I Am The Bread Of Life

The day after the Lord Jesus fed more than five thousand people with five loaves and two small fish He enlarged upon this miracle in the synagogue at Capernaum by applying its message spiritually. It was here the Saviour titled Himself the Bread of Life, saying, ‘I am the Bread of Life’ and ‘I am the living bread which came down from heaven’. He says, ‘except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life.’

Food that does not perish

The Lord is speaking about spiritual life. The word ‘meat’ in our Bible does not mean animal flesh as it is used today. It means all kinds of food, usually grain. When the Lord says there is meat that perishes He is speaking of ordinary, physical food that wastes and passes away, either by consumption or deterioration. When He talks of meat that sustains to everlasting life He is referring to spiritual food; soul food and gospel blessings that nourish the new creation and feed the new man who now lives the life of faith in Jesus Christ. This food does not perish.

Physical and spiritual

The Jews mocked the Lord’s words and said, ‘how can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ True believers understand the Lord’s meaning. The Lord speaks to those who have ears to hear. We have come to learn that spiritual food is essential for spiritual life and spiritual growth just as physical food nourishes the body. The Lord’s people have an appetite for Christ and His Gospel. As His true followers we hunger and thirst after the righteousness He alone gives. We yearn for Him. We cry, ‘Lord, evermore give us this bread’.

Growing in grace

There is a living relationship and a spiritual union that exists individually between Christ and all of His people. Paul tells the Galatians, ‘Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me’. This lively union is fed and nourished by spiritual graces, first by the sincere milk of the word, leading to strong meat, or solid food, imparted by the Lord as we grow in grace and a knowledge of the truth. 

The covenant again!

In John 6 Christ is telling us that all spiritual life derives from Him and is sustained by Him. He is the ever-present ‘I am’, the Redeemer, Mediator and Intercessor of the everlasting covenant of grace, sealed by God the Father. By this sealing, the salvation of all the elect of God who have been placed into Christ’s hands is certain and sure. He says, ‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.’

Coming and believing

Coming to the Lord Jesus and believing in Him is the means and method by which God’s children are nourished and fed. The just live by faith in Christ. The justified live by feeding upon the Lord Jesus. He is our table in the presence of our enemies, our feast in the wilderness. We value and cherish every means of grace that God has instituted for our development and maturity. Certainly there is a first coming to Christ in conversion but believers never stop coming to Christ. There is a first believing in Christ for salvation but believers never stop believing. He that believeth (present tense) in me, says the Lord Jesus, hath (present tense) everlasting life’.

Ever looking to the cross

Referring to His crucifixion and death our Saviour tells His church, ‘I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world’. Christ came from heaven in a real body. He gave His physical flesh as a ransom for sin to justify many. His physical death in our place secures our spiritual life. We live spiritually because He died physically. We live and grow by trusting in the efficacy of His death.

Amen.