Bread of Life

While this is the last claim of Jesus under examination, it was this statement:

I am the bread of life. (John 6:35)

…with which my journey commenced. I wanted to investigate this further because I began to wonder how many levels there could be to a comment like this. The resulting path I traversed sent me on an exploration of all Jesus’s ‘I am’ statements in the gospel of John, not examining the ease of living a Christian has, but rather what I believe is the uncomplicated nature of Jesus’s message.

John chapter 6 commences with Jesus feeding a large crowd with only five loaves of bread and 2 fish at his disposal. The amount of food remaining after this miraculous event was enough to fill twelve baskets, and consideration could be given to the relationship between the number of baskets, the number of disciples, and what lesson Jesus may have been teaching them. The following day the remaining crowds noted that Jesus had not gone in the boat with his disciples, so they boarded boats themselves and began searching for Jesus. Finding him on the other side of the sea, they enquired as to when he arrived there. Knowing that their motivation was not pure or sincere, Jesus began on the offensive.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” (John 6:26–34)

What I believe Jesus is saying here is that the crowds were not looking for him because of the miracle, rather they were looking for another satisfying meal. They were looking for him in the hope that he would give them something else tangible like he was their automatic teller machine. He is telling them that this will not happen. Unless they are following him with the desire for genuine relationship and fellowship, they have missed the point of his message entirely. Jesus is flatly refusing to be used transactionally.

Jesus mentions bread several times, and a notable occasion is a dialogue Jesus has with the Devil in the desert. Jesus has been led by the Spirit into the wilderness for temptation by the Devil. Scripture tells us that after 40 days and nights, he was hungry. I am sure we can all attest to that. Thinking of my son, it is more like after 40 minutes he is hungry.

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:3–4)

Here, Jesus is referring to Old Testament scripture:

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Deuteronomy 8 is full of verses about us and our reliance upon God. He will allow us to confront obstacles to ensure our humility is maintained, and he will allow us to face challenges for the certainty of our faith the be tested. Yet what does it mean when bread is compared to the word of God?

In the American Revolution, Congress decided upon a daily ration that included one pound of flour or bread per day. In the American Civil War, one pound of flour or cornflour was a ration. If you continue to read about military provisions, bread in one form or another formed a staple part of a soldier’s daily rations. Why bread? Well, not only is bread easy and inexpensive to make, but the ingredients needed are minimal and the process is quick. Damper consists of flour, salt, butter, and water. Mix and put near heat, and you are done. So not only does bread in its various forms play and fundamental role in sustaining us, but there is also a simplicity to bread. For a moment, consider the part of the world Jesus lived in. What was a staple part of their diet? What food group was essential for their sustenance? So, Jesus calling himself the bread of life means we need Jesus for sustenance. But is there simplicity to Jesus?

Some of my favourite bands and musicians include ACDC, U2, and Bruce Springsteen, among many others. There is a simplicity to their music that makes me appreciate their songs. Their music is by no means easy to play though. Simple and easy do not mean the same thing. Something easy can be attained by expending minimal effort. Something simple is straightforward and comprehended but cannot necessarily be attained without significant effort. Within the complexity of a Bruce Springsteen arrangement for 15 musicians, there is an underlying simplicity...