April 14, 2023
Two Breads- Two Results
“ Jesus then said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.’ Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, always give us this bread.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.’” John 6:32-35 (NASB)
In life, many try to hang on to this earthly vessel. Some go to extremes to keep it alive or even consider cryofreezing the body hoping one day to bring it back to life. The problem is once it is frozen, no technology exists to reanimate life back into the body. Only God can do this…
“Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven…” The bread the Israelites received was only from the lower heavens. Jesus shared the bread coming down from Heaven was He. To understand this concept, we have to examine what heavens we are speaking about. This requires good theology. Three heavens are mentioned in Scripture: The first is the Domain of God. This is where God Himself resides. It is the only place which is eternal. This is the place where those who know Jesus Christ as Savior will spend eternity. It is also the place where judgment of the lost occurs. The next two heavens were created. God limits their time. He creates and controls their actions. The second heaven is referred to as the cosmos. This is the abode of the universes, galaxies, planets, and stars. It is far beyond what man can see with the human eye. It is everything that is seen through a telescope and beyond its reach. The third heaven is that which is within human eyesight. It is commonly referred to as where the fowl of sky reside. The second and third heavens are temporary. They were created by God in Genesis chapter one. This heaven is where the Israelites received the manna. John MacArthur says, “This statement once again demonstrated the blindness of the crowd, for they were thinking of some physical bread and failed to understand the spiritual implication that Jesus was that ‘bread.’[1]
Jesus continued with, “but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.” He was referring to Himself (this bread of God who gives life). It is only God incarnate who “gives life to the world.” God is the author of life. The word in this passage, “gives” or didōmi is the term, “grants.” God Himself grants life to the world. No other force can. He created it; therefore, He is sustainer and author. Calvin says, “This passage teaches that the whole world is dead to God, except so far as Christ quickens it, because life will be found nowhere else than in him.”[2] This “true bread out of Heaven,” came from the first heaven: the Domain of God. Jesus resided in Heaven and now came to earth to provide eternal life for those who would trust Him as Savior.
Today, some are searching for Jesus, but not in the way Jesus is to be found. They are looking for Someone who can provide for their earthly needs and happy with the results when they are met. Today, help people to understand; Jesus is for life here, and beyond. He is life!
[1] (John MacArthur, 2006).
[2] John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John, vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 248.