In John 6:35, Jesus declares “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” This is a profound statement that requires some explanation to fully understand its meaning and significance.
Context of the Statement
To properly unpack what Jesus meant, it’s important to look at the broader context surrounding this statement in John 6. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus had just miraculously fed the five thousand with only five loaves and two fish (John 6:1-13). The next day, some of those who had been fed sought out Jesus again. But Jesus perceived that many of them were seeking Him for temporal reasons, to obtain more food and benefits from Him (John 6:26).
Jesus takes this opportunity to transition the conversation from physical bread to spiritual bread. He distinguishes Himself as greater than the manna that God had provided the Israelites in the wilderness, stating that the true “bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:33). Jesus presents Himself as the One through whom eternal life and spiritual sustenance could be obtained.
Meaning of “Bread of Life”
When Jesus declares “I am the bread of life,” He is making it clear that only through a relationship with Him can one obtain eternal spiritual life and nourishment. Just as bread provides physical nourishment and sustenance, Jesus provides spiritual nourishment and sustenance. Without bread, one would physically hunger and starve. Without Jesus, one spiritually hungers and starves.
Jesus as the “bread of life” means He alone is able to satisfy the deepest needs and longings of the human soul. He sustains, strengthens, and nurtures those who come to Him in faith. His life and words are food for the spiritually hungry. This “bread” is not temporary but eternal, enduring for everlasting life (John 6:27).
How to Partake of the Bread of Life
After declaring Himself the bread of life, Jesus explains how one partakes of that spiritual bread. First, it involves a person coming directly to Jesus Himself (John 6:35). It also requires faith, believing that He truly is the Son of God and Savior of the world (John 6:35, 40). Those who behold Christ with eyes of faith are able to receive sustenance and life from Him.Third, it necessitates obedience to His words (John 6:56-58). As one feeds upon the words of Christ, they are spiritually nourished by His teachings.
Partaking of Christ as the bread of life is an ongoing process. His life must be taken in daily, even moment-by-moment. Jesus compared it to a person eating physical bread- one does not eat once and never hunger again. So too spiritual nourishment from Christ must be received regularly and repeatedly (John 6:48-58). As long as one is partaking of Him through faith and obedience, they will never spiritually hunger or thirst.
The Bread of Life Satisfies and Sustains
The passage in John 6 makes it clear that coming to Jesus as the bread of life brings deep and lasting satisfaction. Those who believe in Christ for salvation and nourishment will “never be hungry” and “never be thirsty” again (John 6:35). He alone can meet the needs of the human heart. When someone partakes of Christ, the hunger pangs and cravings for other things fade away. He becomes enough.
Furthermore, those who partake of Christ through faith persevere until the end. Jesus said, “This is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day” (John 6:39). He promised to sustain believers and keep them secure. The bread He offers ensures one lasts for eternity (John 6:27, 50-51). Those who partake of Him to the end have eternal life.
A Foreshadowing of the Cross
When understood in full context, John 6 provides a backdrop for Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus mentions the requirement of eating His flesh and drinking His blood to obtain life (John 6:53-58). This seems strange until one remembers that in the crucifixion, Jesus’ body was broken and His blood was poured out as an atoning sacrifice.
The bodily sacrifice of Christ on the cross provides spiritual life and nourishment. His body was broken so that through taking part in His death, sinners may live forever. His blood was shed to cleanse people from sin. So while His words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood seemed bizarre to His original hearers, it makes sense in light of the crucifixion He would soon undergo.
An Invitation to Come
Understood in its full biblical context, Jesus’ declaration “I am the bread of life” is a gracious invitation to find spiritual nourishment and eternal life in Him. It echoes the wider invitation of the gospel to believe in Christ, follow Him, and thereby obtain the salvation He offers. Like the original listeners, each person is presented with the same decision – will they accept or reject Jesus as the bread of life?
This statement reveals Jesus’ desire to satisfy the hunger and thirst every soul experiences. He longs to provide forgiveness, spiritual rebirth, meaning, and eternal sustenance. However, He will not force Himself upon anyone. Each individual must choose to come to Christ on His terms and partake of the nourishment only He can provide. For all who believe, abundant and enduring life is found in Him.
A Claim to Deity
In declaring Himself the bread of life, Jesus was making an audacious and profound claim to be the Son of God. Only God alone can provide eternal spiritual sustenance. For a mere man to claim that he was the sole source of spiritual nourishment for all mankind would be preposterous. Yet this is precisely what Jesus does.
His original Jewish audience clearly understood the divine implications of His statement. They immediately complained, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” (John 6:41-42). The religious leaders especially were outraged at His claims of deity.
By calling Himself the bread of life, Jesus was revealing His divine identity and equality with God the Father. He was reiterating what He had claimed earlier in John’s gospel: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Not only was He claiming to come from heaven but also to be the very source of eternal life.
A Reminder of God’s Provision
When Jesus calls Himself the “bread of life,” He is reminding His listeners of how God has provided bread from heaven before. In calling Himself the true bread from heaven, Jesus is identifying Himself with the manna God rained down to feed the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16). Just as God had provided physical sustenance then, Christ was now promising spiritual sustenance.
Additionally, Jesus’ statement echoes God’s provision of food and bread throughout the Old Testament. God provided manna from heaven for 40 years (Exodus 16:35). He gave Israel grain, new wine, oil, and bread in abundance (Joel 2:19). The psalmists speak of how God “commands the blessing” and provides bread from the earth (Psalm 133:3, 147:14).
So when Jesus claims to be “bread of life,” He reminds listeners of God’s faithfulness to provide. But Jesus surpasses all previous provision, offering spiritual and eternal bread rather than merely physical and temporary bread.
A Contrast to Worldly Approaches
The setting of John 6 makes it clear that many were following Jesus simply for physical bread and benefits. But Jesus reorients the focus to spiritual nourishment that endures for eternal life. He contrasts Himself with the ephemeral pleasures and provisions the world offers. Earthly bread perishes but Christ’s bread bestows immortality.
Jesus’ statement would have been quite radical and countercultural to His original hearers. Most first century Jews were seeking a political and military deliverer to free them from Roman oppression. They expected the Messiah to be an earthly bread king who would meet their physical needs and desires. But Jesus confronts this worldly perspective head on, offering eternal spiritual life instead of political liberation or material provision.
A Parallel with the Lord’s Supper
While John 6 precedes Jesus’ institution of Communion, His words about being the bread of life shed light on the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. When Jesus broke the bread at the Last Supper, He was symbolizing how His body would be broken on the cross for the salvation of mankind.
Partaking of the bread during Communion represents feasting spiritually upon Christ for nourishment and life. Just as food is vital for physical life, Christ is vital for spiritual life. The bread signals that just as bread must be received physically, so Christ must be received spiritually to impart life.
So Jesus’ statement about being the bread of life illuminates the significance of the bread in the Lord’s Supper. Both point to the need to partake of Christ’s sacrifice regularly for ongoing spiritual sustenance and the eternal life He provides.
Implications for Believers Today
While Jesus’ original statement about being the bread of life was directed to first century Jews, it has abiding implications for believers today. As Christians partake of Communion, Jesus’ words remind them of His body broken and blood poured out to provide eternal life. The bread of Communion represents spiritually partaking of Christ’s sacrifice.
But beyond Communion, “I am the bread of life” is a reminder that only Jesus Himself can deeply satisfy the hunger for meaning, hope, and love that all people carry. Just as one cannot survive physically without food, one cannot thrive spiritually without Christ. Believers must continually feast upon Jesus through trusting Him, obeying Him, and finding sustenance in His Word.
Additionally, this statement beckons Christians to invite others to come find life in Jesus. His invitation extends not just to those who were present when He made this claim but all people in all places until He returns. As His followers share the gospel, they offer Jesus the bread of life to a spiritually hungry world.
Conclusion
At first glance, Jesus’ statement “I am the bread of life” may seem confusing or odd. But when understood in its biblical context, it is a profound claim to be God’s Son and the sole source of eternal spiritual nourishment. This bread satisfies completely and sustains eternally all who partake of it through faith.
Jesus’ declaration invites people everywhere to believe in Him for salvation and keep coming to Him daily to be spiritually filled. Those who heed Christ’s invitation and receive Him as the bread of life will never hunger or thirst again. Instead, they will experience satisfied hearts, meaningful lives, and the wonder of eternal life with God.