Jesus is Bread?

John 6:41-51, CEB

The Jewish opposition grumbled about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

They asked, “Isn’t this Jesus, Joseph’s son, whose mother and father we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

Jesus responded, “Don’t grumble among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless they are drawn to me by the Father who sent me, and I will raise them up at the last day.  It is written in the Prophets, And they will all be taught by God.  Everyone who has listened to the Father and learned from him comes to me.  No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He has seen the Father.  I assure you, whoever believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life.  Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and they died.  This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that whoever eats from it will never die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

                Jesus continues to expound upon what will come to be known as the first of the “I AM” sayings in the gospel of John.  He says it plainly in this passage in verse 6:35: “I am the Bread of Life.”  Without wading too deep into the theological weeds surrounding these sayings, let us simply say here that each time Jesus utters one of these “I AM” statements, we are intended to hear the echoes of the following Old Testament passage:

But Moses said to God, “If I now come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they are going to ask me, ‘What’s this God’s name?’ What am I supposed to say to them?”  God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am.  So say to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’”  God continued, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, Abraham’s God, Isaac’s God, and Jacob’s God, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever; this is how all generations will remember me.  (Exodus 3:13-15, CEB)

The intention here is to hear Jesus further clarifying the character and identity of the God who has been known as “I AM THAT I AM” until now.  It is also to hear unequivocally that Jesus Himself is the clearest revelation of that God. 

                To say the Jesus is the “Bread of Life” is to say at least two significant things about the God that Jesus reveals.  First, as we talked about in the last two reflections, Jesus is our primary source of every kind of provision we can name.  Even more than we need food and water, we need Jesus.  That is a brazenly bold claim. This is why the religious leaders take such issue with what Jesus is saying here.  Nonethless, it is the claim that Jesus makes. 

                The second claim Jesus is making has to do with the role of bread the life of humanity.  Virtually every family throughout history shares bread together at the dining table.  This looks different in every tribe and culture, but bread is a kind of universal language for that which binds people together.  To come to a table with someone and “break bread together” is to acknowledge, regardless of squabbles with those who might be at the table, there is a connection that is more important than any issue that might divide.  Bread is not just life; it is communal life. 

                Jesus is saying here that He is the ultimate “Bread” that brings people together at the table.  Just as those who share literal bread at the table can be said to share life together, those who come to share in Jesus together can be said to share in eternal life together.  Further, our central symbol for sharing in Jesus together is through the Sacrament of communion.   This is the Gospel of John’s equivalent of “this is my body, given for you.” This is our ultimate provision and the bread that brings us all together.

Question:  How would you describe the way that Jesus “brings you to the table” with others? 

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, you are the “Bread of Life.”  Teach us what that really means.  We are your disciples.  Hold us together. Amen.

Prayer Focus:  Pray for people that you feel a responsibility to teach.

Song: Bread of Life – Illustrated Ministry