John 6:30-35 (WEL) Then they said to him, “What sign do you show, that we may see and believe you? What are you going to do?” 31 “Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” [Exodus 16:4, Nehemiah 9:15, and Psalm 78:24-25] 32 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I say to you, ‘Moses has not given you that bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 “For God’s bread 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 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst.
V30 Then they said to him, “What sign do you show, that we may see and believe you? What are you going to do?”
Jews seek signs to authenticate a person or message instead of the proofs of Scripture. We must seek the Scriptures because they alone are 100% truth (John 17:17).
Compare: 1 Corinthians 1:22, John 4:48, and Matthew 12:48. Jesus did many signs, but they wanted Him to perform in front of them at their command. He refused. What Jesus showed was truth, so they can believe Jesus or reject Him. Sadly, most reject Jesus.
Principle: Don’t trust signs as proof of genuine messages/messengers are from God.
V31 “Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” [Exodus 16:4, Nehemiah 9:15, and Psalm 78:24-25]
I think Jesus created food to feed 5,000+ which should have been even greater than Manna. Manna was heavenly food, but then all food is given by the Creator.
Principle: Don’t reject the obvious just because it doesn’t meet your personal standards.
V32 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I say to you, ‘Moses has not given you that bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
These Jews credited a man for giving them food; Jesus corrected them. It was God the Father who gave the food.
Principle: Give credit to the proper person.
Compare 1 Timothy 6:17, Ecclesiastes 3:13, and 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
Principle: Correct errors when possible.
Principle: It is God’s intention to supply physical food.
V33 “For God’s bread is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
Physical food is necessary for physical life; spiritual food is necessary for spiritual life. Jesus is the life giver. God alone has the character trait of aseity which is self-existence and is not dependent on anything for life and existence.
Principle: If any person wants life, it must come from God.
Principle: Physical life comes from our parents and God’s plan; spiritual life comes from God alone, not rituals, humans, words, formulas, etc.
Jesus states two truths: 1) I came from heaven and 2) I am the life giver. No human can say such things.
Principle: It is God’s intention to supply spiritual food. This is the Scriptures (Matthew 4:4).
V34 Then they said to him, “Lord, give us this bread forever.”
The people are thinking of physical food. The people ask for that bread. The Samaritan woman wanted the water of life, asked for it, received it, and lived it. What will these people do? They ask, but there is a problem as we will read what follows.
V35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst.
Two things are taught: 1) if we want to never have spiritual hunger, we must depend on God and 2) if we want to never have spiritual thirst (having the Holy Spirit’s gifts), we must depend on God.
Our spiritual thirst is quenched by the Scriptures and the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Our spiritual hunger is satisfied by the Scriptures and strengthens, teaches, provides for us knowledge, understanding, truth, and wisdom.
We learn:
- We have eternal life only from God.
- We can receive spiritual drink (as the Samaritan woman—John 4) and spiritual food, if we depend on God, His ways, and His means.
Questions:
- Have you trusted in Jesus Christ alone for spiritual life and provision?
- How do you grow in the Christian faith?