There are so many different kinds of foods listed in the Bible, but the one that Jesus chose to describe Himself is the “Bread of Life.” I have to admit, I thought He would say grapes or any type of fruit for that matter. Fruit is sweet, moist, and so very yummy. But bread? Bread is boring. And yet, that is what He chose. And as I read more Scriptures concerning bread, my opinion changed. I have learned that He chose “bread” for a number of reasons.
Bread was a staple at every meal in the life and times of the Bible. Literally, at every meal, there was bread served. Even at the last supper of Jesus and the disciples, bread was pointed out. Bread was simple to make, and it was filling. Back then, and even today, if you have some bread and water, you will be sustained another day. The bread back then did not need preservatives or additives. It was plain and hearty. It was healthy and clean. And again, it was always eaten. So leftovers were not a thing back then.
So, we can see a principle emerge from this one reason alone: You must take it in daily.
Another reason that I saw that bread was the chosen descriptor is that bread is average. It is plain. It can be a meal all by itself, but it can also accompany other foods without taking over the flavor. If you have or have had teenagers, you know how difficult it is to keep them fed. They always seem to be hungry. Bread helps fill them up without breaking the budget. Bread is simple and satiating. So a good ole peanut butter sandwich after school keeps the hunger at bay while I make dinner. In the morning, toast while I am making breakfast helps to calm the hunger until we sit down at the table before school. At night, if they want a snack before bed, a simple sandwich will do.
Another principle that emerges is: Bread is filling when you are hungry.
Bread can be made of different grains. What one considers good may not be the same for another. It is adaptable. So if one like whole grain bread and someone else does not like it, that other person can have rye bread or millet bread or barley bread or wheat bread. There are even breads not that do not have gluten. (Don’t ask me what they are made of.) The point is that bread can be palatable for anyone at any meal.
Another principle here is: Bread is adaptable to fit your needs.
Let’s take a look at John 6:35. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” In this passage, Jesus was talking to a group of people that followed Him and His disciples over the Sea of Galilee. They were there for the feeding of the 5,000. They saw what happened, and they wanted to be fed more. Jesus told them not to run about looking for temporary food, but to look for the eternal nourishment which Jesus provides (v. 27). This group asked for a sign in verse 30, and in verse 31 they brought up the manna in the desert that their ancestors ate. Jesus rightened their understanding of what happened there. He said that Moses did not give them manna to eat, but the Father in heaven did. God provided manna from heaven for them. And Jesus pointed out that it was symbolic of Him. Jesus is the bread (nourishment, sustenance) from heaven.
Jesus is the True bread from heaven sent by the Father.
When we look at what Jesus said in verse 35, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger,” we notice His declaration of what He is, and we also see how to get it. “He that cometh to me.” We must come to Him in order to receive the bread of life. It reads in verse 44, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” He repeats this in verse 65 after some more teaching on the bread of life. We cannot come to Jesus unless the Father draws us to Him. God knows our hearts. He draws all of us to Jesus. However, He will not force us to receive Him. If one rejects Jesus over and over after God has given one time, God will grant one’s rejection. We must receive the invitation to draw near to Jesus, to take in what He says, and follow Him.
In verse 63 of this same chapter, Jesus makes it plain what the bread of life is. He says, “It is the spirit that quickeneth [makes alive]; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” The bread of life is the very teaching that Jesus gives. The very words that He is offering to them are nourishment for their spirit. These are the words of eternal life.
This Bread of Life is Jesus. You take Him in daily. When your spirit is hungry, He is filling. He is adaptable to fit all of your needs. He is the True Bread from heaven sent by the Father.
Gotta fill up my cup…..
Coffee with Candee 