Thursday, May 20, 2010

Verse of the Day 5/19

Through the Bible - 2 Kings 25-2 Chronicles 2, John 7:53-8:11
 
Good morning,
Today we'll move from the theme of water to another common theme from the book of John, bread.  It is the first of the seven "I AM" statements found in this book that help describe just Who this Jesus is.

John 6:35 (Amplified Bible)  Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).

In reading it you can also see how it relates to the water and the wine as described in Isaiah 55:1-3.  Like the living water, the bread that Jesus offers will satisfy and remain with you.

 

The multiplied bread which was provided in the feeding of the 5000 would not remain with them as was the case with the manna that was provided in the exodus.  Richard Burridge writes, " like Isaiah, calling for people to stop working for bread that does not satisfy,  so Jesus reminds them that the multiplied bread, like the manna, is merely perishable- which is why they want more.  Instead, they need to work for food which leads to eternal life.  The word food, brosis, is the same as the food which nourished Jesus at the well when He had no bread.  As Jesus told the woman to ask for the water of life instead of a physical well,, so now He tells this crowd to work for the living food He offers."

 

This food that leads to everlasting life is to believe.  So simple yet so demanding.

 

What are we working for?  The perishable or the eternal? 

 

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

John 6:25-34 (New King James Version)

25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"
26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."
28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"
29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always."
35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

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