We know that literal bread is a food that supports life, as a person could live on bread and water alone. So, it is a beautiful picture of Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus gave his human body, his life, to give men life. John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Therefore, Jesus’ sacrifice gives life, just as bread supports life. 

In Matthew 4:1-4 while being tempted by Satan, Jesus made a direct connection between him as the “bread of life” and the manna that sustained the Hebrews in the wilderness for 40 years. Here is the verse Jesus quoted in answer to the temptation: Deuteronomy 8:3: “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.” 

Manna was God’s daily heavenly provision to miraculously sustain and deliver His people. As the manna was nourishment for those who were delivered, Jesus would be nourishment for those drawn by God, each in their own time, to follow in his footsteps throughout the whole age of the gospel message. Jesus has a specific mission to be “nourishment” to those God would draw. In the wilderness, those delivered by God were nourished physically. Once Jesus was on earth, those drawn by God would be nourished by him on a spiritual level. He is the bread of life to his faithful followers now and will eventually be nourishment for the entire world.

Adam’s disobedience caused the human race to die. Jesus died the just for the unjust to cancel out sin. Some dedicated Christians see this now, and if faithful, they will receive a reward of immortal life. The rest of the world will have the opportunity to learn about this in Jesus’ kingdom here on earth.  Soon “…the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea,” Isaiah 11:9.

In the resurrection, those who believe and obey will receive the wonderful blessing of eternal life. A person’s belief and obedience is like eating and receiving strength from life-giving bread. John 3:16,17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” out of death.

Jesus was highly exalted in heaven for his life-giving sacrifice. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth…and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” Philippians 2:9-11.

Additional Resource:
Christian Questions Podcast
Episode #1348: “Why Is Jesus Called the Bread of Life?”
The deep reasoning behind Jesus describing himself this way
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes