SUMMARY
JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. identifies himself as the bread from heaven that brings life to whomever eats.
ANALYSIS
Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” He says this to people for whom bread is the most basic of foods. It is not a luxury item, but a necessary part of daily life. The context of this saying is the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus has just fed a crowd with bread and fish, and they now come looking for more bread. The bread that Jesus gave them brought life for their bodies, and now Jesus says that he himself is the bread that brings life in a fuller sense. In John’s Gospel, true life is lived in relationship with God. To be truly alive is to be in relationship with the God who gives life. Jesus brings people into relationship with God by giving of himself, and the ultimate gift will be the gift of his own life through his crucifixion. This is one of the “I Am” sayings in John’s Gospel where Jesus connects himself to an image or metaphor as a source of sustaining life. The expression “I Am” also recalls the absolute “I Am” statements thereby making the connection to the name of God, who is the “I Am” (Exodus 3:14), and emphasizes that Jesus is God’s Word in the flesh.
