John 6:41-59
41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
Reflection
Though Jesus offers the only truly satisfying food —“the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die” (John 6:50) —he faces rejection. Tragically, just as God’s people grumbled when he provided manna in the wilderness (Num. 11:1–15), so now, as he offers the true bread from heaven, some in the crowd do the same (John 6:43). Those who insist on looking elsewhere for their satisfaction are choosing eternal death; but “whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (v. 58).
Hebrews 2:14-18
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Reflection
The plan of salvation was created by God in heaven. It involved his Son sharing “in flesh and blood,” that is, becoming a human being. Why? So that he might live a sinless life and die as a perfect sacrifice for us. What does his death accomplish? First, he died to “destroy the one who has the power of death . . . the devil” (Heb. 2:14). When the Devil seduced our first parents to rebel against their Creator, he put them under the power of death (Genesis 3). By disobeying God, Adam and Eve, who were created to rule God’s creation, instead became slaves to sin, Satan, and death. But we are grateful to God that One stronger than the Devil loved us and gave himself for us to destroy the Evil One and his purposes.
Second, Christ’s death delivers “all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb. 2:15). The “fear of death” here is not merely a fear of dying —that is perfectly natural. It is rather the “fear” that “has to do with punishment.” Only perfect love can relieve this fear (1 John 4:18). God’s love in Christ assures us that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). God wants us to rejoice in our great Savior and, as his loved sons and daughters, to be unafraid of the judgment that will be poured out on the last day.
Psalm 63:5-7
5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
Our sinful desires will tempt us to find satisfaction outside of God and his ways, but if we give in to them, they will only disappoint and destroy us. Pray that your heart will find its satisfaction in the Bread of Life today.