Jesus, the Life-Giver and Judge, Is Revealed as the Bread of Life
John 6:32-40
32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
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. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
The heart of the revelation has now been given in Jesus’ keynote address (chap. 5), in which he claims to have the divine prerogatives of life-giver and judge. These two rights will be depicted throughout the rest of the Gospel, beginning immediately with the description of Jesus as the Bread of Life–the one who not only gives life but sustains it. Jesus is declaring that He is the One who gives immediate life, and also sustain life for all who believe in Him. This is quite a declaration to a remnant of peasants and farmers who worked very hard for the bread which sustained them. He is showing them what it means to walk in Him. It is only by grace that a person can partake of the bread of life. It is not a matter of hard work. Also, He is declaring that He is the only way to experience true life. He states this later in John when He says “I have come to give you life and life abundantly.” This was as offensive then as it is now. There has always been a desire in the heart of men to take credit for what has been done. Essentially Jesus is saying that it has nothing to do with hard work if you do not eat of His bread. This leads to judgment, then and now.
We also see judgment taking place as people are unable to receive this revelation. First the Jews and then most of Jesus’ disciples are offended rather than enlightened. By the end of the chapter only the Twelve are left.
How many today are walking in this knowledge. That He is the only source of life. Everything else leads to death. Unless we constantly yield to Him and get our life from Him we are not in His will. This is as hard today as it was then.
Thank God that He is passionate for His children. He will stop at nothing to pursue us and hunt us down until we live a life that is abundant in Him. Praise be to the Bread of Life who has come from heaven to give life to the whole world! Jesus is the manna of the Father. Oh the riches of His grace towards those who believe.
