And Jesus said unto them (the Jews), “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (v.35)
After Jesus fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, they were willing to follow Him wherever He went, and even proclaim Him as their king, their Messiah. Why? because of His miracles, because He could fill their stomachs, because He met their physical needs. In fact, the next day the people sought Him out (after He had left them) and found Him on the other side of the sea- not simply to be with Him, but to get something from Him, another meal.
Jesus then called them on it by saying, "You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled" (v.26). And, instead of telling them when and why He came, Jesus told them why they came – because they wanted more food miraculously provided by Jesus. They wanted the bread, but more than just the bread; they also wanted the display of the miraculous and a miracle king to lead them against their Roman oppressors.
Following Jesus should never be about what He can do for us, never about what we might receive in return. As a true disciple we come to Him, believing in Him for who He is, “The bread of life.” His Word then sustains us; we never hunger, never thirst, never die, and will never be separated from Him consciously - unlike those who seek their own desires.
Finally He tells the crowd, "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures for everlasting life" (v.27). Jesus made this contrast between material things and spiritual things because He wanted to them labor for the food which endures for everlasting life. Yet their work was for the food which perishes – things that fill a stomach and rule and earthly kingdoms, not seeing the spiritual application. They were rightly impressed at the miracle of bread worked through Jesus; but He wanted them to be more impressed for the spiritual food He brings by a miracle.
He goes on to say later in the chapter, "I am the bread of life" (v.48). Jesus repeated and continued the use of this metaphor. As bread is necessary for physical life, so Jesus is necessary for spiritual and eternal life. The spiritual bread Jesus offers is even greater than the manna Israel ate in the wilderness. What they ate only gave them temporal life; what Jesus offers brings eternal life. C.S. Spurgeon put it this way, “Every man feeds on something or other. You see, one man getting his Sunday newspaper; how he will feed on that! Another goes to frivolous amusements, and he feeds on them. Another man feeds upon his business, and upon the thought of his many cares! But all is poor food; it is only ashes and husks. If you only knew Him who possess true spiritual life, you would know the deep necessity there is of feeding upon Christ.”
The Truth: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
"They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them." (Isaiah 49:10)
