JESUS - THE BREAD OF LIFE

The sixth chapter of St. John holds some amazing insights into Christ’s ministry and character.  As we unpack what the Apostle has recorded there, may God give us a little more revelation in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

 

The beginning of this chapter in John is a narrative about how Jesus fed over 5,000 people with just two small fish and five barley loaves of bread.  If you are unfamiliar with the story, you can read it in John 6:1-14.  Notice in verse 14 that it says the people who had experienced this miracle first-hand didn’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah or the Son of God but, instead, said, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”  Jesus was forced to depart from them at this point and retreat to a mountain by Himself lest they take Him forcefully to make Him king (verse 15).  Jesus hadn’t come to be made a conquering king; Jesus had come to be the Lamb of God that would be slain for the sins of the world.  When Jesus later stood at His trial before Pontius Pilate, Pilate asked Him if He was the King of the Jews.  The Lord made His position quite clear about this.  He said, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:33-37).  Jesus was also much more than just another prophet, but the people didn’t really understand who He was or what the Father had sent Him to do.

 

Many today read this story as a stand-alone account of a notable miracle performed by Jesus, and they ignore everything else that follows in the chapter.  The miracle of the loaves and fish is only a very small part of the overall picture.  It is merely the setup for what comes next which is the real lesson of the entire chapter.  Even the other Gospel writers detach this story from Jesus’ subsequent teaching.  John was the only one who connected everything together into one cohesive lesson.

 

There were many lessons that the Jews could have taken away from the miracle of the loaves and fish.  Jesus never did anything that was without purpose or without a deeper spiritual significance.  Jesus is “…the brightness of His [God’s] glory, and the express image of His person…” and He upholds “…all things by the Word of His power…” (Hebrews 1:3).  Therefore, everything the Lord said and everything the Lord did pointed to the Father and revealed more of His nature and character.  The Jews weren’t looking that deep, though.  They were more excited about the actual fish and loaves than the very Word of God made flesh Who stood before them.

 

Jesus, having sent the multitude away, did not rejoin the disciples, but sent them by ship to Capernaum.  The accounts of this story in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark mention that Jesus constrained, or compelled, the disciples to get into the ship and go without Him. 

 

As they were going, a great wind blew up, churning the lake and making it difficult to row.  It was then that they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching their ship.  Initially, the disciples were afraid, thinking that He was a ghost; but He reassured them saying, “It is I; be not afraid.” (verses 17-20). 

 

Scripture records that they then willingly received Him into their ship and “…immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.” (verse 21).  There are many times in our lives that storms will hinder our progress, troubles will distract us from our goals, and it seems as though we are unable to reach the place that we want to be with the Lord.  At those times it may seem that the Lord has left us on our own.  Such trials of our faith are necessary for our spiritual development, however.  Jesus wants us to experience the storm, but He also wants us to witness the awesome power that He has over the waves and all difficulties of life.  He compelled the disciples to get into the ship and go.  He sent them to Capernaum.  At first they were frightened by the storm’s very real threat and the sight of Jesus walking across the waves; but then, when He spoke to them, they were comforted and willingly invited Him into the ship.  In that instant they were delivered to their safe haven!  And so it is with us.  It may seem at times like the Lord has left us on our own.  Do not be afraid.  Where He sends His disciples is where He Himself intends to go.  He will come walking on the waves and speaking peace to our frightened spirits.

 

I was once asked to preach at a revival at a small church in our town.  As I prayed for a message to share, nothing would come to me.  I prayed harder.  Nothing.  It was time to leave for the church, and still nothing would come to mind.  As we sat in the church and I was being introduced to the congregation, I still had no message.  I was getting distressed by this time and wondering if I shouldn’t have taken this opportunity.  As I walked to the podium and stepped behind the microphone, I could not think of a word to say!  Then, as I was preparing to fumble, a brother in the front pew spoke up and said, “Brother Dodds, may I share a testimony before you begin?”  I said, “Absolutely!”  As the brother shared his simple testimony, I could feel the Lord’s anointing begin to move upon me, and a scripture verse popped into my mind.  When the brother was finished I opened to the passage in the Bible and spoke a powerful message that moved the congregation.  All glory to God!  I was sinking, but Jesus came walking on the waves just when I needed Him the most.  And I willingly invited Him into my ship!  When I did, we were right where we needed to be – immediately.      

 

I believe this short vignette is sandwiched into the story to show us that there is a difference between how the Lord deals with His disciples and how He deals with everyone else.  You can be sure that, Christian or no, the storms are going to come to us all.  As believers, however, we have the promise that all things will work together for our good in the end (Romans 8:28).  The lessons that we learn out on the lake in the middle of the storms are not lessons for the multitude.  These are lessons for disciples only.  Even those who have eaten of the loaves and fish are not in a position to learn from this type of instruction if they aren’t yet sure who Jesus is! 

 

The next day after the miracle of the loaves and fish, the people who had been fed were searching for Jesus.  They eventually figured out that He must have gone over the sea the night before (although they weren’t quite sure how He had gotten there knowing that He had not been in the ship with His disciples).  So they also got in ships and came over to Capernaum.  When they found Jesus they asked Him when He had come over.  Jesus ignored this question altogether because they had not yet learned the basic lessons from yesterday’s miracle and were not ready to handle the deeper lessons from the night before. 

 

The Lord’s next statement cut right to the heart of the matter.  He said to them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.  Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed.” (John 6:26, 27).     

 

The Lord’s words were meant as a reproof, but also as a signpost to point them toward the truth.  One would think that seeking the Lord would be a good thing, but Jesus recognized that these folks were seeking Him for the wrong reasons.  The people were excited not because of the spiritual food that Jesus offered that would feed their inward hunger, but because Jesus fed their bellies!  St. Paul would later warn the disciples at Corinth of this very thing when he wrote, “...look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal [not eternal; perishable; transient]; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18).  The Prophet Isaiah’s words to the rebellious Jews of his day also come to mind.  He said, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” (Isaiah 55:2). 

 

The trouble was that the people witnessed only Jesus’ acts – the miracles, the healings, etc. – but they missed the message behind the acts.  They missed the very thing that would fill their empty souls.  They did not comprehend His ways.  Israel had always struggled with this.  Centuries before the Psalmist had written, “He [God] made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel.” (Ps 103:7).  Moses understood God while the Jews only witnessed what God did.  Moses had forged a relationship with God in the 40 years that he spent on the backside of the wilderness.  You see, we learn obedience by the things that we suffer in this life, but only if we are willing to surrender ourselves to God.  Otherwise, we just suffer.

 

St. Paul wrote to the Ephesian Church and said, “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe, according to the working of His great might…” (Ephesians 1:16-19 RSV).  Of all the things that Paul could have prayed for these new believers, the most important was that they would receive a revelation in the knowledge of Who Christ is (His character, His ways), what is the hope of His calling on their lives, what is their great inheritance in Christ, and how unlimited is His power in those who believe in Him.

 

The people then asked Jesus the following question: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” (John 6:28).  This reveals again how focused they were on acts, works, and things.  Jesus’ answer was simple.  He said, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him Whom He [God] hath sent.” (verse 29; see also John 3:34).  This is a lesson that we, too, need reinforced from time to time.  The Lord’s work is not comprised of a bunch of programs, agendas, ministry outreaches, formulas, tried and true methods, or the like.  God’s work is to believe on the only begotten Son of the Father Who He sent to save the world.  It is to learn to live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD.”  (see Deuteronomy 8:3).  He is the Word made flesh Who was in the beginning with the Father and Who created all things.  HE has already done the work.  HE has proclaimed that “It is finished.”  WE just need to learn to give up our own ways and our own thoughts, and discover how to hear and obey the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit within us.  As God spoke by Isaiah, “…My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:8-11).  As we walk with the Lord we learn His ways little-by-little and day-by-day.

 

The people said, “What sign shewest Thou then, that we may see, and believe Thee? what dost Thou work?  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” (verses 30, 31).  Imagine!  Jesus had just worked a notable miracle the day before, and they had all witnessed it and been partakers of it; but now it was like “…what have you done for me lately?”  It goes to show that however uplifting and awe-inspiring miracles may be, they cannot establish faith in the hearts of those who cannot see beyond the sign or wonder to see what God is speaking. 

 

“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.” (verses 32, 33).  All along it was about this one thing: Jesus Christ is the BREAD FROM HEAVEN, He is the BREAD OF LIFE.”  The manna and the loaves and fish were simply types and shadows that were pointing to that one truth.  Manna couldn’t save the souls of the Israelites, it only sustained their bodies for a time.  The same was true of the loaves and fish.  The Word of God, however, can give life to the world and nourish the souls of the hungry.  God is looking for those who are hungering and thirsting for righteousness that He might bless them.  Those who seek only temporal blessings and signs are going to hunger still.  Real Life can only be found in Christ for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

 

As a young believer I could not get enough of the Word of God.  I was constantly stealing a moment here and a moment there to read more of the Bible.  When I was at work I would use my breaks and lunchtime to study the Word.  One day a fellow worker saw me reading and called me over to where he was working.  He said, “I’ve noticed that every time you get a break you read from that little Book in your pocket.”  I said, “Yes?”  He said, “Well, I’ve watched you a long time, and I have a question.”  I said, “Ok.”  He said, “Haven’t you finished it yet!?”  I just laughed and said, “Well, let me ask you a question.”  He said, “Go on.”  I said, “I’ve noticed that every time you get a break you go to the cafeteria or the vending machine and get something to eat.”  He said, “Yeah?”  I said, “Don’t you ever get full!?”  He just gave me a questioning look, and I said, “Just as you constantly need to feed your body to keep it strong and nourished to survive and do your work, I have to constantly feed my spirit with spiritual food from the Bible in order to survive and function as a Christian.”  I could see the light of understanding come on his face as I silently thanked God for the opportunity to witness to this man.

 

“Then said they unto Him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.  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.  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen Me, and believe not.” (verses 34-36).  These Jews had been witnessing Jesus’ works and miracles all along, but had not let faith germinate in their hearts so that the light of understanding would dawn on them.

 

Jesus continued, “For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.  And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.  And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (verses 38-40).  The secret is that we must not be intent on doing our own will or having our own way, but be surrendered to do the Father’s will.  As in all things, Jesus was setting the example for all of us to follow.

 

“The Jews then murmured at Him, because He said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.  And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, Whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He saith, I came down from heaven?” (verses 41, 42).  They had watched Jesus grow up, and there had not been anything remarkable about His early life.  He was 30 years old before He performed His first miracle.  Neither Jesus’ words or works were sufficient to convince them of who He was.  Like their fathers of old, these Jews did not have ears to hear the truth.  If they had forged a relationship with the Father, they would have recognized the Son.  Their religion and their traditions were getting in their way and blinding them to what should have been apparent.

 

Jesus said to them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.  I am that bread of life.  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.  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (verses 47-51).  Jesus would have to give His life in order for the world to know life.

 

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.  Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.  He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in Him.  As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” (verses 53-58).  This was some heavy-duty theology for these Jews to hear.  Jesus was not just teaching the true significance of God sending Manna to their fathers, but He was also using the types and shadows surrounding the Jews’ sacrifices for sin and uncleanness.  To consider a man stepping in as the sacrificial lamb that would wash their sin and bring them life was unthinkable for them!  

 

“Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” (verse 60).  As we walk with the Lord and allow His Holy Spirit to guide us through the twists and turns of life, there will be many times that He speaks “hard sayings” to us.  Those are the times that He requires more of us than we thought we would have to give.  The times when He ushers us to some secret room in our hearts and asks that we give up what is inside.  Jesus was not above the struggle with the flesh to live a surrendered life with God.  When facing the reality of His betrayal and imminent anguish on the cross, Jesus prayed, “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39).  To His disciples He said, “Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say?  Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.  Father, glorify Thy name.” (John 12:27, 28).  We will all be tempted by the weakness of our flesh, but by God’s grace we will be strengthened by His Spirit working in our inner man and will ultimately choose the Father’s will over our own.

 

“When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, He said unto them, Doth this offend you?  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.  But there are some of you that believe not…” (verses 61-64).  If, as Christians, we insist in living to please the flesh, we will profit nothing by Jesus’ words.  It is our inner man, our spirit, that is quickened and made to flourish.  Jesus said that in the world we would experience tribulation, but He also said, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

 

“From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.” (verse 66).  This is a very sad verse.  It wasn’t just the misguided Jews that were offended and turned their backs on the Lord, but it was some of His disciples: those besides the Twelve who had followed Jesus from the beginning.  These had seen all the evidence that He was the Messiah and yet they could not receive Jesus’ words now.  Oh, how we must pray to never be offended by what the Lord asks of us.  We cannot be concerned with what others do or how they live their lives.  We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that He will give us grace and strength to do all He asks.

 

“Then said Jesus unto the Twelve, Will ye also go away?  Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.  Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil.” (verses 67-70).  Though, Jesus had called and chosen the Twelve, yet even one of them left Him.  The choice to build a relationship with the Lord and to follow Him is always ours.  One dear soul described the difference between religion and relationship like this:  religion is sitting in church thinking about fishing, while relationship is being out fishing and thinking about God!  This is true of every event in our lives – we must include the Lord!  This is what Paul meant when he told Timothy to pray ceaselessly.  It means that God is always in our thoughts and that we are always running things past the Holy Spirit.  The Twelve knew who Jesus was.  They also knew that there was no one else who had the words of eternal life.  He is, truly, the Bread of Life.