“’I am the living bread that comes down
from heaven.
If anyone eats of this bread, he will
live forever
This bread is my flesh, which I will give
for the life of the world.’”
John 6:51 (NIV)
Jesus spoke these words to the Jews. The listeners argued
among themselves. They didn’t believe what they heard.
Just as bread is basic to our survival, Jesus is essential
to our spiritual health. In John chapter six, Jesus refers to himself as the
bread of life five times (6:33, 38, 41, 51, and 58.) The Jewish listeners
couldn’t process the thought that Jesus compared Himself to something so
different and yet so basic.
My research on this passage shows me that Jesus is essential
to our spiritual nourishment as bread is to our physical strength1.“He
claimed to be the genuine source of spiritual life and nourishment.”
Just as our physical bodies become run down without our
eating of the proper foods, our spirits need to take in Jesus and His teachings
in order to grow in our awareness and knowledge of Him.
1.Gleaned from The Gospel of John, The Daily Study Bible
Series, by William Barclay © 1975 p.220
2. The Discovery Study Bible, by Zondervan © 2004 p. 1401
Graphic: Turnbacktogod.com
Yes, Jesus is the living bread that nourishes and satisfies our soul hunger. What a fellowship and joy divine we share with Him as we partake of His soul food. Thank you for these thoughts today.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Pam.Thank you for stopping in. Sometimes we get 'soul hungry.' Nothing satisfies us like a season of prayer with Jesus. I am beginning a new project at church that has already required me to pray and to seek prayer from others. And He has answered some of them already.
DeleteMy daily bread indeed, the Word feeds my spirit, everytime!
ReplyDeleteMarja: Thank you for stopping in. God's Word is a wonderful way to feed ourselves when we are spiritually hungry.
DeleteJesus was very bold to openly proclaim himself the bread of life, when he knew he'd be misunderstood and persecuted for it. I admire his obedience to the Father, and long to be like him.
ReplyDeleteHi Cecelia! I like your analogy to giving our bodies good food. We have to go to good sources of life in Jesus to learn more about him too.
ReplyDeleteBread is so basic, remember when it was called the 'building block of life'? Our bread is the Lord, our spiritual building block!
Thanks for this well-researched post today!
Ceil