“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (ESV)

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (NIV)

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (NLT)

Dive Deeper:

The other night, my wife and I ate dinner at a local restaurant with some friends. It’s one of those restaurants that brings you free bread when you sit at the table. You know, the type of bread that is so good that you ruin your appetite for dinner because you stuff yourself on the hot, warm, buttered loaf. Last night was no exception, as I had little room left when my meal arrived.

In John 6:35, Jesus says He’s the bread of life. Of all the food metaphors Jesus could have used to describe Himself, why choose bread? Why not something more exciting—wine, olives, honey, even steak? On the surface, without diving in deeper, it sure seems like an odd choice. And what does it mean that if we come to Him, the bread of life, and believe, we will never hunger or thirst again?

At this time, bread ultimately signified daily provision, and in using this image, Jesus wasn’t just offering himself as a spiritual snack. He was saying, “I’m what you need most. I’m your daily source of life. I’m the ONLY one who can truly satisfy you.”

Repeatedly throughout the Scriptures, we see the significance of bread. In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). In John 6, Jesus feeds thousands with five loaves and two fish. In Exodus 16:4, the Lord provides daily manna, bread from heaven, for the Israelites. 

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51

When Jesus says He is this living bread, He’s saying, “Just as the Lord provided daily for the Israelites, I Am, and I will be your daily provision. Everything you need, nothing more, nothing less, is found in me. Eat from me.” A statement so powerful and confusing that many of His disciples walked away from Him in confusion. But to those who remained, eternal provision was given.

The things of the world will never be enough, and ultimately, we want more and more. But when we trust Jesus, we believe we will never hunger or thirst again. When we come to Him, our desires change. He is the bread of life, our daily sustenance, everything we need, and a foretaste of what will come in eternity. Our hunger and thirst will be satisfied—forever. Will you allow Him to sustain you and fill you up? He wants to be your provision.

Are you after the bread that He provides? Or the bread that He is? 

Written by Scott Kedersha