(86) Jesus, the Bread of Life
John 6:22-58
[22]The following day, back on the other side of the sea, the people were standing around waiting to see Jesus. For they saw only one boat (the one the disciples had entered), and they knew He didn’t go with them.
[23]Now some other boats from Tiberias landed near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks; [24]so when the people saw that Jesus nor His disciples were there, they also entered the boats and came to Capernaum, searching for Jesus.
[25]And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
[26]Jesus answered them, saying, “Truly, I tell you this: you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. [27]Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
[28]Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
[29]Jesus answered, saying to them, “This is the work God wants from you: believe in Him whom He has sent.”
[30]At this, they said to Him, “What sign will you show us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work will you do? [31]Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”[1]
[32]Then Jesus said to them, “Truly, I tell you this: Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. [33]For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
[34]Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread forever.”
[35]And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. [36]But as I said to you: you have seen me, yet you do not believe. [37]All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and the one who comes to me I will in no way cast out. [38]For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. [39]And this is the will of the Father who has sent me, that of all which He has given me I will not lose any, but should raise it up again at the last day. [40]And this is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in Him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
[41]Then the Jews began to murmur against Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” [42]And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? Then how is it that He says: I came down from heaven?”
[43]So Jesus answered them, saying, “Do not murmur among yourselves. [44]No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. [45]It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’[2] Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. [46]Not that any man has seen the Father, except He who is of God; He has seen the Father.
[47]“Truly, I tell you this: He who believes in me has everlasting life. [48]I am that bread of life. [49]Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they are dead. [50]This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. [51]I am the living bread that came down from heaven. 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.”
[52]Then the Jews began to argue among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
[53]Then Jesus said to them, “Truly, I tell you this: unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. [54]Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. [55]For indeed, my flesh is food and my blood is drink. [56]He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me, and I in him. [57]Just as the living Father has sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on me shall live because of me. [58]This is the bread which came down from heaven, and it is not like the manna your fathers ate, for they are dead. But he who eats this bread shall live forever.”
(86) Jesus, the Bread of Life
John 6:22-58, KJV
22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
(1) Ex. 16:4, Ps. 78:24 (2) Isa. 54:13