“I am the bread of life” (John 6:35)
John 6:35 – “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’”
In John 6, we hear the first of Jesus’ seven “I AM” statements.
He declares, “I am the bread of life” to the crowd and congregation that he had miraculously fed with bread just the day before. This was during the feast of the Passover (6:4), which the people celebrated by eating unleavened bread—known as the “bread of affliction” (Deut. 16:3)—and the Passover Lamb. By this the people remembered the hardship and oppression that their ancestors suffered suffered in Egypt and God’s amazing salvation. It’s against this background and after this miracle that Jesus declares himself the bread of life.
Let’s look at four essential truths from this “I AM” statement.
1. Bread is essential
Bread has been a staple of human life for thousands of years. Without it—or something to sustain us—we cannot live. The Bible reminds us that “man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Deut. 8:3). Just like everyday we need to eat in order to live, God says we need spiritual food in order to survive. We can’t make it without spiritual, without soul food!
Now here Jesus says that he is essential for spiritual life. We can’t make it without him. We can’t make one day without him, let alone into the life to come. Apart from Him, our souls remain empty, restless, and unsatisfied. Just as we cannot live without physical nourishment, we cannot live spiritually without Christ.
2. Bread is a gift
Jesus reminds the congregation that God had once given manna in the desert to their ancestors. Manna literally means “what’s that,” referring to the people’s surprise when they ate that bread which God provided from heaven as the people journeyed through the wilderness. Bread is a gift!
Now Jesus says that he himself is God’s provision from heaven—the bread that comes down from heaven (6:32-33). Jesus is Heaven’s provision, heaven’s greatest gift. Jesus is God’s free and abundant supply to meet our every need.
Jesus gives himself freely to us by going to the cross where he was hungry, thirst, deprived and rejected. He goes through what we deserve in order to give us this greatest gift. So we receive Jesus as Heaven’s provision to apply every need we have. What’s your need today? Do you believe Jesus is able to supply it? Do you believe he has provided for you by his body on the cross? This bread cannot be earned, but is received as a gift of God’s grace. When we come to Him, He provides exactly what we need.
3. Bread is a promise
Growing up in Egypt, I remember seeing the poor lining up to receive bread from government offices. Just enough bread for one day, if they weren’t last ones in line and the bread was still available. But Jesus promises that he will never run out. The bread he gives us doesn’t spoil or grow mould. When Jesus says He is the bread of life, He promises satisfaction that endures.
Ordinary bread sustains for a day at most. Jesus sustains forever. Those who come to Him with faith will find lasting fulfillment—hunger quenched and thirst satisfied—not just for a season, but for eternity. This is why Jesus tells us that the bread he offers is secure. We do not have to worry that he will ever run out.
For example:
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:47-51)
With Jesus as the bread of life, eternal life, we have no fear that we will ever run out or go hungry. He will hold us fast to the end.
4. Bread is for the eating
Finally, bread only nourishes when it is eaten. Similarly, Jesus does not satisfy us from afar. We must come to Him, day by day, trust in Him as God’s Provision, and receive him. Faith is active: we take Him in, we feed on Him daily through prayer, Scripture, fellowship and faith in His promises. Only then do we experience the life He offers.
Jesus says that as the bread of heaven, he must come into every fibre and part of our being. Just like food comes into our bodies and feeds us, Jesus wants to come and nourish every part of our being. That is why he says, “‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’” We will never go hungry if we come and feed on Jesus daily and together at the Lord’s Supper, every week.
Application Questions
In what areas of your life are you still hungry or thirsty, even after trying other “foods” for the soul?
How can you receive Jesus as the bread of life today—trusting His promise rather than relying on your own efforts?
What daily practices can help you “feed” on Christ so that your soul is nourished and sustained?
Jesus invites us to come, to believe, and to be filled. Let us take Him at His word, the true bread from heaven.
