now, if we are among those He had chosen, the true believers, or those enabled by God the Father to come and partake of the Bread, we can come in confidence to Him in prayer, study of His word, meditation, fasting, or other spiritual disciplines.
And if we are really “feeding” on Him, we’ll be doing at least two things.
First, we need to listen, meditate and study His Words. For He said, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63, NIV).
He also said in Matthew 4:4, “Man does not live on (physical) bread alone, but on every word (the true bread – the bread of God) that comes from the mouth of God” (NIV).
Second, we have to accomplish the work He assigned to us.
Consider this account: “Meanwhile his disciples urged him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing about.’ Then his disciples said to each other, ‘Could someone have brought him food?’ ‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work’” (John 4:31-34, NIV).
As the son of Joseph and Mary, as an elder brother in the family, as a carpenter, and finally as the Savior – Jesus performed and completed the work to bring glory to God the Father. As we read His prayer in John 17:4, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (NIV).
In our case, God has also given us a particular work to accomplish – not just to become a preacher, an evangelist, but whatever task we ought to accomplish right now -- perhaps, as a student, as a parent, as an employer, or an employee, or whatever God has given you to do – maybe, the work of looking for a job! We can bring glory to God by applying His Word on and accomplishing the task He has given us.
So, next time, we pray: “Give us each day our daily bread” – let us refer not only to the physical food, but more on the True Bread – Jesus Christ, the Bread of God – Who can sustain, strengthen and satisfy us not only for the day, but even for eternity! Let us come and feed on Him daily.
PRAYER: Our Merciful Father – we do honor and praise You for the abounding provision, for giving us the True Bread, Your Begotten Son and our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to come and feed on Him daily that we may be fully satisfied. We pray, in His Name, Amen.
