Home • Bible Studies • The Feeding of the Five Thousand & the Sufficiency of Christ: A Study of John 6
The Bread of Life
By Jake Hanson
IX. The Bread of Life (v. 35)
The crowd had just asked for this bread from heaven which brings life to the world, and Jesus responds,
"I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst."
Key Question: What does this mean for us? Especially in light of the miracle?
The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand authenticates this message. But the message says so much. It says that Jesus Christ is entirely, and completely sufficient for us. It was Him who fed the people in the wilderness for forty years, it was Him who fed the five thousand, and it is Him who offers Himself that we might be satisfied, totally and completely in Him.
He satisfies us in our salvation. He satisfies us in our sanctification. He will satisfy us in our glorification, and we will be completely and totally satisfied in Him for eternity. He is sufficient.
We have a choice to make in response to this. As you read on in the chapter, you see that to this teaching, many began to grumble (vs. 52), and many disciples began to leave Him (vs 66). But why did they leave?
They wanted His benefits more than they wanted Him. But if they had HIm, they would have more benefits than they could even imagine, or desire. For He is more than sufficient for us.
I want to close this teaching with a poem/hymn by Christian and Missionary Alliance founder, AB Simpson. It is called, "Himself"
Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted,
Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone
All in all forever,
Jesus will I sing;
Everything in Jesus,
And Jesus everything.
Seek the Lord Jesus, and Him alone. Do not seek for His benefits or blessings, though if you have Him, you will be benefited and blessed. If you do, you will be completely satisfied in Him. His miraculous works authenticate the truth: He is more than sufficient for you.