John 6:25-68
Jesus compares Himself to the physical bread we eat. If bread will sustain us physically and nutritionally, meeting our physical bodies’ needs, Jesus will sustain us spiritually, in our soul, and will meet our spirit man’s needs. Every person’s soul resonates with the desire to be filled, just as our physical body does. Jesus describes Himself as the basic element that sustains us and fulfills us, no matter who we are or what we have done.
In Exodus, bread is compared to the words of God. “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” It is the truth of God that sustains us, His word that penetrates our being.
Jesus is the Bread of Life. By His sacrifice, we are able to share with Him in eternal life. We are not to “hunger for bread that perishes” or labor for worldly, temporary things. Jesus told us not to worry about these things. But when we hunger for God, we will do what is necessary to fill that hunger by seeking after God’s will and His perfect purpose. We will persevere to eat the bread that will meet our spiritual needs. Jesus is the Word of God personified. The bread that He has left us is what we have in the written Word of God—the teachings of Jesus and the example He set.
When we believe in the One God sent, His Son, we will be filled—when we do His work and follow His life’s path, our needs will be met. God gave daily bread to the wanderers in the desert—how much more will He meet our spiritual needs daily if we seek to know Him! If we take what God has given us, live the example, follow His words, and share what God has given us with others, we will be given eternal life, to live and reign with Him forever.
—Mark