The Bread from Heaven — Revealing the Glory of Christ - John 6
After the miracle of feeding the five thousand with just five loaves and two fish, the people were amazed. They followed Jesus, not understanding yet who He truly was. They crossed the sea to find Him again, hoping to see more wonders, to be filled once more with physical food. But Jesus, knowing their hearts, told them plainly that they were not truly seeking Him for the right reasons. They were chasing after temporary bread instead of eternal truth.
Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” Their desire was limited to earthly needs. But Jesus wanted to raise their minds higher. He warned them not to work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man—Jesus Himself—would give them.
Here, Jesus began to reveal something wonderful. He was not just a provider of miracles. He was not just a prophet. He was offering them the deepest kind of nourishment—not for the body, but for the soul. This food was not something they could earn or grow or trade for. It was a gift from heaven, from the Father, through the Son.
The people asked what works they should do to please God. Jesus answered in a way that lifted the focus away from human effort. He said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” All human striving, rituals, and traditions mean nothing without faith in the One whom God has sent. True life begins with believing in Jesus—not just as a man, or a prophet, but as the One who came down from heaven to give life to the world.
The people, still thinking of physical bread, said, “Our fathers ate the manna in the desert.” They were referring to the time when God gave bread from heaven to the Israelites through Moses. But Jesus told them clearly: it was not Moses who gave the true bread from heaven. That bread was only a shadow, a symbol. The true bread was now standing before them.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” This was a divine claim. Just as bread nourishes and keeps the body alive, Jesus said He Himself is the nourishment of the soul. And unlike manna, which rotted after a day, Jesus gives a life that never fades, a fullness that never runs dry.
This is the bread the prophets spoke of. Isaiah wrote, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good” (Isaiah 55:2). Jesus is the fulfillment of this word. He is the only food that satisfies the deep hunger in the heart of every person.
But not everyone could accept this. Even though Jesus stood before them, many did not believe. Still, He declared that all whom the Father gives Him will come to Him, and He will not reject anyone who truly comes. He said, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life.”
This belief is not shallow. It is not about words alone. It is a deep trust, a daily receiving, just like eating. And then Jesus said something that shocked many: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” He went even further: “The bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
With this, Jesus pointed to His death. His flesh would be broken. His blood would be poured out. Just as the Passover lamb had to be killed and eaten, so Jesus would offer Himself to bring true deliverance. The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, would become the food of eternal life. The people argued among themselves. “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” they asked. But Jesus did not soften His message. He said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” These were not words about physical eating. They were about spiritual receiving—taking in Jesus by faith, making Him our source of life.
The Old Testament gives us a picture of this. The prophet Jeremiah said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). To eat and drink Christ is to receive Him deeply into our heart and soul—to trust in His sacrifice, to depend on His life, to draw daily strength from Him.
Jesus said, “My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.” He was pointing to the cross. He would give His life so that others might live. He would be broken, so we could be made whole. He would bleed, so we could be washed clean. And only those who receive this with faith, as their food and drink, will have eternal life.
He also said, “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” This reveals a deep truth: just as Jesus lives by the life of the Father, so we must live by the life of the Son. Our life must be rooted in Him. We must come to Him each day as our Bread. Not just once, but daily. Not just in word, but in reality.
Many of His followers were offended. They said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” They did not see the glory hidden in His words. They were thinking with human minds, expecting a kingdom of flesh, but Jesus was giving a kingdom of spirit and truth. He said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
Even though many turned away, Jesus did not chase after them. He let them go, because the truth cannot be changed to please men. It is eternal. It is holy. It is life itself. He then asked His twelve disciples, “Do you also want to go away?” And Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
This is the right response. Jesus alone has the words that give eternal life. Jesus alone is the Bread that came down from heaven. Jesus alone gave His flesh for the life of the world. He is the true Manna. He is the Passover Lamb. He is the daily bread of the soul. And He is the glory of God revealed.
The Old Testament shadows—the manna in the wilderness, the sacrifices at the altar, the bread of the presence in the tabernacle—all pointed to Him. In Jesus, they are fulfilled. In Jesus, they find their meaning. In Jesus, the fullness of God dwells. He is the Bread that does not perish. He is the Word made flesh. He is the Living One who gives life to all who believe and do his will.
Let every heart come to Him. Let every soul feed on Him. Let all people lift their eyes to the true Bread from heaven and say with joy, “You have the words of eternal life.” And may the glory of Christ shine above all else, for He is the gift of the Father, the Savior of the world, and the only One who can give life that never ends.
After the miracle of feeding the five thousand with just five loaves and two fish, the people were amazed. They followed Jesus, not understanding yet who He truly was. They crossed the sea to find Him again, hoping to see more wonders, to be filled once more with physical food. But Jesus, knowing their hearts, told them plainly that they were not truly seeking Him for the right reasons. They were chasing after temporary bread instead of eternal truth.
Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” Their desire was limited to earthly needs. But Jesus wanted to raise their minds higher. He warned them not to work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man—Jesus Himself—would give them.
Here, Jesus began to reveal something wonderful. He was not just a provider of miracles. He was not just a prophet. He was offering them the deepest kind of nourishment—not for the body, but for the soul. This food was not something they could earn or grow or trade for. It was a gift from heaven, from the Father, through the Son.
The people asked what works they should do to please God. Jesus answered in a way that lifted the focus away from human effort. He said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” All human striving, rituals, and traditions mean nothing without faith in the One whom God has sent. True life begins with believing in Jesus—not just as a man, or a prophet, but as the One who came down from heaven to give life to the world.
The people, still thinking of physical bread, said, “Our fathers ate the manna in the desert.” They were referring to the time when God gave bread from heaven to the Israelites through Moses. But Jesus told them clearly: it was not Moses who gave the true bread from heaven. That bread was only a shadow, a symbol. The true bread was now standing before them.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” This was a divine claim. Just as bread nourishes and keeps the body alive, Jesus said He Himself is the nourishment of the soul. And unlike manna, which rotted after a day, Jesus gives a life that never fades, a fullness that never runs dry.
This is the bread the prophets spoke of. Isaiah wrote, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good” (Isaiah 55:2). Jesus is the fulfillment of this word. He is the only food that satisfies the deep hunger in the heart of every person.
But not everyone could accept this. Even though Jesus stood before them, many did not believe. Still, He declared that all whom the Father gives Him will come to Him, and He will not reject anyone who truly comes. He said, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life.”
This belief is not shallow. It is not about words alone. It is a deep trust, a daily receiving, just like eating. And then Jesus said something that shocked many: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” He went even further: “The bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
With this, Jesus pointed to His death. His flesh would be broken. His blood would be poured out. Just as the Passover lamb had to be killed and eaten, so Jesus would offer Himself to bring true deliverance. The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, would become the food of eternal life. The people argued among themselves. “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” they asked. But Jesus did not soften His message. He said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” These were not words about physical eating. They were about spiritual receiving—taking in Jesus by faith, making Him our source of life.
The Old Testament gives us a picture of this. The prophet Jeremiah said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). To eat and drink Christ is to receive Him deeply into our heart and soul—to trust in His sacrifice, to depend on His life, to draw daily strength from Him.
Jesus said, “My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.” He was pointing to the cross. He would give His life so that others might live. He would be broken, so we could be made whole. He would bleed, so we could be washed clean. And only those who receive this with faith, as their food and drink, will have eternal life.
He also said, “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” This reveals a deep truth: just as Jesus lives by the life of the Father, so we must live by the life of the Son. Our life must be rooted in Him. We must come to Him each day as our Bread. Not just once, but daily. Not just in word, but in reality.
Many of His followers were offended. They said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” They did not see the glory hidden in His words. They were thinking with human minds, expecting a kingdom of flesh, but Jesus was giving a kingdom of spirit and truth. He said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
Even though many turned away, Jesus did not chase after them. He let them go, because the truth cannot be changed to please men. It is eternal. It is holy. It is life itself. He then asked His twelve disciples, “Do you also want to go away?” And Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
This is the right response. Jesus alone has the words that give eternal life. Jesus alone is the Bread that came down from heaven. Jesus alone gave His flesh for the life of the world. He is the true Manna. He is the Passover Lamb. He is the daily bread of the soul. And He is the glory of God revealed.
The Old Testament shadows—the manna in the wilderness, the sacrifices at the altar, the bread of the presence in the tabernacle—all pointed to Him. In Jesus, they are fulfilled. In Jesus, they find their meaning. In Jesus, the fullness of God dwells. He is the Bread that does not perish. He is the Word made flesh. He is the Living One who gives life to all who believe and do his will.
Let every heart come to Him. Let every soul feed on Him. Let all people lift their eyes to the true Bread from heaven and say with joy, “You have the words of eternal life.” And may the glory of Christ shine above all else, for He is the gift of the Father, the Savior of the world, and the only One who can give life that never ends.
