Growing up, my mother always made sure we had bread on the table with every meal. Most of the time it was simply four or five slices of store bought white bread neatly stacked on a small plate that was placed on the table along with all of the other dishes. She has kept this practice all of my life for each of the three daily meals she prepared. Bread communicates a simple necessity, which is perhaps why that constant image is etched in my memory.
Through the years my wife and I have tried to make healthier choices regarding bread. We exchanged white bread for wheat bread, only to discover that wheat bread is in many instances no better than white bread. We then transitioned into 100% whole wheat bread. I don’t mind it, although I still prefer that my bread group consist of pie crust or brownies. but I digress. Bread is important to our family. We’ll even make an occasional restaurant choice based upon the bread they serve. We like bread. Most people, I think, agree.
One of the metaphors that Jesus used to describe his purpose was “Bread of Life” (John 6:30ff). But before I delve into that I think it would be helpful to set the backdrop beginning with verse one of the sixth chapter. John 6 begins with the story of Jesus teaching the multitude and feeding them with the loaves and fish. After performing that miracle, Jesus sent the twelve across the Sea of Galilee in a boat while he went to pray. While in the middle of the Sea a storm popped up and the desperate disciples were on the Sea rowing against the wind and the waves. Jesus came to them, walking on the water, and when He got into the boat all was calm and together they reached the other side. Feeding the multitude with a little boy’s lunch then walking on water represented a pretty big day’s work, even for Jesus.
The story continues to the next day as the multitude that Jesus fed the day before found Jesus after a frantic search. Evidently they were hungry again, which establishes the very point Jesus was about to make.
