John 6:32-34 32Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, always give us this bread.”
Jesus saw right through the crowd’s shallow attempt at selfishness. He connected the crowd with Israel by indicating that Moses gave them (you) bread. This reference to the second person plural is more than the idea of a collective. These people were just like ancient Israel in their unbelief, selfishness, and complaining. Jesus makes another connection of himself with God as my Father. God already gave these people bread from heaven but they were blind to it.
Verse 33 makes another important connection and repeats the key theme of John’s Gospel. Jesus has not identified himself yet as the bread. His statement in verse 33 is preparatory for what he will say in a few verses. To want bread, it helps if a person is hungry. What did this crowd want? Were they after physical bread that lasts only a few hours to satisfy hunger? Or, did they want something even more significant that would last for eternity?
Jesus gives three important descriptions of the bread. The first two indicate source, and the third shows the result. First, the unnamed bread is of God. God is the author, source, power, and authority behind this bread. Faithful Jews gave thanks to God for their daily bread before they ate. Christians have continued that practice by offering a prayer of thanks before eating. We pray because we acknowledge that God is the source of all we have. Second, the bread has come down from heaven. This relative clause is a masculine substantival participle referring to the person who is the bread. This person has come from heaven and was present with the people. They just needed to look and belief. Third, the result of this bread is that it gives life to the world. This bread was not temporary for a few hours of physical energy or for just a few people or even five thousand. It came from God and is for every person, whoever will believe. It is not for a select predestined group but is offered freely to anyone who will repent and believe. The life this bread offers is eternal because its source is God.
The crowd’s reaction, as would be expected, was they wanted this special bread. They wanted it always. They did not want to have to work for their food anymore. They wanted bread every day like ancient Israel received manna from heaven. They were still thinking on the earthly level. At least they recognized that Jesus was able to give bread, but they missed the significance of what they really needed. They needed to shift their thinking from the earthly and materialistic to the heavenly and spiritual, which is what really matters.
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