Jesus was the bread of life

JESUS WAS THE BREAD OF LIFE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 6:48 48I am the bread of life.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The FatherDraws The Soul To Christ
John 6:44
J.R. Thomson
We have to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to God, first for giving and
sending his Son to be our Saviour, and then for guiding us unto his Son, in
order that in fellowship with him we may experience the blessings of salvation.
For in these two ways does the Father furnish us with a complete display of
his love; in these two ways does he completely secure our highest good.
I. THE DRAWING OF THE SOUL BY THE FATHER.
1. The soul needs to be divinely drawn. And this because:
(1) By reasonof sin it is estrangedfrom God, is far from God, is even at
enmity with God.
(2) There are other attractions, very powerful, and such as men are wont to
yield to, which draw man's nature in an opposite direction. "The world, the

flesh, and the devil" have great power;and in the case ofvery many exert that
powerefficaciouslyto keepthe soul from God, and even to increase the
distance by which it is so separated.
2. The instrumentalities, or spiritual forces, by which the Father draws
human souls to Christ.
(1) The presentation of truth adapted to man's intelligence. The next verse
brings this agencybefore us in explicit statement:"They shall be all taught of
God."
(2) The utterance of moral authority addressing the conscience. Passionand
interest may draw men from Christ; duty, with a mighty imperative, bids
them approach their Lord and Saviour.
(3) Love appeals to the heart of man with mystic power.
"The moon may draw the sea;
The cloud may stoopfrom heaven, and take the shape,
With fold to fold, of mountain or of cape." The attractionof Christ's
characterand life, of his gracious language, andabove all of his sacrifice upon
the cross, is the mightiest moral force the world has ever felt. "I," said he, "if
I am lifted up, will draw all men unto myself." Thus in many ways, adapted
by his own wisdom to the nature and circumstances ofmen, is the Father
drawing men unto Christ.
3. The manner in which the Fatherdraws the soul unto himself.
(1) This attraction is not of a physical, mechanical, forcible kind. Such
compulsion would be out of all character, would not harmonize with man's
moral freedom. And, indeed, it would not be the drawing of the soul.
(2) It is a moral, spiritual attraction, in accordance withthe nature both of
him who draws and of those who are drawn. The Holy Spirit of God is the
powerto whom we owe the actionof those moral constraints which are the
chief and most beneficentfactors in the moral life of mankind.

(3) Mighty though this drawing be, it is for the most part gentle and gradual.
Its influence is not always at once apparent; it becomes manifestwith the
growth of experience and the lapse of time. It is continuous, lasting in the case
of many from childhood to old age.
(4) The power and efficacyof this agencyis not to be disputed. The Father
calls, and the child answers. The magnetismis exercised, and the soul flies to
the attracting power. The light shines, and the eye turns towards the welcome
ray.
II. THE COMING OF THE SOUL TO CHRIST.
1. There is an indispensable condition without which no soul can come to
Christ. Christ must first come to the soul. The gospelmust be preached, and
must be received, for it is the Divine call, which alone can authorize the
approachof sinful man to the Holy One and Just.
2. The soul's method in coming. It is easyenoughto understand how when
Jesus was onearth men came to him; they came actually, bodily, locally. Yet
the principle of approachis everthe same;for our Lord said indifferently,"
Come unto me," and "Believe onme." The coming of the bodily form was
useless apartfrom spiritual approach, sympathy, and trust. As it is the soul
which the Father draws, so it is the soul which, being drawn, finds itself near
the Saviourand in fellowshipwith him.
3. The soul's purpose in coming. It is impelled by conscious needof the
Redeemer, as the Prophet, the Priest, the King, divinely appointed. It hopes to
find in him that fall satisfactionwhich, sought elsewhere, is sought in vain.
4. The soul's experience in coming.
(1) There is welcome and acceptance;for he who comes is never, in any wise,
castout.
(2) There is a perfect response to the desire and need. The hungry is fed, the
thirsty finds the water of life, the wearymeets with rest, and the man who
longs to serve has revealedto him the law and rule of consecration.

(3) There is the eternalabiding; for the soul that comes to Jesus neither leaves
him, nor is left by him.
5. The soul's obligationin coming.
(1) Gratefully to acknowledgethe infinite mercy by which this attractive
influence has been exercised, and to which the fellowship with Christ is due.
(2) Diligently to act as the Father's agentin bringing other souls to Jesus. We
can trace the Divine powerin the human agencywhich was employed to lead
us to the Saviour. The same God canstill use the same means to the same
result. - T.
Biblical Illustrator
He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.
John 6:47-58
Everlasting life

W. Jay.
I. THE BLESSING, "everlasting life." Everlasting life was never proposedin
the schools ofphilosophy to the faith of man, or urged as a principle or motive
to holiness. Those who taught were not sure of it themselves. Whatdoes it
mean? We may take three views of it.
1. It is opposedto eternal death. Eternal death does not mean annihilation or
destruction of being, bat of well-being, of happiness and of hope. So eternal
life is not mere existence, but complete well-being.
2. It is distinguished from natural life: is a state of freedom from all possible
evil, and the possessionof all possible good.
3. Its complete spirituality. The people of God are now quickenedand made
alive. They have spiritual appetites, senses,powers, passions.Theycan
perform spiritual exercises.But it doth not yet appear what we shall be.
II. THE OWNER OF THIS BLESSING. "He that believeth on Me."
1. The object of this faith — the Lord Jesus. How surprised would you be did
Paul, or Peter, or James express themselves in this way I But they well knew
that salvationwas not in them. Thus they preachednot themselves, but Christ
Jesus the Lord.
2. Its nature. Belief is the giving assentto a declarationas true. But credence
in itself is much like knowledge. We may know a thing, and not possessit, or
pursue it. Faith always operates towards Christas its object in a Way of trust
and dependence, and in a wayof application too.
III. THE SEASON OF POSSESSION— now. Not he shall have, but he
"hath." The believer has everlasting life —
1. As his aim. The mariner has the port in his eye from the day he sails till he
enters the desired haven. So is it with the Christian.
2. In promise. "In my Father's house," etc.;"WhenHe who is our life," etc.
3. In trust. And who is the trustee? The Lord Jesus, our Forerunner. He is
gone to take possession.

4. In participation. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
His." But Christians have this Spirit, and by this Spirit is the Christian sealed
to the day of redemption.
5. When are Christians peculiarly indulged with these anticipations?(1)When
they are alone. "When I remember Thee on my bed, and meditate on Thee in
the night watches."(2)In the sanctuary services. "Aday in Thy courts is
better than a thousand."(3) In trouble. God acts upon the principle of the
truest friendship, He is most near in the time of trouble.(4) In death.
IV. THE GROUND OF THEIR CONFIDENCE. The fulness of their
assurance:"Verily, verily, I say unto you," etc. Here it is truth itself that
speaks;and yet Christ employs a double asseveration, so that we may learn —
1. The duty of belief, " O fools, and slow of heart to believe:"
2. The importance of our having the full assurance ofunderstanding, and the
full assurance offaith, to establish our hearts with grace.
(W. Jay.)
Believing must be on Christ only
S. Charnock.
As the eye seeksforno other light than that of the sun, and joins no candles
with it to dishonour the sufficiency of its beams, so no createdthing must be
joined with Christ as an objectof faith. Who would join the weakness ofa
bulrush with the strength of a rock for his protection! Who would fetch water
from a muddy pond to make a pure fountain in his garden more pleasant!
Address yourselves only to Him to find a medicine for your miseries and
comfort in your troubles,
(S. Charnock.)
Certain salvationby believing

C. H. Spurgeon.
One walking with me observed, with some emphasis, "I do not believe as you
do. I am an Agnostic." "Oh," I said to him. "Yes. Thatis a Greek word, is it
not? The Latin word, I think, is ignoramus." He did not like it at all. Yet I
only translated his language from Greek to Latin. These are queer waters to
get into, when all your philosophy brings you is the confessionthat you know
nothing, and the stolidity which enables you to glory in your ignorance. As for
those of us who restin Jesus, we know and have believed something; for we
have been taught eternalverities by Him who cannot lie. Our Masterwas not
wont to say, "It may be," or "It may not be"; but He had an authoritative
style, and testified, "Verily, verily, I say unto you." Heaven and earth shall
pass away, but not one jot or tittle of what He hath taught us shall cease to be
the creedof our souls. We feel safe in this assurance;but should we quit it, we
should expectsoonto find ourselves in troubled waters.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Faith in Christ must be personal
J. Spencer.
In Gideon's camp every soldier had his own pitcher; among Solomon's men of
valour every man wore his own sword; the five wise virgins had every one oil
in her own lamp. Whosoeverwill go to God must have a faith of his own; it
must be "Thy faith hath saved thee."
(J. Spencer.)
Faith, though weak, savesthe soul
H. Muller.
Faith is the eye by which we look to Jesus. A dim-sighted eye is still an eye; a
weeping eye is still an eye. Faith is the hand with which we lay hold of Jesus. A
trembling hand is still a hand. And he is a believer, whoso heart within him

trembles when he touches the hem of the Saviour's garment that he may be
healed. Faith is the tongue by which we taste how goodthe Lord is. A feverish
tongue. And even then we may believe, when we are without the smallest
portion of comfort; for our faith is founded, not upon feelings, but upon the
promises of God. Faith is the foot by which we go to Jesus. A lame footis still
a foot. He who comes slowly, nevertheless comes.
(H. Muller.)
Everlasting life
W. H. Van Doren, D. D.
I. IN CHRIST'S PURCHASE.
II. IN GOD'S PROMISE.
III. IN THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. Conclusions:
1. The exclusiveness ofthe gospel. Without faith in Christ there is no salvation
for any sinner.
2. The charity of the gospel. With faith there is salvationfor all.
(W. H. Van Doren, D. D.)
I am that Bread of Life
The Breadof Life
J. Irons.
I. THE STAFF OF LIFE.
1. Christ is the life.
2. Where Christ is unknown there can be no life.
(1)Heathenism is death.

(2)Unbelief.
(3)Formalism.
3. This life is worth everything and is to be obtained for nothing.
4. This life supports, not by talking about it, believing in statements
concerning it, but by having and enjoying it.
II. The staff of life is USED ONLY BY FAITH. Faith —
1. Receives.
2. Handles.
3. Tastes.
4. Digests.
5. Enjoys.
6. Grows thereby.
III. PARTICIPATION IN IT IS THE PRIVILEGE OF THE LORD'S
FAMILY. It is household bread.
1. The ungodly are self-excluded.
2. The qualification is the robe of righteousness,wornonly by the Lord's
children.
3. The children participate through —
(1)The Word;
(2)the sacrament.
(J. Irons.)
The bread of life
Preacher's Analyst.

I. A REPRESENTATIONOF OUR SAVIOUR.
1. Life is more valuable than all beside.
2. The Scripture represents religionas life.
3. How many people look like life, having the form of godliness without the
power.
4. The relation of Christ to this life. Bread which —
(1)nourishes;
(2)is corn bruised: so Christ was bruised for our iniquities;
(3)must be eaten, or is nothing to us: so Christ is nothing till applied.
II. THE MEANS OF DERIVING THIS BENEFIT:coming to Christ and
believing on Him. This reminds us —
1. That Christ is accessible.
2. That faith is not mere sentiment, but a principle of life.
3. Faith is not an isolatedbut a continuous act.
III. THE HAPPINESS HIS FOLLOWERS SHALL ENJOY.
1. They shall never thirst for the world. Worldly men desire nothing else.
2. They shall not hunger or thirst in vain. The new creature has wants and
appetites, but ample provision is made for their complete satisfaction.
3. They will not hunger or thirst always. "I shall be satisfied," etc.Application:
The subject is a standard by which we may estimate —
1. Christ.
2. Our faith.
3. The Christian.
(Preacher's Analyst.)

Christ the bread of life
Ralph Robinson.
The analogybetweenChrist and corporalmeat stands in these three
particulars:
1. Sustentation. Corporalmeat is for the preservation of the natural life. The
natural life is maintained by meat, through the concurrence of God's blessing.
It is pabulum vitae. Hence bread, under which all other provision is
comprehended, is calledthe staff of life (Isaiah 3:1). Keep the strongestman
from meat but a few days, and the life will extinguish and go out (1 Samuel
30:12). Jesus Christ is the maintainer and preserver of the spiritual life. As He
give it at first, so He upholds it. It is by continual influences from Him that the
life is kept from expiring. If He withdraw His influx never so little, the soul is
at the giving up of the ghost, even half-dead.
2. Vegetation. Corporalmeat is goodfor growth. It is by meat that the body is
brought from infancy to childhood, from childhood to youth, from youth to a
perfect man. Jesus Christ is He that carries on a Christian from infancy to
perfection. All the soul's growthand increase is from Christ. So the apostle,
"From Him the whole body having nourishment ministered," etc. (Colossians
2:19), The branches live and increase by virtue of the sap which is derived
from the root. Christians grow by virtue of the sapwhich is to them derived
from Jesus Christ. Every part grows by Christ.
3. Reparation. Meatis a repairer of nature's decays. Whenby some violent
sicknessthe spirits are consumed, the body wasted, the strength lost, meat,
fitly and seasonablytaken, helps, through the Divine blessing, to recallall
again:"his spirit came to him again" (1 Samuel 30:12). Jesus Christ is the
repairer of the soul's decays. Sometimes a believer, through the neglectof his
duty, through surfeiting upon sin, brings spiritual languishings upon himself;
his strength is decayed, his vigour is abated, his pulse beats very weakly, he
can scarcelycreepin the ways of God. In such a case JesusChristrecovers
him, repairs his breaches, andrenews his strength, as in former times, The

Psalmistspeaks ofthis: "He restorethmy soul: He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness forHis name's sake" (Psalm23:3). The saints have every day
experience of this restoring virtue of Christ.
(Ralph Robinson.)
Christ alone is the bread of life
C. H. Spurgeon.
Some have tried to staytheir hunger by the narcotics of scepticism, and others
have endeavouredto geteat through the drugs of fatalism. Many stave off
hunger by indifference, like the bears in winter, who are not hungry, because
they are asleep. But depend upon it the only way to meet hunger is to get
bread, and the only way to meet your soul's want is to get Christ, in whom
there is enough and to spare, but nowhere else.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Your fathers did eat manna
The bread of life and manna
W. Baxendale.
The Palestine ExplorationSociety, when they came to Tel Hum (Capernaum),
found what they believed to be the synagogue inwhich Jesus deliveredHis
discourse. In turning over the stones, it was with peculiarly sacredfeelings
that they found a large block with a pot of manna engravedon its face. Every
synagogue hadits symbol — one a lamb, another a candlestick, and this, the
pot of manna. We .cansee Jesus in His synagogue pointing with His finger to
this device over the main entrance, and saying, " Our fathers did eatmanna,"
etc.
(W. Baxendale.)

If any man eatof this bread, he shall live for ever
Christ the chosenfood of earnestChristians
C. H. Spurgeon.
When alone with Christ, it was heavenbelow; and in the prayer-meetings,
when God's people were warm at heart, how you delighted to unite with them!
The preaching was marrow and fatness to you. You did not mind walking a
long way on a wet night to hear about your Lord and Masterthen. It may be
there was no cushion to the seat, or you had to stand in the aisle. You did not
mind that. You are getting wonderfully dainty now; you cannot hear the poor
preacherwhose voice was once like music to you. You cannot enjoy the things
of God as once you did. Whose fault is that? The kitchen is the same, and the
food the same:the appetite has gone, I fear. How ravenous I was after God's
Word! how I would wake earlyin the morning to read those books that are
full of the deep things of God! I wanted none of your nonsensicalnovels, nor
your weeklytales, for which some of you pine, like children for sugarsticks.
Then one fed on manna that came from heaven, on Christ Himself. Those
were goodtimes in which everything was delightful.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The food of the soul
Bp. Ryle.
Few passageshave been so wrestedas this. Men have turned meat into poison.
I. WHAT THESE VERSES DO NOT MEAN.
1. Literal eating and drinking, or partaking of the Lord's Supper. We may eat
that, and yet not partake of Him. For —(1) A literal eating and drinking
would have been revolting to the Jews andcontradictory to their law.(2)To
take this literal view would be to interpose a bodily actbetweenthe soul and
salvation, for which there is no precedentin Scripture.(3) It would involve

most blasphemous and profane consequences. It would shut out from heaven
the penitent thief, and admit to heaventhousands of godless communicants.
2. This view arises from man's morbid habit of paltry and carnalsense on
Scriptural expressions. Mendislike that which makes the state of the heart the
principal thing.
II. WHAT THEY DO MEAN.
1. "Fleshand blood " means Christ's sacrifice.
2. "Eating and drinking" means receptionof Christ's sacrifice.
III. THE PRACTICAL LESSONS THEYSUGGEST.
1. That faith in Christ's atonement is necessaryto salvation.
2. That faith in the atonementunites us to the Saviour and entitles us to the
highest privileges.
3. That faith In the atonementis —
(1)A personalact;
(2)a daily act;
(3)a conscious act.
(Bp. Ryle.)
The food of the soul
J. M. Ludlow, D. D.
I. In Christ alone canwe have any CERTAIN RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE.
1. Soul hungers for the knowledge whichpertains to its nature and its relation
to its Creatorand destiny.
2. Christ is the Truth, and satisfies this hunger.

II. Christ is the food of the soul, because He alone SATISFIES OUR MORAL
NATURES.
1. Them is a sense in which every man hungers after righteousness. We seekto
relieve our troubled consciences —
(1)By extenuating our faults;
(2)by forgetting them;
(3)by seeking pardon through priests.
2. But there is no satisfactionbut in Christ. He sustains —
(1)By justifying grace;
(2)by positive holiness.
III. Christ is the bread of life in that from Him we have the HOPE OF THE
LIFE EVERLASTING.
1. No human speculationregarding the future, howeverpleasing, can kindle
real hope.
2. Christ hath brought life and immortality to light, and is "in us the hope of
glory."
(J. M. Ludlow, D. D.)
The food that Jesus gave to His own
W. Arnot, D. D.
1. To finish His work was bread to Himself; His work finished is bread to His
people.
2. His words were startling but necessary. The rock must be laid down
although superficial disciples may stumble, for it is the foundation of the true
disciples'faith and hope.

3. The Lord's Supper is not the subject here. Both sacraments are omitted in
John, but he records the fundamental doctrines on which they rest. In the
conversationwith Nicodemus we have the ground of the one; here the ground
of the other. Wanting Christ's sacrifice forsin the Supper would have
containednothing for us, and wanting faith in Christ crucified, we canget
nothing from the sacrament.
4. Hunger centres naturally in human souls, and men have attempted to
satisfy it —
(1)With the good things of this life;
(2)with the inanities of self-righteousness.In the text Christ shows the
satisfactionofthis hunger. We have —
I. ON THE PART OF CHRIST —
1. His incarnation: the Son as Man. Not man, a man, a sonof man. Neither a
son of man nor a Sonof Godcould be our Saviour. The one is near, but has no
power; the other has power, but is not near. The Incarnation combines
nearness with power to save.
2. His sacrifice. The Incarnation could not save us. Without shedding of blood
is no remission. Christ convergedall the testimonies from Abel's sacrifice to
His lastpassoveron Himself, the Lamb of God.
II. ON THE PART OF CHRISTIANS. Theybelieve and live. Although it is a
spiritual and not a material food, it is a real supply of a real hunger. The
soul's hunger for righteousnessand peace and God is a greaterthing than
bodily hunger, and must have a corresponding supply. This is found by the
believer. Christ's incarnation brings God near to Him, and His sacrifice
brings peace and righteousness. The believer thus has the life of God in
Christ. This life is —
1. Present.
2. Everlasting.
(W. Arnot, D. D.)

The vital relation to Christ
J. A. Beith, D. D.
I. HE PRESSESTHE GREAT DUTY OF CLOSING WITH HIM WHICH
HE HAD ALREADY SET BEFORE THEM.
1. This He did by representing to them the danger to which they would expose
themselves if they declined (ver. 53).
2. By directly announcing the blessings whichare to be obtained by obedience
(vers. 54, 55). To partake of Christ by faith secures —
(1)"Eternallife";
(2)the resurrection of the last day.
II. HE STATES AND ILLUSTRATES THE RELATION IN WHICH, WHEN
THEY CLOSE WITH HIM BY FAITH, HE STANDS TO BELIEVING
MEN.
1. It is a mutual indwelling of believers in Christ and of Christ in them (ver.
56).
2. It is a relation of the same kind as subsists betweenChrist and the Father
(ver. 57).
3. It is a relation, the certain effects ofwhich is life for evermore (ver. 58).
(J. A. Beith, D. D.)
Except ye eatthe flesh of the Son of Man
Eating Christ's flesh
W. Brock, D. D.
I. THE MEANING OF THE TEXT.

1. The Romanist holds that it refers to a participation of Christ's body in the
sacrament. But it cannot mean that; for —(1)The Lord's Supper had not been
instituted, and as Christ refers to a present duty and privilege, He could not
refer to something that did not then exist.(2)Judas partook of the Lord's
Supper; had he eternal life?(3)The dying thief did not partake of the Lord's
Supper, but he had eternal life.
2. The true meaning. Christ had said many things about bread, about Himself
as the true bread, and about their eating Him as this bread; and in ver: 51 He
declares that this bread and His flesh are one and the same thing. Let us, then,
try to understand —(1) What bread means. In ver. 35 belief, not literal
participation, is the process by which we become partakers ofeverlasting life.
But belief presupposes the existence of something to be believed. Then what is
there in Christ that I am to believe? Why, that He is the bread of life. It
follows that by "bread" we are to understand truth, and by eating reception
of that truth. The bread of life, then, is the doctrine of life — the revelation
made by Him who "hath abolisheddeath," etc. This is confirmed by the fact
—
(a)That the Old Testamentspeaks ofdoctrine as meat and drink: "Wisdom
hath killed her beastand she crieth, Come and eatof my bread, and drink of
the wine," etc.;and nothing was more common among the Jews than the
representationof doctrine under this form. How natural, then, that the
greatestJewishteachers shouldhave used this familiar figure to signify "I am
the doctrine of life."
(b)In ver. 63 Christ fully meets the difficulty; and that He was correctly
understood is seenby ver. 68.Note, then —
(a)That if bread means doctrine, then flesh means doctrine;
(b)that I am not confounding Christ's doctrines with Himself, but expounding
them. It is one of the greatdoctrines of this book, and let those who deny
Christ's Divinity look to it, that He is evermore the subject of His own
discourse. You might as welltake the light out of the sun, and call it the sun
still, as take Christ out of His teaching and call it His teaching still. Christ and

His doctrine are the same:"I am the truth."(2) What eating and drinking
mean.
(a)A sense ofneed — appetite.
(b)Activity towards some appropriate objectfor the supply of that need.
(c)Enjoyment in the use of the object.
(d)Resultant strength. This is eating and drinking literally.Spiritually, meat
and drink are before us in the form of doctrine.
(i.)There is hungering and thirsting after it.
(ii.)There is actiontoward Christ to getthat need supplied: what He
commands we obey; what He promises we expect;what He offers we accept.
(iii.)Then there is delight in Christ.
(iv.)Finally, spiritual strength: temptation is resisted, trial endured, work
done for God and man; and the evidence of a man's living on Christ is his
living for Christ.
II. Let me ENFORCETHE SENTIMENTOF THE TEXT.
1. There is a lessonof obligation. You have heard of Christ, His incarnation,
death, resurrection, etc. What has come out of the hearing? Hunger and
thirst? You feel uneasy often, and fear. I want that uneasiness andfear to
develop into a sense ofspiritual need. Let this stimulate actiontowards Christ;
then joy in Christ; then doing what Christ enjoins and avoiding what Christ
forbids.
2. A lessonofprivilege.
(1)The believer dwells in Christ; hence his safety.
(2)Christ dwells in him; hence his honour.
(3)Hence the believer's satisfaction"shallnever hunger or thirst."
(4)To crown it all, "eternallife." Life is the fullest capacityfor enjoyment;
then what must eternal life be?

(W. Brock, D. D.)
Truly eating the flesh of Jesus
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. WHAT IS MEANT BY EATING THE FLESH AND DRINKING THE
BLOOD OF CHRIST?
1. What is necessaryto it?(1) We must believe in the reality of Christ; not that
He was a myth, but that He was very God incarnate, who lived, died, and rose
again, and is now in His proper personality, sitting at the right hand of God,
from whence He will come to be our Judge.(2)We must believe in the death of
Christ, "blood," not as an example, but as the expiation of sin, a propitiation
through faith in His blood.
2. What is this act?(1)Appropriation. A man not only believes that bread is
proper food, he takes it. So we cannot feed on Christ until we make Him our
own, and for our individual selves:for we cannoteat for anybody else.(2)
Receiving into oneself. Breadis takennot to be laid aside or exhibited. Every
one must do this from the empress to the pauper: so the poorestand the
richest must receive Christ by faith.(3) Assimilation. Faith is to the soul what
the gastric juices are to the body; and so Christ by faith is taken up into the
understanding and heart, and becomes part of the renewedman. He becomes
our life.
3. Remarks to set this forth in a clearermanner.(1) Christ is as needful to the
soul as bread is to the body.(2) Meatand drink do really satisfy. The supply of
Christ is as real as the need of Him.(3) A hungry man is not appeasedby
talking about feeding, but by eating. So Christ beckons youto a banquet not
to look on, but to feast.(4)In healthy eating there is a relish.(5) Eating times as
to the body come severaltimes a day, so take care that you partake of Christ
often. Do not live on old experiences.(6)It is well to have set times for eating.
People are not likely to flourish who have no regular meals. So there should be
appointed times for communion with Christ.(7) The flesh and blood of Christ

are foods suitable for all conditions, for babes in Christ as well as old men, for
sick Christians and healthy.
II. WHAT ARE THE VIRTUES OF THIS EATING AND DRINKING?
1. Life is essential(ver. 53). If you have no life in you you have nothing that is
good. The sinner is dead, and there is no life to be "developed" and
"educated" in him. Any goodthat may come to him must be by impartation,
and it can never come to him but by eating the flesh, etc. Convictions of sin
are of no use, nor ordinances, nor profession, nor morality. This is vital (ver.
54) for soul and body.
2. Substantial. "Meatindeed," etc. The Jewishfeasting was a mere shadow:so
is pleasure, etc.
3. It produces union (ver. 56).
(1)To live in Christ is the peace of justification.
(2)ForChrist to live in us is the peace of sanctification.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The meat and drink of the new nature
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. WHAT CHRIST MUST BE TO US. Our meat and drink, our everything.
1. The doctrine of God incarnate must be the food of our soul.
2. We must feed on Christ's sufferings.
3. This meat is not intended to be lookedat, but to feedupon by the heart's
belief.
4. By this means the believer realizes union with Christ.
II. WHAT IS BOUND UP IN THIS EATING AND DRINKING?

1. He who has not so eatenand drank has no spiritual life at all.
2. All who have receivedJesus in this manner have eternal life.
3. They have efficient nourishment and satisfaction.
4. Christ dwells in them and is their strength.
5. They live in Christ and are secure.
III. WHAT REFLECTIONS ARISE OUT OF THIS TRUTH? If I have a life
that feeds on Christ!
1. What a wonderful life it must be!
2. How strong it must be!
3. How immortal it must be! —
4. How it must develop!
5. What company he that is fed must keep.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Meatand drink indeed
R. Tuck, B. A.
I. HOW CAN THE LORD JESUS GIVE US HIS FLESH TO EAT?
1. In all Christ said He realized that the body is not the man. He was always
seeking to win the soul's faith which would be the man's life. We have bodies;
we are souls.
2. Since we are spirits there is fitting food for us, and Christ warns us off from
fleshly ideas by saying, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth." Christ is the soul's
food in His humanity, character, example, sacrifice, spiritual communions.

3. Nothing else cansatisfy like this. Every receptive faculty of our soul canlive
on that incarnate life and renew strength. "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me."
4. Christ is the food of the soulin that He provides and adapts Godfor
man.(1) "In" God "we live, and move, and have our being."(2)But man has
failed to live in God. "Godis not in all his thoughts." Our souls have lost their
home food, preferring to it "the husks which the swine do eat."(3)But God
graciouslyoffers Himself to us in Christ Jesus.
II. HOW CAN WE BE SAID TO EAT THE FLESH OF THE LORD JESUS.
We are obliged to speak of spiritual powers in language only worthy to
representthe bodily powers.
1. There is a soul eye which receives the impressionof the beauties of the
Divine handiwork. The physical eye sees allthings alike.
2. The soul ear can catchDivine harmonies to which the physical ear is deaf.
3. The hand of the soul gives all the meaning to what is done by the physical
hand.
4. Christ only extended this when He representedthe soul as having a mouth
and a faculty of digestion. Eating and drinking is a going out of ourselves to
lay hold of something outside ourselves that it may become part of ourselves.
Men do not live on themselves. Only God being an all-sufficient Spirit cando
that. The relation of the soul to outside food we call eating and drinking,
believing, thinking, loving, communing. "Mandoes not live by bread
alone."We eatthe flesh of Jesus —
1. By the appropriations of faith. Whateverwe believe we take into ourselves.
2. By the cherishing of thoughts; by meditations on the perfections of Christ.
3. By the communings of love. We know how two lovely souls in close
fellowship nourish in one another all that is lovely, pure, and
good.Conclusion:
1. What a dignity our Lord has put on the most ordinary acts of life.

2. Lest we should lose this sacrednessoutof our common eating and drinking,
Christ has set apart one eating time peculiar to Himself.
(R. Tuck, B. A.)
Bp. Beveridge.
I. WHAT IS HERE UNDERSTOODBYFLESH AND BLOOD?
1. Notas the Capernaites did, in a carnalsense, but in a spiritual.
2. As symbolizing the effects ofHis body broken and His blood shed, or the
merits of His death and passion, as
(1)The pardon of sin by His merit (Matthew 26:28).
(2)The purification of our hearts by His Spirit.
3. The glorification of our souls in His presence (John17:24).
II. IN WHAT SENSE ARE THEY SAID TO BE MEAT AND DRINK?
1. Is the body preservedin health by meat and drink?
2. Made strong?
3. Kept in life?
4. Refreshed? So is the soul by the merits of Christ.
III. How is it called meat INDEED, and drink INDEED?
1. Negatively. Notas if Christ's body was really meat for the body, nor as if
His body and blood were substantially turned into realmeat and drink, nor as
if He referred to any corporealeating of Himself in the sacraments, as the
Papists hold, basing transubstantiation on this text; not considering(1)That
He speaks not of a sacramental, but of a spiritual eating, as appears
(a)in that the sacramentwas not ordained (John 6:4; John 7:2).

(b)In that he that eateth not of this bread shall die (ver. 53), whereas Every
one that eatethit shall live (vers. 51, 54, 56).(2)Suppose the Sacrament
referred to it, it would not import any transubstantiation of the bread and
wine into the body and blood of Christ, but rather the transubstantiation of
the body and blood of Christ into bread and wine.
2. Positively;because it really, and not only in show, does that for the soul
which food does for the body (see chap. John 15:1). Nay, in some sense, Christ
is more really our meat than bread canbe.(1) He nourishes our souls, this only
our bodies.(2)He so nourishes us that we shall be for ever satisfied(ver. 35),
this not.(3) Bodily food so preserves our lives that sometimes it destroys them;
but never so Christ.(4) Foodpreserves but our natural, Christ nourishes us to
an eternal life (vers. 51, 58).USES.
1. (ver. 27).
2. Do not only labour for it, but feed upon it —
(1)Believingly (ver. 35).
(2)Thankfully.
(Bp. Beveridge.)
J. Flavel.
I. THE RESEMBLANCEBETWEENTHE FLESH AND BLOOD OF
CHRIST AND MEAT AND DRINK.
1. Both are necessary, the one for the soul, the other for the body.
2. Both are sweetand desirable to the hungry and thirsty.
3. Both have to undergo an alteration before they actually nourish. Corn has
to be ground, and Christ had to suffer.
4. Both have a natural union with us.

5. Both must be frequently partakenof.
II. THE TRANSCENDENT EXCELLENCYOF CHRIST'S FLESHAND
BLOOD.
1. They were assumedinto the nearestunion with the secondPersonin the
Holy Trinity.
2. They were offered up to God as the greatsacrifice for our sins and
purchase of our peace (Colossians 1:20;Ephesians 5:2).
3. They are the greatmedium of conveyance of all blessings and mercies to
believers (Colossians1:14-19).USES.
1. Of information.
(1)See here the love of the Saviour.
(2)Learn hence a ground of contentin the lowestcondition.
(3)Learn the necessityoffaith. What is a feastto him who cannot taste it?
(4)How excellentare gospelordinances whichset Christ forth.
2. Of exhortation.
(1)Come with hungry appetites.
(2)Feedheartily on Christ.
(J. Flavel.)
The food that gives life
A. Maclaren, D. D.
I. THE FOOD. Familiarity with these words and mental indolence have dulled
our sense oftheir strangeness. Howeverunintelligible to their hearers, they
must have been felt in putting forth strange claims. On any other lips they
would have been felt to have been absurd and blasphemous. Upon Christ's

lips they are that or something very wonderful. He presents the food of the
soul in two forms.
1. He proposes Himself. "He that eatethMe."(1)Here you come across the
greatcharacteristic ofChristianity, that it is all in the personalChrist. The
greatnote is, "I bear witness of Myself."(2)He sets Himself forth here as the
sufficient nourishment for my whole nature.(a) Do I want truth of any kind
exceptmere physical or mathematicaltruth? I getit here, social, ethical,
spiritual, religious. He is Wisdom: He is Truth.(b) Does my heart want
nourishing with the selectedelixir of love? His love is the only food for the
hungry heart which does not bring bitterness or turn to ashes.(c)Doesmy will
want for its strength some law knownto be goodand deeply loved. I must go
to the Master, and in His loving personality find the authority which sways,
and by swaying emancipates the human will.(3) He proposes Himself as the
food for the whole world. If He is enough for me He is enoughfor all, and
comes in living contactwith all the generations right on to the end of time.
2. He offers His flesh and blood; His earthly life and violent death. It is not
enough to speak in generalterms of the personal Christ as being the food of
the spirit. We must feed upon the dying Christ, and lay hold of His sacrifice,
and realize that His shed blood transfused in mystical fashion into the veins of
our spirits is there the throbbing source oflife which circulates through the
whole of the inmost being.
II. THE ACT OF EATING THIS FOOD. The metaphysical language is
familiar in many applications. We speak of tasting sorrow, eating bitter
bread, feeding on love.
1. This participation is effectedby faith.(1) "He that cometh... believeth." By
the simple act of trust in Him. You may be beside Him for a thousand years,
and if there is no faith there is no union. You may be separatedfrom Him, as
we are, in time by nineteen centuries; in condition, by the difference between
mortality and glory; in distance, by all the measurelessspacebetweenthe
footstooland the throne; and if there go from your heart an electric wire,
howsoeverslenderand fragile, you are knit to Him and derive into your heart

the fulness of His cleansing power.(2)This trust is the activity of the whole
nature, for faith has in it intellect, affection, and will.
2. The original expressionis employed to describe the actof eating by
ruminating animals; a leisurely and pleasurable partaking; an act slow and
meditative and repeated, which dwells upon Him. The reasonwhy so many
Christians are such poor weaklings is because they do not thus feed on Christ.
The cheaptripper cannot take in the beauty of the landscape. You cannot
know any man in a hurried interview, so in these hurrying days how few of us
ruminate about Christ.
3. Our Lord here uses a grammatical form which indicates the continual
persistance ofthis meditative faith. Yesterday's portion will not stay to-day's
hunger.
III. THE CONSEQUENTLIFE.
1. Separate from Christ we are dead. We may live the life of animals, an
intellectual life, a life of desires and hopes and fears, a moral life; but the true
life of man is not in these. It is only that which comes by union with and
derivation from God.
2. Breadnourishes life, 'this bread communicates life. The indwelling Christ is
the source oflife to me.
3. This spiritual life in the present has, as its necessaryconsequence, a future
completion. If Christ is in my heart the life He brings can never stop its
regenerative and transforming activities until it has influenced the whole of
my nature to the very circumference (ver. 54).
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
We must feed upon Christ
C. H. Spurgeon.
Why should we be hungering and thirsting, when Christ has given us His flesh
to be meat indeed, and His blood to be drink indeed? Why should we be

hanging down our heads like bulrushes to-day, when the Lord loves us, and
would have His joy to he in us, that our joy may be full? Why are we so
dispirited by our infirmities, when we know that Jehovahis our strength and
our song, He also has become our salvation? I tell you, brethren, we do not
possessourpossessions.We are like an Israelite who should say, "Yes, those
terraces ofland are mine. Those vineyards and olives and figs and
pomegranates are mine. Those fields of wheatand barley are mine; yet I am
starving." Why do you not drink the blood of the grapes? He answers, "Ican
scarcelytell you why, but so it is — I walk through the vineyards, and I
admire the clusters, but I never taste them. I gather the harvest, and I thrash
it on the barn-floor; but I never grind it into corn, nor comfort my heart with
a morsel of bread." Surely this is wretchedwork I Is it not folly carried to an
extreme? I trust the children of God will not copy this madness. Let our
prayer be that we may use and enjoy to the utmost all that the Lord has given
us in His grace.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
"No life" without feeding upon Christ
C. H. Spurgeon.
You know the modern theory that there are germs alike in all men which only
need developing. This is a philosophicalnotion, but it is not God's way of
putting it. He says, "No life in you." No, not an atom of true life. The sinner is
dead, and in him is no life whatever. If ever there is to be any goodthing come
into him it will have to come into him; it must be an importation, and it can
never come into him exceptin connectionwith his eating the flesh and
drinking the blood of Christ.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The blood of Christ our only hope

It is recorded of Samuel Pearce, a useful and much blessedminister at
Birmingham, that, at the time of his conversion, having read Doddridge's
"Rise and Progress ofReligionin the Soul," he took up the idea suggestedin
that book, and resolvedformally to dedicate himself to the Lord. He drew up
a covenantaccordingly, and to make it more solemn and binding he signed it
with blood drawn from his own body. But afterwards, failing in his vows, he
was plunged into greatdistress. Driven therefore into a more complete
examination of his motives, he was led to see that he had been relying too
much on his own strength; and, carrying the blood-signed covenantto the top
of his father's house, he tore it into pieces and scatteredit to the winds, and
resolvedhenceforth to depend upon the peace-making andpeace-keeping
blood of Christ.
Christ the true food and drink of believers
Ralph Robinson.
In respectof that typical meat which the Jews had lately spokenof (ver. 31),
"Our fathers did eatmanna in the desert," etc., ourSaviour tells them that is
but typical bread, but His flesh is bread indeed; it is the realsubstance, of
which that was but a mere type and shadow. Thus for explication. The
observationis this.
1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is really and truly the food and meat of
believers. Fleshis here put for the whole person of Christ. Jesus Christ, as lie
is held out in the Scriptures, is the true, real, and very meat of believing
Christians; Christ, as He is propounded in the gospel, dead, broken, crucified.
Christ, in all His perfection, completeness, fulness, is meat indeed to a true
believer. It is the very scope of this sermon, from ver. 27 to 59, in which this
truth is inculcated over and over again, and all objections answeredwhichthe
carnalreasonand unbelief of man's heart canmake againstit. All other food,
in respectof this, is but "cibi tantummodo umbra et vana imago," as
Cameronsaith. As natural life, in respectof the spiritual, is but a shadow of
life; so the meat that is appointed for the natural life, if compared with the

meat of the spiritual life, is but a very image of meat. Christ's flesh is real
meat.
2. The blood of Jesus Christ is drink indeed. Blood is here put for the whole
person, as flesh was. And it is rather His blood is drink than that He is drink;
because the great efficacyof all Christ did lies principally in His blood
(Hebrews 9:22). And in the same respects as His flesh is said to be meat
indeed, His blood is said to be drink indeed. And those three things which
concur to the act of eating His flesh concur also to this actof drinking His
blood, the mystical union, saving faith, the ordinances.
(Ralph Robinson.)
How Christ is to be fed upon
Ralph Robinson.
1. In the ordinances. These are the conduits. Jesus Christ hath instituted and
appointed His ordinances to be the means of carrying His nourishing virtue to
the soul. The ordinances are the dishes of goldupon which this heavenly meat
is brought. Prayer, reading, preaching, meditation, holy conference, the
sacrament;in these Christ presents Himself to the soul. He that forsakes these
can expectno feeding from Christ. "In this mountain will the Lord of hosts
make a feastof fat things." etc. (Isaiah25:6). The feastis made in the
mountain of God's house, and the ordinances are the dishes on which this
meat is set and the knives by which it is carvedout to the soul.
2. Saving lively faith. This is the instrument. What the hand and mouth and
stomachare in the corporal eating that is faith in this spiritual eating. Faith is
the hand that takes this meat, the mouth that eats it, and the stomachthat
digests it. Yea, faith is as the veins and arteries that do disperse and carry this
nourishment to every powerof the soul. This is abundantly clearedin this
very chapter (ver. 35), "He that cometh to Me shall never hunger; he that
believeth in Me shall never thirst." "Cometh" is expounded by "believeth."
Eating and drinking are here put for believing. Crede et manducasti. He that

believes eats, and he that eats not it is because he believes not; Hic edere est
credere.
(Ralph Robinson.)
We must feed upon Christ for ourselves
Sword and Trowel.
Dr. Bonar, in his "Memoirof M'Cheyne," says ofhim: "He seems invariably
to have applied for his personalbenefit what he gave out to his people. We
have already noticed how he used to feed on the Word, not in order to prepare
himself for the people, but for personaledification. To do so was a
fundamental rule with him; and all pastors will feelthat, if they are to prosper
in their own souls, they must so use the Word — sternly refusing to admit the
idea of feeding others until satiatedthem- selves. And for similar ends it is
needful that we let the truth we hear preachedsink down into our ownsouls.
We, as wellas our people, must drink in the falling showers. Mr. M'Cheyne
did so. It is common to find him speaking thus: "July 31, Sabbath afternoon
— on Judas betraying Christ; much more tenderness than ever I felt before.
Oh, that I might abide in the bosom of Him who washedJudas'feet, and
dipped His hand in the same dish with him, and warnedhim, and grievedover
him — that I might catchthe infection of His love, of His tenderness, so
wonderful, so unfathomable!'"
(Sword and Trowel.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary

I am that bread of life - I alone afford, by my doctrine and Spirit, that
nourishment by which the soul is savedunto life eternal.
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
I am that bread of life - My doctrines and the benefits of my mediation are
that real support of spiritual life of which the manna in the wilderness was the
faint emblem. See John6:32-33.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
I am the bread of life.
For discussionof Christ as the bread of life see under John 6:32,33,51.
(10) The true use of sacraments is to ascendfrom them to the thing itself, that
is, to Christ: and by the partaking of him alone we geteverlasting life.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I am the bread of life — “As he that believeth in Me hath everlasting life, so I
am Myselfthe everlasting Sustenance ofthat life.” (Repeatedfrom John 6:35).
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
I am the bread of life (εγω ειμι ο αρτος της ζωης — egō eimi ho artos tēs zōēs).
Jesus repeats the astounding words of John 6:35 after fuller explanation. The
believer in Christ has eternal life because he gives himself to him.
The Fourfold Gospel

I am the bread of life1.
I am the bread of life. Jesus here reasserts the proposition to which the Jews
had objected. Having paused to speak of the cause of their objections, he now
asserts the main propositions, that he may enlarge upon them.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
48.Iam the bread of life Besides whathe formerly said, that he is the life-
giving bread, by which our souls are nourished, in order to explain it more
fully, he likewise repeats the contrastbetweenthis bread and the ancient
manna, togetherwith a comparisonof the men.
Ver. 48. The affirmations follow eachother in the way of asyndeton, like
oracles. Thatof John 6:48 justifies that of John 6:47. By that of John 6:49 He
gives back to His hearers their own word of John 6:31. The manna which
their fathers ate was so far from the bread of life that it did not prevent them
from dying. This word undoubtedly denotes physicaldeath; but as being the
effectof a divine condemnation.
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
MYSTERYAND RELIGION
‘I am that Breadof Life.’
John 6:48
The Jews ask questions whichJesus declines to answer, but directs their
attention to the subject of their own personalinterest in the things of

salvation. Thereupon ensues a conversationand a discussion, the leading
points of which shall be the topics of the present discourse.
We will consider(1) The demand made by God of everybody to whom the
messageofsalvation comes—‘Thisis the work of God, that ye believe on Him
Whom He hath sent” (John 6:29). (2) The result of compliance with the
demand—Christ becomes to us ‘the bread of life’ (John 6:51). (3) The world’s
rejectionof the demand—‘This is an hard saying; who can hear it?’ (John
6:60).
I. The demand.—The hearers eagerlyexpectthe Saviour’s reply, for they had
askedHim what they were to do in order to ‘work the works ofGod’—i.e., in
order to obtain the Divine favour and approval. They probably thought that
He would speak of some religious duties which they had neglected, or that He
would exhort them generallyto more earnestnessand diligence in spiritual
things than they had hitherto manifested. But He explains that what is
required of them is belief in Him Whom God hath sent. And why is belief
mentioned first? Becauseit lies at the foundation of the spiritual life; and
Jesus always begins at the beginning.
II. The result of compliance with the demand.—To those who acceptHim
thus—on the testimony of the Spirit—Jesus becomes the Bread of Life. Let us
pause on these words. They imply that Jesus must be takenby us with a
personalappropriation—‘He is mine, and I am His.’ It is of no profit to a
starving man to be able to speak wiselyor eloquently about the loaf that is put
into his hands—he must use it, make it his own. Nor is it enough for us to hear
about Christ, or read about Christ, or sing about Christ, or be interested
about Christ, or preachabout Christ—we must take Him as a man takes
bread and eats it.
They imply, that as the natural bread has to be broken and crushed before it
can serve the purposes of nutrition, so the Jesus Who is profitable to us is the
Jesus whose Bodywas brokenon the Cross:Jesus the crucified. More than
this, they imply that there is a mysterious assimilationof Jesus Christ—the
Breadof Life—with the very being of the believer. It is not enough to say,
‘Jesus gives me life.’ We must rather say, ‘Jesus is my life.’

III. The world’s rejectionof the Divine demand.—The Divine demand is
rejectedbecause it involves mystery. But let us look at the matter a little more
closely. The statementmade by our Lord about Himself is, of course, not a
little startling—‘Exceptye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His
blood ye have no life in you.’ But the form of the words is not, though many
persons think it is, the realoffence to the Jewishhearers. Whatthey stumble
at, is the thought that underlies the words. Amongst the most annoyed were
some disciples of Jesus. Theysaid that they could not stand such outrageous
opinions, and that it was high time for them to leave Him; and they did leave
Him. ‘They went back, and walkedno more with Him’ (John 6:66). So it is
nowadays. Some persons demand a religion without mystery—a religion in
which everything shall be as plain and simple and as capable of demonstration
as a rule of three sum or a problem in geometry. And some people are
unhappily persuadedto leave Christ, to cease to be His disciples, for this
reason—becausethere are profound things in His teaching—things which
cannot be understood—whichmay be apprehended, but not comprehended.
Our last thought shall be this—I will put it in the form of a question—granted
that there are, as indeed there must be, difficulties in the Christian religion—
things hard to be understood—problems for which we shall find no solution,
at leastnot in this world—whatshall we gain by leaving Christ? Christ can do
for us what no one else can.
—Rev. Prebendary Gordon Calthrop.
Illustration
‘This incident, our Lord’s interpretation shows, as plainly as can be shown,
that the ordinance of the Sacramentis not commemorative merely. An actual
feeding upon Christ, is spokenof throughout His discourse here. And when
Christ said, “This do in remembrance of Me,” it is plain that the
remembrance is to be understood as bringing with it and involving not merely
the revelationof an event past, or of a dear departed friend and benefactor,
but the participation also ill a presentbenefit, grounded on the realising of
that past event and the union with that Divine benefactorand source of life, in
an actual and presentmanner. The discourse ofwhich the text is part is thus

of immense value to the Christian, as assuring him of a real living and feeding
upon his Saviour, in that Sacrament.’
John Trapp Complete Commentary
48 I am that bread of life.
Ver. 48. I am that bread of life] That not only uphold and maintain spiritual
life, but do also begin and begetit. And this our Saviour often inculcateth
here, as most needful to be known and most comfortable to be considered.
Sermon Bible Commentary
John 6:48
I. It is in the Lord himself alone that the power of life dwells, and from Him
that it goes forth. There is no intermediate agent. He is the life of men, and it
is by feeding on Himself that eternal life is both obtained and assured. But as
in the miracle, so in this which is signified by it, He is pleasedto impart this
nourishment of life not without visible and sensible material, on which His
life-giving powerwill be exercised. In the one case,it is the five loaves and the
two fishes which represent and as it were carry the weightof so mighty a
thing, in the other case, itis the visible Body and Bloodof the Lord,
whatsoeverHe is pleasedto appoint to setthem forth and carry the semblance
of them to us. The great truth which underlies the whole is this, that Christ is
the Breadof life, the only food of man for an eternity of vitality and blessing,
that this blessing must come from no other than the Lord Himself in direct
and personalcontactwith a man's own self in his inner being; but that He is
pleased, in condescensionto our weakness, to make use of signs and symbols

whereupon His poweracts, and by means of which man apprehends His life-
giving power, and becomes partakerof it.
II. This incident our Lord's interpretation shows, as plainly as can be shown,
that the ordinance of the Sacramentis not commemorative merely. An actual
feeding upon Christ, not indeed corporeal, but spiritual, is spokenof
throughout His discourse here. And when Christ said, "This do in
remembrance of Me," it is plain that the remembrance is to be understood as
bringing with it and involving not merely the revelation of an event past, or of
a dear departed friend and benefactor, but the participation also in a present
benefit, grounded on the realizing of that past event and the union with that
Divine benefactorand source of life, in an actualand present manner. The
discourse of which my text is part is thus of immense value to the Christian, as
assuring him of a real living and feeding upon his Saviour, in that Sacrament,
rescuing him from the notion of its being merely a commemorationwithout
present living benefit.
H. Alford, Quebec Chapel Sermons, vol. vi., p. 233.
References:John 6:48.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. ix., p. 201. John6:48-54.—
Homiletic Quarterly, vol. i., p. 110.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
In these verses our blessedSaviourresumes his former doctrine, namely, that
he is the objectof saving faith, and the bread of life, which he compares with
the manna, the bread of Israel. Your fathers did eatmanna in the wilderness,
which manna was an illustrious type of Christ. Thus both came down from
heaven; both were freely given of God without any merit or desertof men;
both in a miraculous manner; both at first unknown what they were, and
whence they came;both equally belonging to all: both sufficient for all, poor
and rich.

The manna, white in colour, so clearis our Lord's innocence;pleasantlike
honey, so sweetare his benefits: beatenand broken before eaten, Christ on his
cross, bleeding and dying; giving only in the wilderness, and ceasing as soonas
they came in to the land of promise, as sacraments shallvanish, when we
enjoy the substance, in heaven. But though manna was thus excellent, yet the
eaters of it were dead; but such as feed upon Christ, the bread of life, shall live
eternally in bliss and glory. I am the living bread which came down from
heaven, if any man may eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.
Here we learn, 1. What a miserable creature man naturally is, in a pining and
starved condition, under the want of soul food.
2. That Jesus Christis the food of souls, which quickens them that are dead,
and is unto the needy soul all that it can need; such spiritual food as will prove
a remedy and preservative againstdeath, both spiritual and eternal. I am the
living bread.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
48.]If so, (see John 6:47,) there is full reasonfor my naming Myself the Bread
of Life.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
48. ἐγώ εἰμι. See on John 6:35 and John 1:21.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
John 6:48. I am the bread of life. Having prepared the way by the declaration
of the necessityoffaith, He reaffirms what (in John 6:35) He had said of
Himself. He is the bread which contains life in itself, and which therefore can
give and does give life to all who receive and assimilate it.—It is interesting to
observe, at a point where the discourse is really higher than it was before, a
shortening of the formula employed, similar to that already met by us in John
1:29; John 1:36 (see note on John 1:35-36).

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
the multitude still insisted in begging for their corporal nourishment and
remembering the food that was given to their fathers, Christ, to shew that all
were figures of the present spiritual food, answered, that he was the bread of
life. (Theophylactus) --- Here Jesus Christ proceeds to the secondpart of his
discourse, in which he fully explains what that bread of life is, which he is
about to bestow upon mankind in the mystery of the holy Eucharist. He
declares then, in the first place, that he is the bread of eternallife, and
mentions its severalproperties;and secondly, he applies to his ownperson,
and to his ownflesh, the idea of this bread, such as he has defined it.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
I am that bread of life.
I am that bread of life. This is repeatedfrom John 6:35, 'As he that believeth
in Me hath everlasting life, so I am Myselfthe everlasting Sustenance ofthat
life.'
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(48) I am that bread of life.—Better, I am the bread of life. The words, which
seemto them so hard to fathom (John 6:41), are only an expressionof this
truth in the form of their own demand (John 6:31). The essenceoflife is
unseen; bread is the visible form which contains and imparts it. The invisible
God is the source ofeternal life; the human nature of the Son of God is the
visible form which contains and imparts this to the souls of men.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES

BARCLAY
THE BREAD OF LIFE (John 6:35-40)
6:35-40 Jesus saidto them: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will
never hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst any more. But I tell
you, though you have seenme, yet you do not believe in me. All that the
Father gives me will come to me, because I came down from heaven, not to do
my will, but to do the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent
me--that I should lose none of those he gave to me, but that I should raise
them all up on the last day. This is the will of my Father, that everyone who
believes on the Son, when he sees him, should have everlasting life. And I will
raise him up on the last day."
This is one of the greatpassagesofthe Fourth Gospel, and indeed of the New
Testament. In it there are two greatlines of thought that we must try to
analyse.
First, what did Jesus mean when he said: "I am the bread of life"? It is not
enough to regard this as simply a beautiful and poeticalphrase. Let us analyse
it step by step: (i) Breadsustains life. It is that without which life cannot go
on. (ii) But what is life? Clearly by life is meant something far more than mere
physical existence. Whatis this new spiritual meaning of life? (iii) Reallife is
the new relationship with God, that relationship of trust and obedience and
love of which we have already thought. (iv) That relationship is made possible
only by Jesus Christ. Apart from him no one can enter into it. (v) That is to
say, without Jesus there may be existence, but not life. (vi) Therefore, if Jesus
is the essentialoflife, he may be describedas the bread of life. The hunger of
the human situation is ended when we know Christ and through him know
God. The restless soulis at rest; the hungry heart is satisfied.
Second, this passageopens out to us the stages ofthe Christian life. (i) We see
Jesus. We see him in the pages ofthe New Testament, in the teaching of the
church, sometimes even face to face. (ii) Having seenhim, we come to him. We
regard him not as some distant hero and pattern, not as a figure in a book, but

as someone accessible. (iii) We believe in him. That is to say, we accepthim as
the final authority on God, on man, on life. That means that our coming is not
a matter of mere interest, nor a meeting on equal terms; it is essentiallya
submission. (iv) This process gives us life. That is to say, it puts us into a new
and lovely relationship with God, wherein he becomes an intimate friend; we
are now at home with the one whom we fearedor never knew. (v) The
possibility of this is free and universal. The invitation is to all men. The bread
of life is ours for the taking. (vi) The only way to that new relationship is
through Jesus. Without him it never would have been possible;and apart
from him it is still impossible. No searching ofthe human mind or longing of
the human heart can fully find God apart from Jesus. (vii) At the back of the
whole process is God. It is those whom God has given him who come to Christ.
God not only provides the goal;he moves in the human heart to awaken
desire for him; and he works in the human heart to take awaythe rebellion
and the pride which would hinder the greatsubmission. We could never even
have sought him unless he had already found us. (vii) There remains that
stubborn something which enables us to refuse the offer of God. In the last
analysis, the one thing which defeats God is the defiance of the human heart.
Life is there for the taking--or the refusing.
When we take, two things happen.
First, into life enters new satisfaction. The hunger and the thirst are gone. The
human heart finds what it was searching for and life ceasesto be mere
existence and becomes a thing at once of thrill and of peace.
Second, evenbeyond life we are safe. Evenon the last day when all things end
we are still secure. As a greatcommentator said: "Christ brings us to the
haven beyond which there is no danger."
The offer of Christ is life in time and life in eternity. That is the greatness and
glory of which we cheatourselves when we refuse his invitation.
THE FAILURE OF THE JEWS (John6:41-51 a)
6:41-51a So the Jews keptmurmuring about him, because he said: "I am the
bread which came down from heaven." They kept saying: "Is this not Jesus,

the sonof Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say: 'I
have come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered:"Stopmurmuring to each
other. No one can come to me exceptthe Fatherwho sent me draws him; and I
will raise him up on the last day. It stands written in the prophets: 'And all
will be taught by God.' Everyone who has listened and learned from my
Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seenthe Father, except he who is
from God--he has seenthe Father. This is the truth I tell you--he who believes
has eternallife. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the
wilderness, and died. This is the bread of life which comes down from heaven
that a man may eatof him and not die. I am the bread of life which came
down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever."
This passageshows the reasons why the Jews rejectedJesus,and in rejecting
him, rejectedeternal life.
(i) They judged things by human values and by external standards. Their
reactionin face of the claim of Jesus was to produce the fact that he was a
carpenter's son and that they had seenhim grow up in Nazareth. They were
unable to understand how one who was a tradesman and who came from a
poor home could possibly be a specialmessengerfrom God.
T. E. Lawrence was a close personalfriend of Thomas Hardy, the poet. In the
days when Lawrence was serving as an aircraftman in the RoyalAir Force he
sometimes used to visit Hardy and his wife in his aircraftman's uniform. On
one occasionhis visit coincided with a visit of the Mayoress ofDorchester. She
was bitterly affronted that she had to submit to meeting a common
aircraftman, for she had no idea who he was. In French she said to Mrs.
Hardy that never in all her born days had she had to sit down to tea with a
private soldier. No one said anything: then Lawrence said in perfect French:
"I beg your pardon, Madame, but can I be of any use as an interpreter? Mrs.
Hardy knows no French." A snobbish and discourteous woman had made a
shattering mistake because she judged by externals.
That is what the Jews did with Jesus. We must have a care that we never
neglecta messagefrom God because we despise ordo not care for the
messenger. Aman would hardly refuse a cheque for 1,000 Britishpounds

because it happened to be enclosedin an envelope which did not conform to
the most aristocratic standards ofnotepaper. Godhas many messengers.His
greatestmessagecame through a Galilaeancarpenter, and for that very
reasonthe Jews disregardedit.
(ii) The Jews arguedwith eachother. They were so taken up with their private
arguments that it never struck them to refer the decisionto God. They were
exceedinglyeagerto let everyone know what they thought about the matter;
but not in the leastanxious to know what Godthought. It might wellbe that
sometimes in a court or committee, when every man is desirous of pushing his
opinion down his neighbour's throat, we would be better to be quiet and ask
God what he thinks and what he wants us to do. After all it does not matter so
very much what we think; but what God thinks matters intensely; and we so
seldom take steps to find it out.
(iii) The Jews listened, but they did not learn. There are different kinds of
listening. There is the listening of criticism; there is the listening of
resentment; there is the listening of superiority; there is the listening of
indifference; there is the listening of the man who listens only because for the
moment he cannot get the chance to speak. The only listening that is worth
while is that which hears and learns;and that is the only way to listen to God.
(iv) The Jews resistedthe drawing of God. Only those acceptJesus whomGod
draws to him. The word which John uses for to draw is helkuein (Greek
#1670). The wordused in the Greek translationof the Hebrew when Jeremiah
hears God say as the King James Versionhas it: "With loving-kindness have I
drawn thee" (Jeremiah31:3). The interesting thing about the word is that it
almost always implies some kind of resistance. It is the word for drawing a
heavily laden net to the shore (John 21:6; John 21:11). It is used of Paul and
Silas being draggedbefore the magistrates in Philippi (Acts 16:19). It is the
word for drawing a swordfrom the belt or from its scabbard (John 18:10).
Always there is this idea of resistance.Godcan draw men, but man's
resistance candefeatGod's pull.
Jesus is the bread of life; which means that he is the essentialfor life;
therefore to refuse the invitation and command of Jesus is to miss life and to

die. The Rabbis had a saying:"The generationin the wilderness have no part
in the life to come." In the old story in Numbers the people who cravenly
refused to brave the dangers of the promised land after the report of the
scouts, were condemnedto wander in the wilderness until they died. Because
they would not acceptthe guidance of Godthey were for ever shut out from
the promised land. The Rabbis believed that the fathers who died in the
wilderness not only missed the promised land, but also missed the life to come.
To refuse the offer of Jesus is to miss life in this world and in the world to
come;whereas to accepthis offer is to find real life in this world and glory in
the world to come.
BRIAN BELL
John 6:22-71 4-26-09 “WonderBread”
I. INTRO:A. Oh, taste & see that the Lord is good;Blessedis the man who
trusts in Him! B. Jesus had just fed the 5000. Jesus reads their hearts &
confronts them with their motive.
II. WONDER BREAD!A. BETHLEHEM!(22-40)B. (26)Mostassuredly -
Amen, Amen. A teaching technique that indicated a crucial idea from Jesus
(also:vs.32,47,53)C. Often people want the Lord to meet their physical needs
but not their spiritual needs. 1. They were like stray dogs, that if you feed
them they’ll stick around, not because they love you, but because you have
food! – Stop feeding them & they’re gone!2. They only seek Godfor their
carnalneeds to be met! D. Don’t seek Him for what He can do for you, but for
who He is! E. Q: What about today? Why do you seek Him? (Pure motives?)
1. Fora healing? To pay the bills? In hopes to find a nice spouse? 2. “Lord,
purify my heart that I may sincerelyseek you today!” F. Now Jesus directs
their thinking to a deeper hunger!
G. (27) Jesus encouragesthem not to devote themselves to such pursuits, but
rather to seek foodthat endures to eternallife. 1. Therefore do not worry,
saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?

For after all these things the Gentiles seek. Foryour heavenly Fatherknows
that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God & His
righteousness, & all these things shall be added to you.
H. Seal- “It was not the signature, but the sealthat authenticated. In
commercial& political documents it was the seal, imprinted w/the signetring,
which made the document valid; it was the sealwhich authenticateda will; it
was the sealon the mouth of a sack ora crate that guaranteedthe contents.”
(William Barclay;vol.1, pg.213)1. With eachmiracle performed, God’s
authenticating sealon Christ’s life was evident to all.
1
I. (33)The manna came only to the Jews & sustainedphysical life; but Jesus
came for the whole world & gives eternal life. 1. Manna comparison:a)
Manna came at night - Jesus came when men were in darkness;b) Manna met
physical needs - Jesus meets spiritual needs;c) Manna a gift from God - Jesus
God’s gift to the world; d) Manna had to be pickedup & eaten - Jesus must be
received& appropriated.1 2. The bread of God was a gift form the Father,
whether it was shaped into Manna or the Messiah.
J. (35)I am the bread of life - i.e. Jesus satisfies ourdeepestspiritual needs. 1.
This is the 1stof 7 “I am” statements in the gospelof John (I am the Door; I
am the GoodShepherd; I am the Light of the world; I am the Res & the Life;
I am the True Vine; I am the Way, Truth, Life) 2. Q: What food would you
use to representyou? a) I am the Filet-mignon; lobster; maple donut; steamed
clams; choc choclate chipice cream? b) What is wrong with these? [They are
only enjoyed “once in a while” (for most people)] c) No Jesus didn’t say, “I am
the filet-mignon of life”, or “I am the caviar of life”, or “the sashimi of life”.
Why? These are delicacies that only the favored few canenjoy. d) Jesus picks
a common staple all can relate to; & relate to daily; & throughout the day!
(i.e. eachmeal) e) Bread is found on the rich & poor man’s table; king &
peasant. 3. In Asia it might be “I am the Rice of Life”; In Mexico it might be
“I am the Tortilla of Life”; In India it might be “I am the Curry of Life”. a)
Whateveris that countries main food staple. (means for sustaining life)

K. If we take the 1stcommandment from the neg to the poss, from “Thou
shall have no other gods before me” to “Thou shall have me!” - That’s what
Jesus is saying here! 1. It is no coincidence that Jesus was born in the into the
city of bread! (Bethlehem)
L. (37) There is a giant “Welcome mat” in front of Jesus’house. Wipe your
sins on the mat & come on in! :)
2
1 Shepherds Notes;John; pg.37
1. The original reads, I will not, not castout, or I will never, never castout. a)
The text means, that Christ will not at first reject a believer; and that as he
will not do it at first, so he will not to the last. (Spurgeon; Evening, July 30)
M. (39) Lose nothing - Jesus believes in the assuranceofthe believer! Take his
word for it! 1. This is Eternal security, sometimes calledthe “Perseveranceof
the saints”;more appropriately called, the “Preservationof the saints” (i.e.
God preserves us!) 2. Ps.145:20 The LORD preserves all who love Him But all
the wickedHe’ll destroy
N. FLESH & BLOOD!(41-59)O. Just as you take food into your body, so you
take Christ into your life; & He becomes one with you. P. (44)No one can
come to the Father through Christ except the Father wills. 1. I picture Gods
Rip-Tide: Slowly drawing you out to Him (you often don’t notice your being
pulled out). You keepswimming to shore awayfrom Him. You finally give up
& turn to Him. Yet under the surface He’s been drawin you all the time Q.
We’re chosenthen drawn; drawn then saved; savedthen 1 day to be
resurrected;when resurrectedthen guaranteedeternal life! 1. We’ve been
bought, sought, caught, got, & now are being taught!
R. (45) To be in relationship with God is to be in a relationship with Jesus.
S. (51-55)What is meant by eating his flesh & blood? 1. This is non-Kosher
talk...this cannibalism & blood drinking! 2. It sounds like a bad vampire
movie filmed at Donar pass!3. He wasn’t literally bread, anymore than He

was literally a lamb or a lion! 4. It means nothing more nor less than believing
in Christ! (Mt. Henry)
T. Also, Christ is not talking about the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper! 1.
The Lord’s Supper had not even been instituted, and when it was, Jesus
clearly statedthat it was a memorial. It did not impart life. 2. Jesus manifest
in the flesh is our bread of life; Jesus bleeding on the cross a substitute for
sinners is our soul’s drink!
U. 2 things are Implied: an appetite to Christ & an application of Christ. 1.
An Appetite to Christ! – Spiritual eating/drinking starts
w/hungering/thirsting. a) Mt.5:6 Blessedare those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, Forthey shall be filled.
3
2. An Application of Christ to ourselves! – Meatlookedupon will not nourish
us, but meat fed upon! We must acceptof Christ as to appropriate Him to
ourselves. 3. Body & blood was used to represent everything needed to sustain
& support life
V. (59) These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. W.
Story - Severalyears ago a readerof The British Weeklywrote a letter to the
editor as follows:"DearSir! I notice that ministers seemto seta greatdeal of
importance on their sermons and spend a greatdeal of time in preparing
them. I have been attending services quite regularly for the pastthirty years
and during that time, if I estimate correctly, I have listened to no less than
3000 sermons. But, to my consternation, I discoverI cannot remember a
single one of them. I wonder if a minister's time might be more profitably
spent on something else? Sincerely... 1. The letter kickedup quite an editorial
storm of angry responses forweeks.The pros and cons of sermons were tossed
back and forth until, finally, one letter ended the debate. This letter said, "My
DearSir: I have been married for thirty years. During that time I have eaten
32,850meals - mostly of my wife's cooking. Suddenly I have discoveredthat I
cannot remember the menu of a single meal. And yet, I receivednourishment
from every one of them. I have the distinct impression that without them I
would have starved to death long ago.” Sincerely...

X. THREE ATTITUDES!(60-71)Y. DEFECTION!(60-66)Z. This is the 1st
group. Unbelievers who chokedon the bread going down. 1. Did you
know...Manysharks have the ability to turn their stomachs inside out and
evert it out of their mouths in order to getrid of any unwanted contents.
AA.(60) Hard saying - Yes, very difficult. 1. Nothard to understand, but hard
to accept!– skleros (dried, rough, harsh), from skello (to dry). 2. This fresh
bread from heaven just became stale & crunchy in their mouth fast! BB.(62)
Maybe you’ll believe I “came down” if you see me “go back”? 1. A forecastof
His Ascension!CC.(63)Spiritual words! (Jesus offers spiritual life through
union with Himself) DD.(65) People are so ensnaredin the quicksand of sin &
unbelief that unless God draws them they are hopeless. 1. We spiritually lay
dead as a paperclip & don’t move until we feel His magnetic love drawing us
to “rise up & come to Him”!
4
EE.(66)Follow/Nolongerwalkedwith Him - from 2 Greek words alongside &
walk. 1. They are no longerwilling to walk alongside Jesus & no longer
committed to Him & His Mission. FF.So,here Jesus thins out the ranks! 1.
They say the test of an army is how it fights when its tired! 2. At the 1st
shadow of the cross...theyleft Him! 3. Like Gideon, Jesus sends home those
who were “fearful & afraid” of the battle
GG.DETERMINATION!(67-69)HH.This is the 2nd group. Thinning crowds
did nothing to thin the disciples determination! II. (67) The choice is always to
follow the crowdor follow Jesus. 1. Q: Right now do you feel like going away?
2. Is it too hot in your kitchen? Too stinky in your nursery? Too dry in your
marriage? Too quiet in your relationship w/God? a) Q: Do you also want to go
away? JJ.(68,69)Petercomes up with 3 reasons they can’t.
KK.DECEPTION!(67-69)LL.This is the 3rd group. Standing right in the
band of chosenmen was one who looked& sounded like the most sincere
disciple...but was a devil.
MM.Q:What categorydo you fall into? Like the crowd (open defection); or
like Judas (subtle deception); or like the disciples (firm determination)?

NN.Illustration: Imagine a book on a shelf, never read. As long as it remains
unread, it is external to you. One day you take it down & read it. You’re
thrilled, fascinated, moved. The story sticks to you. The greatlines remain in
your memory. Now, when you desire you can take that wonder out from
inside you & remember it, think about it, feed your mind & hear on it. Once
the book was outside you & now that its inside, you can feed upon it. (adapted
form William Barclay;Gospelof John; pg.224)1. If you’ve never taken Jesus
into your life, assimilatedHis being into yours, then he is outside of your life!
2. You are like a small child, with nose pressedup againsta bakerywindow.
Smelling bread, seeing, bread, knowing it’s there...but never tasting it. a) Oh,
taste & see that the Lord is good; Blessedis the man who trusts in Him!
Ps.34:8
True Bread from Heaven
John 6: 32-40
Our text this evening is a continuation of the discussionJesus had with the
multitude the day following the miraculous feeding of the 5,000. As we look at
the miracles and ministry of Jesus, having the benefit of the complete Word,
we see His life served to revealwho He was, the Christ. Clearly the works He
accomplishedcould not have been achieved by a mere mortal, but the people
failed to see Jesus as the Christ. They were so focusedon their immediate
wants and desires that they failed to see anything else.
As we discussedin our last study, this line of thought continues today. We live
in a time where most are mainly concernedwith the “here and now.” The
majority are driven by the desire to satisfytheir wants and desires. The
average believerstruggles with these issues as well. We seek to maintain a
spiritual perspective, but often our lives are consumedby the pressing needs
of daily life. Justas the multitude of old, we need to see Jesus forwho He is,
and develop a spiritual mindset for our lives.

As we continue to considerthe conversationofJesus, I want to examine the
principles He confirms as we think on: True Breadfrom Heaven.
I. The Preeminence of the Savior(32-33)– Jesus addresses theirskewed
perception contrastedwith His divine preeminence. Consider:
A. Man’s Indiscretion (32) – Jesus mentions a common indiscretion among the
Hebrews. They were all familiar with the manna that sustained the children of
Israelwhile making the wilderness journey. It miraculously appeared each
morning with the dew, except for the Sabbath day. It was undeniable that God
had blessedand sustained them, and yet the people held to the idea that Moses
was in fact responsible for the manna. Rather than acknowledging the
blessing and powerof God, they lookedto man. The multitude in Jesus’day
maintained that perspective as well.
 We may think such an idea is completely ridiculous, but often we tend to
hold the same views. We do not expect the Lord to provide bread on the
ground with the dew, but often we tend to rely more on the abilities and
resources ofmen than we do the Lord Himself. We must remember that God
is responsible for all we enjoy. He alone provides daily for us. Were it not for
His grace and power, we would never survive!
B. Jesus’Incarnation(33) – Jesus came to earth in the form of a man to
provide for our redemption. They had already experiencedenoughto
recognize who He was, and yet they failed
P a s t o r C h r i s B e n f i e l d , F e l l o w s h i p M i s s i o n a r y B a p t i s t
C h u r c h

to acknowledgeJesusas the Christ. He reveals the manna was given of God
from heaven, but the true Breadnow stoodbefore them. Rather than seeking
that which is momentary and fleeting, they needed to seek the Breadof life.
Manna would sustain for a day, but Christ sustains throughout eternity, John
6:57-58.
II. The Presentationofthe Savior(35-36)
A. His Person(35) – Jesus begins this powerful statementwith an affirmation
of who He is: I am. This is the first of several“I Am” statements that Jesus
reveals concerning Himself in John’s gospelalone. He said, “I am the Breadof
life; the Light of the world; the Door;the good Shepherd; the Resurrection
and the Life; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and the true Vine. He wanted
them to see Him for who He was. He was much more than one who worked
wonders;He is the I AM! Surely this brought to mind when Moses stoodby
the burning bush. Ex.3:14 – And God saidunto Moses, IAM THAT I AM:
and he said, Thus shalt thou sayunto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent
me unto you. Jesus would later proclaim His deity in Jn.8:58 – Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am; and in Rev.1:8 – I am Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which
was, and which is to come, the Almighty. We must see the Personof Jesus as
He is, the I AM!
B. His Provision (35b) – The multitude was seeking physicalbread that would
only sustain them for a while, but Jesus offeredthe Bread of life that once
received, man would never hunger again. He offeredlife giving water that
would forever satisfy the thirst of a hungry soul. Rev.21:6 – And he said unto
me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give
unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the waterof life freely.

 Many today are like those who came to Jesus that day. They are looking for
things to satisfybut can’t seemto find what they desire. Many look to the
pleasures of the flesh, alcohol, or a bottle of pills, but once the effects of those
influences wearoff there is still a hunger and emptiness in the soul. Jesus is
the only One who can provide what we need, and His provision is for eternity.
One touch from the Lord and you will be foreverchanged!
C. His Position(36) – Jesus knew the desire of their hearts. He knew their
intentions. They were more than happy to receive the benefits He provided,
but they were unwilling to submit to Him as Lord and Master. Their rebellion
and unbelief would hinder their receiving His marvelous gift.
 This fundamental truth has not changedand never will. No doubt all who
ever lived want to go to heaven when they die. All desire to receive the favor
and grace ofGod in their lives, but all are not willing to receive Christ.
C h u r c h
Page 3
 He is the source of our salvation. There is no other way to be forgiven and
inherit eternallife. What we do with Jesus is the defining factorin our lives
and our eternal destiny. He must be recognizedand acceptedas Lord if man is
to be saved.
III. The Plan for our Salvation (37-38)– Jesus reveals greattruth about God’s
plan of salvation. Let’s considerthe elements involved in these truths.

A. The Sovereignty(37a) – Jesus speaksofthose whom the Father has given
unto Him. It is those who come unto Him. If we are to be saved and receive
the Breadof life, there must have been a drawing of the Lord, v.44. There
must be the work of the Holy Spirit dealing with our hearts in conviction. We
cannot leave God out of the salvationprocess.
 There are many today who are not savedand yet they fully intend to get
saved. “I plan on getting saved before I die, just not right now. I have a lot of
living yet to do.” There is only one problem with that attitude: we can’t just
get savedwhen we decide that we want to. The Lord must be dealing with our
hearts and drawing us towardthe Savior. Many have had goodintentions, but
I fear that hell is filled with goodintentions. If you are unwilling to do
business with God when He is dealing with your heart, what makes you think
that you will be willing to when He isn’t? Once again, we cannot leave God
out of the salvation process!We must come as He leads.
B. The Security (37b) – These were seeking fulfillment for a temporal need.
Had Jesus produced bread again, they could’ve been filled, but just as before
they would’ve hungered again. Jesus declaresthat all who come to Him will
be receivedand enjoy the benefit that He affords. He offers much more than
physical bread to those who believe.
 What a promise for the child of God! All who come to Him shall never be
castout. There will never come a day when we are askedto leave the presence
of the Lord. There will never be a time when He fails to care for us. There will
never be a circumstance that He isn’t able to provide our need. John 10:28-29;
Rom. 8:31-39.
C. The Submission (38) – Clearly those present that day had not graspedthe
enormity of this encounter. Calvary was yet in the distance, but already Jesus
is resignedto go to the cross. He is determined to fulfill the plan of salvation
that God had setforth before the foundation of the world. Had there been no

Savior there would be no salvationand Jesus fully submitted to offering
Himself a sacrifice forthe sins of mankind!
 Salvation is the most precious gift that one could receive and I am truly
thankful that I have been saved, but often we forget just what our Savior
endured to fulfill salvation’s plan. He was the holy, sinless Son of God. He who
knew no sin, He who never once committed sin or had to seek forgiveness
willingly took our sin upon Himself, bearing that sin on the cross. He could’ve
called
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more than twelve legions of angels and escapedthe cross, but He submitted to
that awful death so that we might be saved!
IV. The Powerin our Salvation (39-40)– In these verses Jesus revealsthe
matchless powerthat is associatedwith our salvation.
A. Our Hedge (39) – Once againJesus is speaking ofthe will of the Father. He
has come to offer Himself a sacrifice for our sin, fulfilling salvation’s plan, and
all who come to Christ in salvation will be kept by His power. (I’m glad that it
isn’t up to me to keepmyself saved!) Of all the Father hath given Him, He
should lose nothing, not a single soul who has come to Christ is lost!
 No doubt those who followedJesus may have wondered about their security
in Him as He died upon the cross, but death was not the end for our Lord. He
rose from the grave victorious over sin, having completely securedsalvation
for all who come unto Him.

 We can take comfortin that today. In factwe can greatlyrejoice. All who
are savedare hedged in by the power of God. There aren’t enough demons in
hell to remove us from the grace and powerof Christ. Every soul that has ever
receivedChrist will be found worshipping Him in heaven! 1 Pet.1:5 –Who are
kept by the powerof God through faith unto salvationready to be revealedin
the lasttime.
B. Our Healing (40) – Long before Jesus everwalkedupon this earth in the
form of a man, sin had entered into the hearts of men. That sin caused
separationbetweenGod and man. Becauseofthat sin, all who everlived stood
condemned in that sin. God demanded that we be righteous as He is righteous.
That is impossible within ourselves. There had to be a sacrifice to atone for
that sin in order for restorationto be made. Jesus became that Sacrifice and
through Him man can now restored unto God. The wages ofsin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christour Lord. I’m glad that I no
longerstand condemned but have receivedHis righteousness.
 The key to this verse is: every one which seeththe Son, and believeth on
Him. We must see our need before a holy God and believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ as our Savior. There were many in Jesus’day who knew who He was,
but they never believed on Him. Many today know who Jesus is, but they have
never come to Him in salvation. There must be more than head knowledge;
we must know Christ in a personalway unto salvation.
C. Our Hope – Twice in these verses Jesus speaksofthose who will be raised
up in the last day. He is speaking ofthe coming resurrection. Many who have
believed in the Lord have gone by the way of the grave;but just as it was for
our Lord, death is not the end for the child of God either. We too have the
hope of being raisedagainwhen Jesus steps out and calls for His bride. Titus

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2:13 – Looking for that blessedhope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (1 Thes.4:16-17)
Conclusion:We have dealt with a wonderful passage ofScripture today. Jesus
is the True Breadfrom Heaven, the Bread of Life. He is the source ofour
salvation, the Anchor of our souls, and the Hope of our resurrection.
Do you know Him today as Lord and Saviorof your life? If not, you can. He
came that all might be saved.
The choice is yours. Will you partake of the Breadof life or refuse Him? The
difference is being savedor remaining lost is sin, heaven or hell. Why not
come to Him today and partake of the Bread of life?
CHRIS BENFIELD
The Breadof Life John 6: 35-40 The verses that we have read today come
immediately after two of the most recognizedmiracles in the Bible. Jesus had
just fed the 5,000 with five barley loaves and two small fishes. After the
excitement of the day, Jesus put the disciples on a boat to cross overthe Sea of
Galilee headedtoward Capernaum. During their journey a storm arose and
Jesus came walking on the water. As He entered the boat, immediately they
reachedthe shore. Morning has now come and the multitude that was
involved in the multiplying of the bread and fish have once againmade their
way to Jesus, v.24. It is always goodto seek for Jesus, but we must ensure that
our motives are right. These had not come because they senseda spiritual
need; they had come simply in hopes of receiving more bread. These events

have led up to the discourse that Jesus gives on the Bread of Life. He wants
them to look beyond their physical need and examine their hearts concerning
their spiritual conditions. I fear that many are seeking Jesus today, but not
for the right reasons. If we have come to barter with the Lord or in hopes of
improving our lives without taking the time to
examine our hearts, we likely will not receive much from Him today. He is
interestedin our physical needs, but He is most interestedin where we stand
spiritually. I want to look at the greatlessons that Jesus teachesconcerning
salvationas we consider:The Bread of Life.
I. The Presentationof the Savior (35-36)– Jesus reveals severalthings that the
people neededto understand. We too must embrace them.
A. His Person(35) – Jesus begins this powerful statementwith an affirmation
of whom He is, I am. This is the first of several“I Am” state-ments that Jesus
reveals concerning Himself in John’s gospelalone. He said, “I am the Breadof
life; the Light of the world; the Door;the good Shepherd; the Resurrection
and the Life; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and the true Vine. He wanted
them to see Him for who He was. He was much more than one who worked
wonders;He is the I AM! Surely this brought to mind when Moses stoodby
the burning bush. Ex.3:14 – And God saidunto Moses, IAM THAT I AM:
and he said, Thus shalt thou sayunto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent
me unto you. Jesus would later proclaim His deity in Jn.8:58 – Verily, verily, I
say unto
you, Before Abraham was, I am; and in Rev.1:8 – I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which
is to come, the Almighty. We must see the Person ofJesus as He is, the I AM!
I. The Presentationof the Savior (35-36) A. His Person(35)B. His
Preeminence (35) – We must keepin mind the setting for these events. Jesus
had provided bread for them the day before. Many of them had come looking
for anothermeal. Jesus knew the desire of their hearts and had compassion

because they were unaware of who He was and what He had come to do for
them, vv,26-27;32-33. We too must see Jesus forwho He is. He is the Bread
of life. He is the source ofour salvation! He is our only hope of redemption.
He is our Anchor of the soul that keeps us in this life.
Fartoo many are looking to every source imaginable to find realpeace and
contentment. They are like the multitude, only seeking happiness in this life.
Many today are trusting in their religious traditions or works that they have
done. We must get to the place that we see Jesus as our Saviorand come to
Him for salvation! ***************
C. His Provision (35b) – The multitude was seeking physicalbread that would
only sustain them for a while, but Jesus offeredthe Bread of life that once
received, man would never hunger again. He offeredlife giving water that
would forever satisfy the thirst of a hungry soul. Rev.21:6 – And he said unto
me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give
unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the waterof life freely. I rejoice for
the Breadof life that I have received. I praise the Lord that He satisfiedthe
thirst within my soul. It has been sufficient all the years and I have never
found Him to be lacking.
Many today are like those who came to Jesus that day. They are looking for
things to satisfybut can’t seemto find what they desire. Many look to the
pleasures of the flesh, alcohol, or a bottle of pills, but once the effects of those
influences wearoff there is still a hunger and emptiness in the soul. Jesus is
the only One who can provide what we need, and His provision is for eternity.
One touch from the Lord and you will be foreverchanged!
D. His Position(36) – Jesus knew the desire of their hearts. He knew their
intentions. They were more than happy to receive the benefits that He
provided, but they were unwilling

to submit to Him as Lord and Master. Their rebellion and unbelief would
hinder their receiving His marvelous gift. This fundamental truth has not
changedand never will. No doubt all who ever lived want to go to heaven
when they die. All desire to receive the favor and grace ofGod in their lives,
but all are not willing to receive Christ.
He is the source of our salvation. There is no other way to be forgiven and
inherit eternallife. What we do with Jesus is the defining factorin our lives
and our eternal destiny. Yes it rains on the unjust as well as the just, but one
cannot expectto receive the favor of God apart from the Lord. He must be
recognizedand acceptedas Lord if man is to be saved.
I. The Presentationof the Savior (35-36)
II. The Plan for our Salvation(37-38)– Jesus reveals greattruth about God’s
plan of salvation. Let’s considerthe elements involved in these truths.
A. The Sovereignty(37a) – Jesus speaksofthose whom the Father has given
unto Him. It is those who come unto Him. If we are to be saved and receive
the Breadof life, there must have been a drawing of the Lord, v.44. There
must be the work of the Holy Spirit dealing with our hearts in conviction. We
cannot leave God out of the salvationprocess. There are many today who are
not savedand yet they fully intend to getsaved. “I plan on getting saved
before I die, just not right now. I have a lot of living yet to do.” There is only
one problem with that attitude, we can’t just get savedwhen we decide that
we want to. The Lord must be dealing with our hearts and drawing us toward
the Savior.

Jesus was the bread of life

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