I AM
Then Jesus declared. “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry. And he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35
This is the first of seven “I am” statements in John’s gospel:I am the bread of life (6:35,48,51)
· I am the light of the world (8:12)
· I am the gate (10:7,9)
· I am the good shepherd (10:11,14)
· I am the resurrection and the life (11:25)
· I am the way and the truth and the life (14:6)
· I am the (true) vine (15:1,5)
In using each of these statements, along with the number of times Jesus said ‘I am’ without a predicate (8:24,58: 18:5,6), He was identifying Himself with God’s name in Exodus 3:14 (and used throughout the Old Testament). Jesus was God’s very image and likeness. He only spoke the Father’s words and did the Father’s works (12:44,45; 14:10).
Because Jesus was the bread of life, He could promise that those who came to Him would never hunger. Because bread was the most basic food then, as it continues to be now, Jesus was claiming to be the primary source of nourishment for every human being, not only for every Jew but for the every person on earth.
The bread of life also points to the truth that Jesus completely satisfies. ‘He who comes to me will never be hungry.’ All other natural breads and even the manna in the wilderness left some dissatisfaction. We might be momentarily satisfied but will get hungry again. But Jesus satisfies forever. He said to the Samaritan woman ‘whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst’ (4:42). Here He says ‘he who believes in me will never be thirsty.’ The basic yearning of the human heart can only be filled by Him.
We live in a world that offers anything and everything to fill the inner void, the emptiness of the heart. The double truth is: only Jesus can fill it and once we embrace Him, Jesus will fill it. The more we walk with Him, the more we find this happening. Invite Him into every part of your life. Ask Him to fill every part of your life.
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