Send questions to msgrpope@osv.com. The bread of life is not physical bread, but the bread of spiritual renewal found in … Recall, too, the context of these words. His flesh — His life — given for the sins of the world is the staff that upholds us, and only those who trust in Him alone can find eternal salvation. The bread is the flesh of Jesus. He lost many followers as He spoke on this subject. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. He came into the world not to give bread, but to be bread. When Jesus told the hungry crowds that he was the Bread of Life, he was teaching his followers that He alone was their true source of spiritual life, both in this present world and in the everlasting life to come. Found only in John’s gospel, this phrase is repeated twice more, part of a bigger text and even larger prophetic fulfillment of the seven “I am” statements of Jesus. He who heals every ailment and provides for every need will be faithful. He who comes to me will not hunger. Jesus had worked a miracle of multiplying the loaves and fishes. If anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” And his humanity is glorified. I hope this helps, but we do well to recall that the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is far more glorious and mysterious than mere words can fully express. Jesus spoke in terms, parables, and analogies most could understand. “As the people yearned for the heavenly bread and as the rabbis reinterpreted this bread to mean the wisdom or life-sustaining presence of God,” the NIV Application Commentary explains, “so now Jesus is that precious gift.”. In Christ and God-willing, we are able to see and understand notes of Scripture, and life around us, through godly perspective and in tune with divine purpose. “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Joh 6:35 Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life. Without the bread of life man cannot live spiritually. ( B ) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes ( C ) in me will never be thirsty. “I am the bread of life. I am the bread of life — Jesus, having explained the nature of the dignity which he had claimed in the foregoing part of his discourse, (John 6:33-40,) and demonstrated that it really belonged to him, here repeats what he had said John 6:35, and then runs a comparison between himself, considered as the bread from heaven, and the manna which Moses provided for their fathers in the desert, and which … “The darkness of the world is so severe that God alone must penetrate it in order to free people to see Jesus clearly,” writes the NIV Application Commentary. When Jesus says, “I am the bread of life,” it is as if to say, “the bread of life is actually me.” He also says, “the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51). https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/Jesus teaches He is the Bread of Life. So when Jesus said, "I am the Bread of: Life," the people understood the importance He was accruing to: Himself. There is a simple literal interpretation of this phrase, which is - the food that we require for physical sustenance. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever." John 6:51 – “the bread which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” The flesh represents Mamsa, one of the 5 Ms of the Panchamakara. “God is the supplier of divine bread,” explains the NIV Commentary, “and whoever eats of it … This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51). When we celebrate the Last Supper through communion, we are reinstating our trust in God, and our need for Him to satisfy our souls. These words recorded by the apostle John lead us forward in obedient hope. Jesus is imploring believers to put full confidence in Him, trusting He will provide wisdom that leads to true satisfaction. This important note of Scripture defines our need to trust the Living Word to satisfy our physical bodies, heart and soul. John’s prose reminds Christ followers where our strength and sustenance comes from, both physically and spiritually. The Greek word used to describe the eating of the bread “uses the Greek aorist tense: It is a singular event, a decision to believe and appropriate the gift of eternal life” (NIV Application Commentary). Second, it does not pertain to a natural body to be present everywhere. Jesus gets to the bottom line of how men must respond to Him in verse 51: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. We should take this verse as a reminder to seek Him first, and trust we will be satisfied through obedience to His Word and calling on our lives. The next day, some of these people looked for Jesus. Answer: I’m not sure why you conclude that. They needed “eternal life” and He came down from heaven to give “life to the world.” He explained exactly what this means in verse 51, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. God is our Provider, and Jesus is the Bread of Life. But the term corporeal (from the Latin word corpus, meaning “body”) tends to understate that he is also present with his soul and divinity in the Eucharist. It was a kind of free meal for 20,000. White bread, rye bread, wheat bread, pita bread, zucchini bread, and pumpernickel! If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Especially in the light of Passover, He knew the Jewish leaders and God’s people would understand His reference to bread. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believe in me will never be thirsty.’… ‘I am the bread of life.’”John 6:35,48. They ask for this bread. When the people ask for this bread, the Bible records, “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst’” . ( D ) People's Bible Notes for John 6:35. “God must move the inner heart of a person before he or she can see the things of God. But, Jesus says in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life.” That’s fodder for the other side. It was not only the Jewish leaders who took offense at some of the things Jesus was claiming, but also His followers. John 6:35-59 consists of teaching by Jesus centered on his proclamation, “I am the bread of life” (verses 35, 48). Paul wrote to the Philippians, “have the same mindset as Christ, who: being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His advantage” (Philippians 2:5-7). If they kept any for the next day, it would spoil with worms. Prior to his resurrection, Christ’s natural body — even though hypostatically united to his divine person — did not, of its nature, possess the ability to be everywhere. Not only is God Provider for our physical needs, but His Word made flesh satisfies the needs of our souls. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." For example, St. Paul writes: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? Jesus overturned traditional Jewish beliefs by referring to Himself as the bread of life. The first of the “I am” statements of Jesus, which solidify His nature as fully God and fully man is “I am the bread of life,” which describes the way we find full satisfaction in and through Christ alone. I was teaching high school at the time and wrote the song during my free period. Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian in Washington, D.C., and writes for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. at blog.adw.org. Proud member Question: I recall a question you were asked some time ago where you said we are as much eating the flesh and blood of Jesus as partaking in the glorified body of Jesus. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. After some back and forth with them Jesus says, as if in frustration, “I AM the bread!” He then warns them against pining for food that perishes (ordinary bread) and to desire the true and living bread he wants to give them — namely, his very self. “ I am the bread of life ” KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) TRANSLATION, MEANING, CONTEXT. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35 NET) Paint Color #2: Purple Today, we are painting with the color “purple.” The Greek root of the word bread refers specifically to the manna in the desert, but also to food of any kind. Her first book, “Friends with Everyone,”  is available on amazon.com. A name used by Christians to denote Jesus Christ. The NIV Application Commentary explains, “the idea is not about Jesus’ welcoming people, but about Jesus’ welcoming people whom the Father has given into his care.”. She lives in Northern Ohio with her husband, Jim, and two daughters. But Christ in the Eucharist is present everywhere and can do that not only through the power of his divinity but also in his glorified humanity. “I am the bread of life” is the first of the seven “I am” statements in John’s Gospel. These statements are unique to John and in many ways encapsulate the … WORDS OF JESUS IN RED. He who believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35; he repeats himself in verses 48 and 51). Bread might help keep us alive if we were starving, but if we want life that lasts forever, we need the bread of life! Answer: We are eating the body and blood of Christ, but the point was that we ought not to reduce this understanding of the eating of a piece of flesh as when we eat steak or liver. John 6:35, ESV: "Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." First, as noted, we are receiving the Risen Christ. She earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay at home and raise her two daughters. And now, some of them are pursuing Jesus and want more free bread. “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you” (John 6:27). They are both symbolic and are different ways Jesus used to reach these people. When Jesus says, “I am the bread of life,” it is as if to say, “the bread of life is actually me.” He also says, “the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51). The bread represents the upper Bindu associated with the mantra Soham meaning “I am” … Enough was given to them to satisfy their hunger for the day. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. Msgr. Because bread is so basic to our life, God was wise to nourish us with divine life in the form of bread, the Eucharist. So what does Jesus mean when he says, “I am the Bread of Life?” Well, simply put, he means that we are not satisfied spiritually unless we know Jesus; we … Perhaps no food comes in as many varieties as bread, known as the staff of life. The day before Jesus said, “I am the bread of life,” he multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish to feed 5,000 people. Just as physically man needs to eat in order to live, … Definition: The Bread of Life is the spiritual food needed by man. Lesson 1 covered Jesus as the “I am.” He is the answer to the spiritual needs of every person. Question: We Catholics believe we eat the body of Christ (transubstantiation), not bread, unlike Lutherans, who believe they eat both (consubstantiation). I Am The Bread of Life Sermon — We will study Jesus statement, “I am the bread of life.” Note the significance, the source, the supping, and the supply of the bread of life. Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ as an author, freelance writer, and blogger at Sunny&80. Manna was the miraculous bread given to the Israelites as they traveled through the desert. Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. Christ took on human skin and was crucified to eliminate the separation between God and His people. Their understanding of exactly what He meant, however, was divinely appointed. The Living Word, Jesus in this one statement describes our need for Him, and the hope we find in Him to be fully satisfied by our Creator - the One True God. John also recorded Jesus words: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. He answers, it is here; I am that bread. And, so, though he uses bread to indicate the species, he is clearly saying that it is actually a partaking or communion (the Greek is koinónia) in the body of Christ. “Do not labor for the food which perishes,” Jesus told them, “but for the food which endures to everlasting life.” (John 6:27) The Living Bread From Heaven : In the time of Jesus, bread was the staff of life. 'I Am the Bread of Life' Throughout the Bible, bread is a symbolic representation of God's life-sustaining provision. Of course, as Catholics, we do teach that, although the full substance of bread and wine pass over to become the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus, we acknowledge that the species of bread and wine remain. Did you enjoy this article? Jewish leaders also referred to bread, or manna, as spiritual food. These statements were not easy for listeners of Jesus’ message to hear. 6:35 I am the bread of life - Having and giving life: he that cometh - he that believeth - Equivalent expressions: shall never hunger, thirst - Shall be satisfied, happy, for ever. The Bread of Life Discourse is a portion of the teaching of Jesus which appears in the Gospel of John 6:22–59 and was delivered in the synagogue at Capernaum.. He is the only way to the Father. “God is the supplier of divine bread,” explains the NIV Commentary, “and whoever eats of it will live forever.” Every word Jesus spoke on earth carried precise weight and meaning. But from hearts seeking Christ, grace and love flow. Jesus, The Bread of Life, fully satisfies our every hunger. Jesus had worked a miracle of multiplying the loaves and fishes. – John 6:35 When Jesus told His followers that He was the bread of life, He was giving them a solution—not just for their physical hunger but also for their … The Israelites in the desert were required to trust God daily for manna, their literal daily bread. Salem Media Group. Both terms are significant in that they each have spiritual meaning and connection. Without this understanding, some might be tempted to wonder what part of the host contained his eyes or arms, etc., and why the host doesn’t weigh 190 pounds or so. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16). B read makes up a significant part of the daily diet of people around the world; it is a staple food item for many. First of all, Christ is living, not dead. Our faith is anchored in grace, requiring no legalistic accolades or accomplishments. In this text, John records Jesus explaining He is the Bread of Life, the very Word of God made flesh. NIV Application Commentary, Gary M. Burge, 2000. of Unfortunately they were coming to Jesus looking for food that would leave them hungry again. In this lesson, we will look at Jesus as the bread of life. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Send feedback to us at oursunvis@osv.com, Msgr. Jesus’ earthly life was dedicated to executing the will of His Father. No play on words intended. Jesus was telling them that he came to give his life so that they could have everlasting life -- … Because of this and his glorified humanity, his bodily presence is more perfectly present so that even in the smallest visible fragment of the host, the whole Christ is present. “The day before Jesus said these things, he had fed a crowd of 5,000 people with loaves and fish,” explained Jon Bloom for desiring God. John recorded Jesus’ promise that all who freely accept this bread will no longer hunger. “I am the Bread of Life” is another way of saying: “Without My death, you cannot live.” Just as bread is the essential element in the human diet, Jesus says that He Himself is the foundation for spiritual life. 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. The first of the “I am” statements of Jesus, which solidify His nature as fully God and fully man is “I am the bread of life,” which describes the way we find full satisfaction in and through Christ alone. “Jesus came into the world to change your desires so that he would be your main desire,” explained John Piper. The use of the term “corporeal” refers to the fact that his body and blood are really and truly present in the blessed sacrament. Besides writing, she leads a Bible Study for Women and serves as a Youth Ministry leader in her community. What's the meaning of the phrase 'The bread of life'? It is rarely used in that way though and is most often use figuratively to mean the spiritual food needed for a full life. Finally, his glorified humanity means he can be present fully in every part of the host or drop of the precious blood. When the bell rang for the next class I decided I didn’t like the music, so I tore it up and threw it in the wastepaper basket. Paul wrote about our strength coming from Christ, and Scripture echoes that the purpose of our lives is to honor and bring glory to God in all we do. Could you explain this a bit more? Jesus told them that he is “the bread of life”. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. It symbolized: the source of life because it was the primary means by which: those people survived. Here is the main point: Jesus did not come into the world mainly to give bread, but to be bread. Bible verse visual journey though John 6:35, explaining the meaning and scriptural context, through illustrations and concise words. John 6:35, NIV: "Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. There may be intentionality in his beginning the declaration with, “I am.” Jesus is God the Son, one and equal with the I Am, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Jesus had been telling them about the eternal life they could receive through "His Bread of Life." And this takes place on God’s initiative” NIV Application Commentary. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. New King James Version And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The old English proverb that “bread is the staff of life” is never truer than when it is used to refer to Jesus. John begins his gospel account with, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). To get what John 6:35 means based on its source text, scroll down or follow these links for the original scriptural meaning , biblical context and relative popularity. JOHN 6:50-51 50 “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. #2 “‘I am the bread of life.’” Jesus is the life-giving sustenance that we need if we are to live and not die. Recall, too, the context of these words. Christ came to eliminate the separation we all have from God before we accept Christ as our Savior. “Not since the days of manna had a prophet provided miracle bread like that.” Jesus was now proclaiming to be Manna Himself, writes Trevin Wax. One day, after filling the empty stomachs of over 5,000 people, Jesus said to them, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Without His death, no one else can live. But as it is, his bodily presence in the host is far more glorious than that understanding implies. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Key Verse “I am the bread of life… Subscribe now. Please enter your email address associated with your Salem All-Pass account, then click Continue. To say that we receive the glorified body of Christ indicates a number of things. Through the relation of hunger, a physical need, Jesus explained the recalculation of our every desire -not just for physical food but spiritual - to be satisfied in Him. All rights reserved. I wrote “I Am the Bread of Life” for a San Francisco archdiocesan event in 1964. No one comes to the Father but through Him. The word “species” is from the Latin specio, meaning “to look at, or see.” Thus the Eucharist still appears to be ordinary bread and wine and is sometimes referred to by those terms. Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian in Washington, D.C., and writes for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. at. The Eucharist is not merely a piece of dead flesh or a part of Christ; we receive the whole Christ, living and risen: body, blood, soul and divinity. We have been studying together the Gospel of John, and just going through verse by verse, paragraph by paragraph. Those who come to Him will never again be hungry. (The water springs up into Eternal Life - The Bread of Life gives eternal Life). Time and wrote the song during my free period God is our Provider, and two.! By paragraph for 20,000 of His Father does not pertain to a natural body be. Executing the will of His Father she earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland but... Charles Pope is the bread that we need if we are to live and die. Of God literal daily bread never truer than when it is here ; I am the bread of life… 's! First, as spiritual food needed for a full life. ways used... Need if we are to live and not die is - the food that would leave hungry!: //www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/Jesus teaches he is the bread of life. Word bread specifically! The things of God besides writing, she leads a Bible Study for Women and serves a. What he meant, however, was divinely appointed Jesus as the bread of life” is never truer when. 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