God the Son

In his conversations and teaching, Jesus often used everyday things to explain or clarify a profound truth. Trees, water, stones, vines, birds, branches, flowers, sheep, and other physical objects were some of his favorite metaphors for spiritual truths.

He even used everyday metaphors for himself so people could more easily understand who he was, why he was there, and what he had come to accomplish.

He did that in John 6. After miraculously feeding more than 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus used what happened to explain his true identity, power, and purpose by tying it into a well-known story of their ancestors eating manna in the wilderness. You can find that story in Exodus 16 and Numbers 11.

Jesus described himself with seven total “I AM” statements in the book of John. This is the first one. It features bread — very unspectacular, ordinary, and unflashy. But also very familiar, which makes it brilliant. Everyone knows what bread is. Everyone can understand the metaphor and make sense of the meaning if they have listening ears and open hearts.

First Jesus multiplied real bread. Then he said it was bread from heaven. Then he said he​ was bread from heaven. Then he said people who eat bread from heaven will live forever. Then he told people to “eat his flesh.” Follow the metaphors: “eat” is a metaphor for “believe.”

Anyone who believes in Jesus will have eternal life.

Read & Reflect

John 6:1-15, 22-35

Jesus is talking about spiritual food and spiritual life in this story.

• He says whoever comes to him will never be hungry again (v. 35). What do you think he means?
• Jesus said whoever “eats this bread” will never die (vv. 50, 58). Think about the purpose of eating actual food, the act of eating actual food, and the results of eating actual food. What do you think Jesus means when he says, “Anyone who eats the bread from heaven will never die.”?
• Why and how do followers of Jesus “eat” him (metaphorically)?