‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in m e shall never thirst. … I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever’ (John 6:35, 51).
One of the inescapable realities and joys of being human is our need for food. Without it we simply cannot sustain life. We die. We tend to take food for granted, don’t we? Especially if we live in a place that has food in abundance. Throughout history, however, food was not something to be taken for granted. The purpose of a day’s labour was to get the evening’s meal. This was certainly true for Jesus’ original audience.
Jesus feeds us
No wonder, then, that they were astonished when, with just a few loaves of bread, he fed a multitude. Here was someone who could fill their stomachs. Here was someone like Moses, who could provide manna. Here was someone who could lead them into a new exodus. Yet Jesus is so much better than Moses. The people wanted bread to fill their stomachs for a day, but Jesus offered Himself – the very bread of God, the very life of God, who gives life forevermore: ‘This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’ (John 17:3). Life with the Father, Son, and Spirit. The very thing we were created for. What our hearts long most deeply for. And we receive this bread in a way we’d least expect.
