Meditation on the Lord Jesus as Bread of Life

A Meditation on the Lord Jesus as Bread of Life

Of the 7 Great "I Ams" depicting our Lord Jesus in John's Gospel, "I Am the Bread of Life" occupies first place.

The day after the Lord Jesus had performed the miracle of the feeding of the 5000, the people crowded Him on the other side of the lake, and at one point requested of Him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread" (Jn 6: 34) 

 Now the Lord begins His discourse on Himself being the Bread of Life.

 The Lord Jesus said:                

    "My Father giveth you the True Bread from Heaven" (Jn 6: 32) 

    "For the Bread of God is He Who cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world"(Jn 6:33)

     "I am the Bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger..."(Jn 6:35)

     "I am the Living Bread That came down from Heaven; if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live forever"(Jn 6:51)

Why does He choose bread as the metaphor? 

The significance is truly great, for bread would be the symbol, the emblem of His perfect body, prepared, given, and broken – for us. (Note, however, that no bone of Him was broken, because He is our Passover (1 Cor 5:7)

In Jn 12: 24 the Lord Jesus symbolises Himself as a grain of wheat, depicting His death, burial and resurrection.

In Jn 6 the Lord depicts  Himself as Bread in 4 aspects: True Bread, Bread of God, Bread of life, Living Bread. He uses the metaphor of bread in reference to the necessary processes through which recently harvested wheat becomes bread, God's prescribed food for mankind. (Gen 3:19)

Throughout His teaching ministry, the Lord made reference to barley and wheat, the main components of bread. Sprinkling His authoritative messages of the Kingdom of God with vivid scenes, activities and vicissitudes of life, He brought in the Sower and the seed, the 4 soils, the fruits, the harvest,  and eventually the intended finished product for provision of man's basic need–for sustenance, maintenance, enjoyment of physical life, and appreciation of God's love, goodness and blessings—Bread.

Let us hear the Lord's own teachings:

• Behold, a sower went forth to sow (Mat 13:3). 
• When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come (Mark4:29).
• Two women shall be grinding at the mill (Mat 24:41)
• Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat (Lk 22:31)
• Grass of the field...is cast into the oven (Mat 6:30)

Processes involved in making bread:

At harvest the blade of golden grain is severed from the main stem with a sharp sickle, bound into a sheaf,  beaten with a hard and heavy object like wood or stone to separate the grain forcibly from the husk, or threshed, then winnowed by letting the wind blow the husk (chaff) away, then sifted to let heavier grain particles settle in a receptacle, followed by grinding to powdery fine flour being crushed in a millstone (milling process), then kneaded and repeatedly pressed to become dough, being mixed with yeast, oil, water and sugar, and finally, put into a closed oven heated with intense fire! 

     Then, after a specified time, when the oven is opened, the perfect product is displayed--FINISHED.

      For a grain of wheat to become bread all these processes must take place. If wheat had sensibility, senses or simply feelings, one cannot at all imagine the transfer of experience from inanimate wheat to our blessed Lord, His journey from Heaven to Calvary paralleling the processes wheat goes through in becoming bread—the pain of separation from the Father, from eternal bliss and glories in a sinless, perfect Home, Heaven, to come into this world of sin, sorrow and sickness, surrounded by idolatry, immorality, iniquity, injustice, inequalities, and enduring the hostility and hatred of a segment of wicked men (although He was loved by many who benefitted from His ministry and compassion). And just before He finished His work on the cross, He patiently subjected Himself to, and endured, the indignities from His tormentors, the agony, insults, injuries, torture, humiliation,  buffetings, spittings, severe wounds, scourgings, thorn-crowned, revilings, nail-pierced hands, speared side, in order to become the perfect Bread of God, to meet, satisfy and fulfill our spiritual and eternal need – to accomplish our redemption through His blood, salvation, forgiveness of sin, reconciliation, propitiation, peace with God, eternal life. And this only the Perfect Bread of God could achieve, and did so totally, completely, absolutely, entirely, when He cried out with a loud voice, triumphantly, 

*FINISHED*

To Him be all glory.

(Dr Peter Wee--April 5 2020)