The Bread of Life

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 6:35

No matter how abundantly other food is offered, bread is the main food and essential to an eastern meal. While a family having other food but no bread is considered poor, the men of other families become famous and are spoken of highly because of their plentiful bread. Very little is known about the raising of vegetables and when the wheat crops fail, the people face starvation.

To Easterners bread is sacred. They take oaths by touching and kissing it. Bread is a sacred bond between friends and the sign of an intimate relationship. It is often said "I have eaten his bread. I will die for him" Enemies are reconciled by breaking bread together. Bread is also the bond of protection. When a man takes refuge in another’s house and eats his bread, the owner of that house must defend his guest at any cost, even with his life.

Jesus was the sacred bond between God and man. He was the true bread, the bread of the spirit, because he offered his life as spiritual food and for an everlasting covenant. No bond is sacred without him. No earthly bread is holier than his body. He is the bread of life and the truth and those who eat never hunger nor lack in understanding.

(Lamsa, George M. 1936. Gospel Light. San Francisco: Harper Collins., pg 352)