8) Bread from heaven

Sunday 5 December

John 6: 1-15

Just as God gave Israel bread from heaven in the time of Moses, Jesus also distributes bread to the people who followed Him and are now hungry. In the Bible, bread has a deeper meaning. It is the image of the wisdom that comes from God (Proverbs 9:5) and of the Torah. Jesus is the Word made flesh, which God gives from heaven in the end times. He is the true manna. Hereafter, Jesus will explain this and He will say that people must eat Him. This sounds strange when you first hear it, but what He means is that people should allow Him into their lives. We may live by His faith and by His love of the Father, by His devotion and by His Spirit.

It is beautiful to receive the life of Jesus during the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. But also beyond that. Every day, we may eat the bread from heaven and enter into His future.

What is also noteworthy, is that Jesus shares the bread in abundance. God’s grace is not scarce. Note that all the crumbs must be collected. It turns out that there are twelve full baskets. It is a veiled reference to the collection of all the tribes of Israel. No one will be missing when God’s Kingdom comes. No piece will be left behind in the diaspora. One by one, the children of Israel will be gathered up (see Isaiah 27:12).

Prayer:
One of the translations of the Lord’s Prayer is: Give us today our bread of tomorrow. In other words: May we taste something of the future of God’s Kingdom already today through our life with Jesus. Conclude your prayers today with the Lord’s Prayer.