Ahh, not much better than the smell of fresh bread when we’re hungry, is there? In John 6, Jesus has a lot to say about bread, some of it pretty strange; but, He starts by using bread for something revolutionary: to feed hungry people.
When I imagine Jesus breaking bread with the multitude, it’s always the garlic bread from my favorite spaghetti place, La Gondola’s in Quincy, Illinois. Sweet, soft, warm bread covered in garlic and butter… nothing like it, as far as I’m concerned.
Now, I highly doubt Jesus used garlic bread; but, for the hungry throng who’d shown up to hear Him that day, whatever bread He used must have been a welcome relief for their physical hunger. His miraculous multiplication of the food on hand amazed and satisfied the crowd — for a while, anyway.
(Before we move on, realize that physical needs can distract people from the spiritual food we’re trying to give them. It’s much tougher to hear God when your stomach is gnawing at you. The Church follows the example of her Lord when she ministers to the physical needs of the lost and hurting.)
Jesus knew the people needed to be fed, but they also needed spiritual nourishment. He was about to explain and demonstrate all that in His own special way.
Overnight, He would show His disciples what they needed more than physical bread. They set out on a boat (without Him) when the waves began to get choppy. They were also likely tired. Jesus stayed behind to show them what they really needed: His presence.
He came walking to them on the water. The same water that was causing all their troubles. They were initially afraid, but when they heard His voice, they calmed down and welcomed Him into their boat.
In the middle of our storms, what we need is what they needed: to feel His presence, to hear His voice, and to invite Him into our situation.
Having demonstrated to His disciples the power of His presence overnight, the next day, Jesus would have more to say about the true needs of the crowd. The crowds are not the disciples… they haven’t begun their walk with Christ. For them, they needed to understand the full purpose of God’s plan to save the world.
They needed to find the bread of life.
To help them, Jesus reminded them of the manna from Heaven God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. He tried to explain to them that God was doing an even greater miracle in their day. The manna was physical food, but now God was providing this bread of life as spiritual food, to provide eternal life.
Having experienced Christ’s provision of physical food the day before, the crowd seemed eager to have Jesus give them this bread of life He was talking about.
Then, He explained what, or rather who, this bread of life is. He revealed He was the bread of life. He talked about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, which probably sounds strange until we notice He used much the same language when He served the first communion to His disciples just before His death on the cross.
Unless we take part in Christ, and in His sufferings, we cannot enjoy the bread of life or the eternal reward that comes with it. Like the living water He offered the woman at the well, He, Himself, would be the sacrifice, the one whose body would be broken (like bread) and whose blood would be spilled (like wine) all for our salvation.
As much as I love the garlic bread from La Gondola, and as much as the people were fed by the loaves Jesus provided, we can’t forget His sacrifice, once for all, and His ongoing presence in our lives are the real reasons we can carry on.
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