‘Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty”‘ (John 6:35 NLT).
After Jesus miraculously fed the multitude, the crowd looked for Him the next day. When they found Him, Jesus told them that they weren’t really looking for Him, but they were looking for more bread. He said they should stop looking for food that perishes but for food that gives eternal life. They replied, “Sir, give us this bread always!” (John 6:34). And Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life.”
This was the first of the seven great “I am” statements made by Jesus as recorded in the gospel of John. Each of these statements begins with the Greek words “Ego eimi” (Literally, “I, I am”). The emphatic use of “ego” (“I”), serves to emphasize the “I am,” which is the covenantal name of God as revealed to Moses (See Ex. 3:14 “I AM THAT I AM”). In making these statements in this way, Jesus was claiming the Name of God as His own, claiming to be the Son of God.
And not only that, by saying that He was the “bread of life,” He was saying that He was the only true source of eternal life given by the Father. As He said, “No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry.” Hungry for what? Physical food? No. Food for the soul. And for what does the soul hunger? Eternal life. For God has “put eternity into man’s heart” (Eccl. 3:11). Therefore, the human soul longs for eternal life with God. Yet only Christ, the bread of life, can satisfy this longing. Jesus Christ is the only true food for our souls.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we believe in Jesus. For just as a grain of wheat must die and be crushed to make bread, so Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that He might be the Bread of Life for us. We are thankful for so great a salvation. He is our life. And we count our old lives dead that we might truly live in Him. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.