THE BIBLE AND THE BREAD OF LIFE

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

 

THE BIBLE AND THE BREAD OF LIFE

Devotional Text: John 6:35; 48; 51

Introduction:

The Bread of Life simply means the Bread which gives life and preserves from death, and Jesus in absolute sense, is that Bread. In the words of Adam Clarke, the expression, “he that comes to me”… (vs. 35) equally means, “The person who receives His doctrine, and believes in Him, as the Great Atoning Sacrifice, shall be perfectly satisfied, and never again feel misery of mind. All the guilt of his sins shall be blotted out, and his soul shall be purified unto God; and, being enabled to love Him with all his heart, he shall rest fully, supremely and finally happy, in his God. In fact, only Jesus can afford by His doctrine and Spirit, that nourishment by which the soul is saved unto eternal life.

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)     The Bread of Life is the Bread that gives and sustains life, (John 6:35)

(2)      Jesus is the only Bread that gives and sustains life (vs. 35)

(3)     He who believes in Him, and take in His Doctrine (or Word) shall

 spiritually never hunger and thirst again, (vs. 35)

(4)     One who rejects Him and his Doctrine (or Word) can never find

present or eternal peace in any other (vs. 41; 48; 51)

THE BREAD OF LIFE AND THE MANNA IN THE DESERT

The Words of Jesus, “as the Living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats Me, even he shall live by Me” (John 6:57) shows that He is the giver and sustaining source of eternal life that links everyone who believes in Him to the Father, from whom He came to this  world. The manna in the desert, like every other food, though supernaturally provided, was a natural food that sustained only the natural life of the people, but Jesus is  the Bread, which came from heaven, that those who eat thereof live forever, (vs. 58). Thus, He says, “I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven: if any man 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 (vs. 51). Having cited the above, please note that:

(i)                   His expression, “the Bread that I will give is my flesh” means His life

which He gave to save the life of the world(vs. 51)

(ii)                  The manna in the desert was but a natural food that sustained the natural life,

but Jesus is the Bread from Heaven that gives and sustains eternal life, (vs. 58)

(iii)                God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life:

 and the that hath not the Son of God hath not life, (1 John 5:11-12).

THE BREAD OF LIFE AND THE IMPARTATION OF LIFE

In John 6:35, Jesus identifies Himself as the Bread of life. By this, He shows that not only that He possesses the life, but, He is, as well able to impart the Life to others. But, the Bread is not something external or something apart from Himself. One must come to Him, or rather believe in Him, before the impartation of the life. For those who come to Him will never again suffer spiritual hunger, as those who reject the offer will never find satisfaction in any other. In line with this, Jesus says ”verily, verily, I say, unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, you have no life in you. Whoso eats my flesh and drink My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day, (vs. 53-54). This, therefore, means that:

(i)                   Only those who genuinely believe in Christ have the impartation  of the life

that result in the satisfaction of spiritual  hunger and thirst (vs. 35)

(ii)                 Unless one identifies with the blessing of the Blood, Passion and Violent

 Death of Jesus Christ, one cannot be saved, (vs. 53)

(iii)                As one requires food and drink in order to be nourished by them: so one requires

 the Grace and Spirit of Christ in order to have His salvation, (vs. 53).

THE BREAD OF LIFE AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTION

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he who believe in Me has everlasting life” (John 6:47) strongly implies that one who does not believe in Him, will never see life, (John 3:36). Jesus is the only life-giving and life-sustaining Bread, and His absence in one’s life means death. The Scripture, also stresses that one who believes in Him is not condemned, but one who does not believe, is condemned already, because the one has not believed in the Name of the only Begotten Son of God, (John 3:18). From every scriptural indication, rejecting Jesus as the Bread of Life carries devastating consequences, since there is no other way to life, (John 14:6). Therefore, to reject Jesus is to:

(i)       Reject eternal life, (John 6:66-69)

(ii)      Toe the path of condemnation (John 3:18)

(iii)    Cut oneself off the Living Bread that gives life, (John 6:51)

In conclusion, to cut oneself off the living Bread is equally to cut oneself off the Water of Life, (Rev. 22:1), as well as off the Tree of Life, (vs. 2)., which means a hopeless state. But, to believe and embrace Jesus as the Bread of life, is life eternal, (John 6:57-58). BE SURE YOU HAVE HIM TODAY!