John 6:35 includes one of the most profound "I Am" statements made by Jesus:

"'I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again."

John 6:35 CSB

This statement holds significance and symbolism that reveals key truths about who Jesus is, and how we can trust Him more. Because Jesus is the Bread of Life, He satisfies our material needs, and He is also the answer to our deepest desires.

Material Needs – John 6:22-33

The drive to use Jesus for one's earthly needs is relentless, as illustrated by the Galileans' pursuit of Jesus in Capernaum. They needed to break their overnight fast, and nothing was easier or more entertaining than Jesus providing so much from so little. Jesus, in response, is ever gracious. He confronts their motives, calls for a course correction, and clarifies His identity and purpose for them.

"26 Jesus answered, "Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don't work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.'"

John 6:26-27

One could give these peasants a pass with regard to their materialism (though Jesus clearly does not). One can more easily judge a wealthy person for being a materialist, but those who live in poverty want for material needs all the more and can easily idolize someone or something that provides what they want most.

This is why Jesus boldly confronts those He abundantly cared for just a day earlier. Their fascination with Him, He states, is based primarily on His ability to provide materially for them, and this fixation prohibits them from seeing who He really is and what the prior day's miracle was all about. Feeding thousands from so little was a sign pointing to Jesus's purpose to provide eternal life to all those who would "feast" on Him by grace through faith. It's this faith one should be hungry for.

Jesus's invitation to believe in Him for eternal life is met with yet another request for what they originally came to Jesus for—a miracle—only this time, they make their request under the guise of Jesus needing to prove Himself, as if yet another miracle that served their material needs would somehow validate Him further in their eyes. In verse 31, they bring up Moses and the miraculous manna from heaven, thinking Jesus fits the bill, but Jesus sets the record straight once more: It wasn't Moses who provided the manna; it was God, His Father—the same God who walked with Moses, now offering them the true sustenance, the genuine bread from heaven (v. 33).

Bread for All – John 6:34-45

In response to their plea for bread in verse 34, Jesus boldly proclaims in verse 35, "I am the bread of life." Those who approach me won't hunger, and those who believe in me won't thirst. This pivotal declaration is the first of six "I Am" statements in the Gospel of John, echoing God's self-disclosure found in Exodus 3:14: "I AM WHO I AM." While the other three Gospels may present this differently, the essence of Jesus recognizing His unique role in humanity's connection to God shines brightly in these words: "I am the bread of life."

This statement encapsulates the crux of Jesus's mission—He is the answer to the deepest yearnings of the human heart. Bread, for Jesus's audience, symbolized sustenance, the very essence of life itself. It remains a vital nourishment for millions across the globe, and even those with gluten-free diets strive to make breads that mirror actual bread, which shows just how desirable and important it is in our diet. Such a fact emphasizes the universal significance of Jesus's role as the Bread of Life. Be it a biscuit at a late-night diner or a loaf at a Michelin Star restaurant, bread is for everyone, and so is Jesus.

Moreover, the title "Bread of Life" speaks volumes about Jesus's fulfilling and satisfying nature. If you've ever filled up on bread at a restaurant while waiting for your main course, you know all too well how instantly fulfilling and satisfying bread can be. So, too, is Jesus. While other breads leave us wanting, Jesus fills us beyond measure. Once we taste of Him, our hunger pangs cease, our thirst quenched indefinitely.

Amid a society exhausted by soul-searching endeavors, Jesus stands out as the ultimate solution—the one who fills the void within, ensuring that those who come to Him will never hunger or thirst again. The problem is that far too few do come to Him, for we have not yet given up on other potential sources to satisfy us.

"34 Then they said, "Sir, give us this bread always."

35 "I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again. 36 But as I told you, you've seen me, and yet you do not believe. 37 Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who 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 This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

41 Therefore the Jews started grumbling about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They were saying, "Isn't this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

43 Jesus answered them, "Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to me—46 not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He has seen the Father."

John 6:34-46 CSB

Feast on Jesus

Because of Jesus' declaration as the Bread of Life, we are challenged straightaway to repent from our idols and embrace the exclusive Son of God who alone bears the seal of approval from the Father. We are forced to reckon with grand theological truths that confront our presupposed sovereignty and volition.

But we are also excited and galvanized. Because Jesus is the Bread of Life, we can be bold and confident in the sharing of our faith, because God uses us to draw people to Himself. When those we share with come to Christ, we can give God the glory. When they reject Christ, we can be heartbroken for them but remain confident that God's Word never returns void. We can confidently play our part while God plays His and others play theirs. Because Jesus is the Bread of Life, we can rest assured that we are saved. Yes, we will fall into sin through neglect and temptation, grieve the Spirit, and so on. But He never lets go.

May Jesus's identity and purpose as revealed in John 6 assure us of our eternal future and fuel us for our earthly ministry.

To learn more about the "I Am" statements in John, see "The Gospel of John: I AM Statements" Bible Study.

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