Jesus – the Bread of Life March 1, 2026, the Second Sunday in Lent
Exodus 16:1-12, John 6:35-59
March 1, 2026
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in my shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)
When I started last week, I talked about how the sixth chapter of John was a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. If you remember, I said that this is the chapter in which the disciples were starting to understand that Jesus was more than “just a man” – albeit a good man, or even an important man.
Over the years, whenever someone has tried to say that Jesus was “just a man,” or “just an important man,” or “just a good teacher,” or “just a good ethical thinker,” I’ve sent them to John chapter 6. “Go read that chapter, and then we’ll talk about it!”
I want you to think about this chapter. Last week we saw Jesus feeding the multitudes and walking on water – not to mention calming the sea and transporting their boat instantly across the water to Capernaum. Those were things that only God can do! And if you remember, I said that the disciples had to be thinking – if not actually saying, like the other Gospels – “Who is this man?”
Well today, we’re looking, not so much at miraculous things Jesus did, but at some of his most controversial words. And as I mentioned last week, some of the things he said were so controversial, so upsetting, that we’re told in verse 66, “Many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.” It was a turning point for them!
So, as we began reading today, Jesus was speaking to the crowds – some of which were there when he fed the 5000 – and he said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.” But that’s not what got him into trouble. We didn’t read this whole thing – because of that pesky “20 verse rule of thumb!” And it’s really hard to know where to start and end in this.
So let me just tell you. What got him into trouble that day came a few verses sooner. In verse 32, he had gotten into this little exchange with the people about the “bread from heaven.” He was talking back and forth with them about the Manna in the wilderness – from the Exodus story, which was a very important story for them! And one point, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven. It was my father. And he gives the true bread from heaven.” “For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” (And by the way, “Life” and “Eternal life” were very important words to John!)
Well, the people responded to that. They said, “Lord, give us this bread always!” (6:32-34) And that’s where Jesus said, “I am the bread of life!” Can we imagine what the people thought when they heard that?
John tells us they “murmured!” They talked back and forth to one another. They were upset! Jesus was putting himself into one of their most sacred stories! He was equating himself, not with Moses, but with the “Manna from heaven” itself!
And it’s interesting here! This doesn’t say, “The Pharisees said,” or “The Pharisees murmured at him.” It just says, “The Jews.” At one point they quoted scripture. “It is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” But that doesn’t mean it had to be the Jewish leaders speaking. The people knew their scriptures, too! So I think what it does mean is that, what Jesus was saying, was upsetting to all of them – all of them who were there! And I daresay if we had been there, it would have been upsetting to us, too! I also wonder, how many people are still upset hearing it now – all these years later?
Now follow me here. The first thing they were “murmuring” about was him saying, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” They said, “How can he say he came down from heaven? Isn’t this Jesus, son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” “How can he say that?” Well, if that wasn’t bad enough, he then started to tell them about his ‘special relationship’ with ‘his Father.’ You can read that again sometime. I’m sure it made them even more upset! But then he says, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. And if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. For the bread which I give, for the life of the world, is my flesh.”
Now remember, they didn’t know anything about his sacrifice, or the sacrament he would give us, which centered around his body and blood. So, can you imagine what these people were thinking when they heard this? “The bread which I give, for the life of the world, is my flesh.”
Actually, we don’t have to imagine. John tells us! They said, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Of course they were thinking that! What would you have thought? Let me read you Jesus’ answer once again, so you get the full impact of this!
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you.” And those words are literally “Amen, Amen, I say to you.” That always meant he was about to say something important. And this is what it was. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you!” And maybe before they had the chance to process that, he said, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Just picture the people’s shock at that point! Then he concluded, “For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats of me will live because of me. The first bread which came down from heaven, your fathers ate and later died. But he who eats this bread will live forever.”
Now, let that sink in a little bit. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life!” The next verse says, “Many of the disciples who heard this said, ‘This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?’” He went on to explain it a little further. And I’m glad he did – for our benefit. That is, we the readers, and all the other readers for the last 2,000 years. But I seriously doubt the people there were able to process it!
So, do you see what I mean about John 6? These were hard sayings! “Good men” don’t say such things! “Good ethical thinkers” don’t say such things! “Good teachers” don’t say such things! So, we need to be sure that we know that Jesus is more than those things. Or none of this will make sense!
The next thing we read is what I mentioned when I started. John tells us that “After this, many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.” And maybe we’re tempted to do the same. Maybe we’re lulled by the voices around us, saying, “Jesus, he was just a good man.” “He was just a good leader.” Maybe we find ourselves a bit “uncomfortable” with some of the things he said. Maybe we’re tempted to downplay them, or dismiss them somehow.
If we are – and I think we all face those temptations – maybe we can take some comfort and inspiration from the way this chapter ends. Because, after these other disciples drew back and no longer followed him, Jesus turned to the twelve, and he said, “What about you? Do you wish to go away, too?” And it was Simon Peter who answered him. And notice, he didn’t say, “We understand” or “We agree with everything” or “This is easy!” Because it wasn’t easy! What he did say was, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!” (John 6:66-68)
That’s what we need to be sure of this day! We need to be sure that we know that Jesus has the words of eternal life! That’s the Jesus we follow! He was not just a good man. He was not just a great ethical thinker or a teacher or a prophet or a rabbi. He was, and is, the Lord! He was, and is, the Bread of Life!
Prayer
Eternal God, be with us in our doubts. Help us to be sure of who Jesus is. Help us to know beyond a doubt that his words are the words of eternal life! Give us the strength to follow him, and help us to be open to and to know the joy of his kingdom. For we pray in his name, Amen.