Bread that Lasts Forever
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Key Verse: “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.” Selected Scripture: |
THE FOUR GOSPELS DO not always record the same events, but together they present Jesus’ life and ministry from different perspectives. The Key Verse reveals Jesus’ purpose in leaving his heavenly home, to present his life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. He said his life was like living bread bringing everlasting life to those who partook of that bread and put their trust in him. They would be sustained eternally by receiving everlasting life.
As the Jewish feast of Passover drew near, Jesus sailed across the Sea of Galilee and proceeded into a mountain with his disciples. He had been engaged in performing many miracles such as healing the sick and afflicted, and he had settled down for a short time of rest from his exhausting ministry to have some private time with his disciples.
But when he saw the multitudes who had walked many miles to find him, he again turned his attention to them. Jesus took this opportunity to perform one of his most outstanding miracles—the feeding of a great multitude which numbered five thousand. He learned from the Apostle Andrew that a young man was present among them who had brought five barley loaves and two small fish with him. This modest amount of food would hardly feed the multitude of people, but our Lord wanted to teach his disciples a valuable lesson concerning his greater ability to provide life-giving bread for the world of mankind in his future kingdom.
The Master asked the multitude to sit down while he was about to feed them with the five loaves and two fishes, and they found that there was food to spare. “Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” (John 6:11,12) As amazing as this miracle was, it served as a mere demonstration of the greater power our Lord will exercise to bless mankind during his future kingdom. Bread is a blessing from God to sustain life among his earthly creatures, and it has become a symbol of life. The true bread of life, however, was Jesus’ own life which he would give for the world.
The ‘bread’ that he spoke of represented his own fleshly nature, which he was laying down in sacrifice for the sins of the whole human family. That sacrifice would end with his death, and his flesh would symbolize the bread of life for all mankind.
During Christ’s millennial kingdom, the human family will have opportunity to obtain life because of Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf. They will come to realize the significance of that bread, and appreciate its true value as Israel appreciated the manna which the Lord had provided in the wilderness.
Jesus fulfilled the illustration of the manna, saying, “The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”—John 6:51