Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: John 6 and Psalm 41

In my opinion, a great way to get to the heart of John 6:25-71 is to read, read and re-read it while constantly remembering that it is metaphorical and symbolic, and while constantly asking the Holy Spirit to reveal the big lesson it holds for one personally.

John 6 contains probably the best-known of the signs John recorded – the feeding of the 5000. Jesus certainly performed this miracle from a heart of compassion for the hungry crowd, but it was also a clear sign to the crowd that whatever He said could (and should) be wholeheartedly believed. So it’s disappointing that His profound metaphor in the rest of John 6 was so readily rejected as madness. But then again, we turn away from it far too easily too.

Jesus traced the persistent misunderstanding they displayed in the rest of the chapter back to its root as early as v.26-27

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.’

The root of their misunderstanding was that they were only thinking in merely physical terms. They did not want Jesus for Himself and for the abundance of spiritual life He would grant them. They wanted Him only for how He could meet their material needs and desires. They wanted physical bread, not the Bread of Life.

In saying everything He subsequently did about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, Jesus was speaking purely metaphorically and symbolically, about how deeply we need to receive Him and His words of eternal life and truth. Jesus Himself, and all that He teaches, must be received and internalized – metaphorically “eaten” and taken into ourselves – or we cannot receive His true spiritual, eternal life. A relationship with Jesus Himself (the Bread of Life) feeds our spiritual life the way bread feeds our bodies.

A relationship of full openness and intimacy with Jesus leads to the richest life possible. Why would we ever settle only for what Jesus can provide us with materially, when we can have Jesus Himself? How empty and shallow we are when we come to Jesus for what He can give us, rather than for Jesus Himself.

Life Application: Come to Jesus right now, and ask Him to fill your life with His presence, guide your life by His Word, and enrich your life by His Spirit. Receive Him by faith and live this day in sincere surrender to and intentional intimacy with Him.