True Bread from Heaven

True Bread from Heaven

John 6:24 – So when the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 – When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 – Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, you are looking for me not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate all the loaves of bread you wanted.

This was the crowd that was fed by Jesus through the five loaves and the two fish. Just after the miracle was done and the twelve baskets were filled with the broken pieces Jesus had to withdraw from them because He knew they were going to try to seize Him to make Him king (see John 6:15). Should it surprise us that the crowd would want to do this? There was no official, king or otherwise, who could do what Jesus had done for them. The problem of hunger would be a thing of the past. However, Jesus did not come to solve the problem of physical hunger. Jesus came for something much more significant. He came to solve the problem of sin!

Jesus went on to explain in verse 27 – Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.” 28 – So then they said to him, ‘What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires? 29 – Jesus replied, “This is the deed God requires – to believe in the one whom he sent.” 30 – So they said to him, “Then what miraculous sign will you perform, so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?

I am so puzzled by this crowd. Jesus performed a miracle which made them all full of bread and fish. As a result they wanted to make Jesus king but when Jesus explained to them that He was the Son of God and could give them the food for eternal life – they refused to believe because they wanted more signs from Him.

Verse 35 – Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 – But I told you that you have seen me and still do not believe.

The crowd wanted a king but not the King of Kings. They want a lord, but not the Lord of Lords. They wanted to be fed physical bread but refused to believe in the bread of life. To them, Jesus was just a man who could do miracles. They refused to make the connection between the physical and spiritual bread. They refused to believe that Jesus was the true bread from heaven given by the Father to them.

What do we want out of life? Do we only want our elected leaders to be able to keep us full and free from physical hunger? Is that it? Jesus has so much more planned and says these words for us today: “For this is the will of my Father – for everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him to have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” – John 6:40.