Daily Prayer Devotional for Women and Men | OnlinePrayerJournal

Pray

Read

For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

Jesus the Bread of Life 25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[a]” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” Read full chapter Footnotes John 6:31 Exodus 16:4; Neh. 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25 New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

Consider

Think Further

Crowds flocking to Jesus must have been a common sight in first-century Palestine, but merely following after does not make someone a follower of Jesus. People followed Jesus for a variety of reasons. We have already read that a great crowd followed him ‘because they saw the signs he had performed by healing those who were ill’ (v. 2). After seeing—and tasting!—the miraculously multiplied loaves and fish, people’s enthusiasm grew until they were eager to seize this amazing breadgiver and ‘make him king by force’ (v. 15). Although Jesus evaded the power-hungry crowd, they refused to give up and went looking for him by boat (v. 24). Jesus, however, was not impressed by their persistence because he recognized the motives underlying their pursuit of him.

The crowd followed Jesus because they believed that they had found in him a never-ending supply of food—but Jesus yearned for them to believe in him as the source and substance of never-ending life (v. 27). The miraculous provision of bread was a gift, intended as a sign pointing to the gracious and generous Giver of all good gifts, but, although these people eagerly sought God’s gifts, they slighted the Giver by refusing to ‘believe’ in Jesus (vv. 29, 36). Jesus had not merely provided enough to take the edge off their hunger, he had let them have their fill (v. 26); now he longed to fill them with himself. The crowd, however, was hung up on the sign and failed to appreciate its significance. They were chasing after perishable food, whereas Jesus wanted them to pursue what was imperishable. They were focusing their efforts on what was temporary and transient, but Jesus invited them to set their hearts on what was eternal and enduring (v. 27).

Apply

Pray