The True Bread from Heaven – What Jesus Really Offers (John 6:22–40)
Have you ever worked hard for something—only to realize later it didn’t truly satisfy you?
That’s what happened to a large crowd in John 6. The day before, they had seen Jesus do something amazing: He fed over 5,000 people with just a few loaves of bread and fish. The next day, they came looking for Him again. But Jesus wasn’t where they had left Him. So, they got into boats and crossed the sea to find Him in Capernaum.
They were eager to see Jesus—but why?
Looking for the Wrong Kind of Bread
When they found Jesus, He surprised them. Instead of praising them for seeking Him, He told them something challenging:
“You’re looking for Me not because of the miracle you saw, but because you ate the bread and were full.”
In other words, they wanted more free food—not a deeper relationship with Him.
Jesus told them not to spend all their energy chasing food that doesn’t last. He said they should work for “food that gives eternal life,” which only He can give.
This got their attention.
What Does God Want from Us?
The people asked, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus gave a simple but powerful answer:
“The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.”
He wasn’t asking them to do a bunch of religious tasks or try to earn their way to God. He was asking them to believe in Him—to trust that He was the one sent by God to bring life.
Show Us a Sign!
But the crowd wanted more proof. They reminded Jesus that Moses gave their ancestors bread from heaven—manna—in the wilderness. They were saying, “If you want us to believe, do something big—like Moses did.”
They still didn’t understand what Jesus was trying to tell them.
Jesus Points to the True Bread
Jesus corrected them gently. He said it wasn’t Moses who gave the bread—it was God. And now, God was offering them the true bread from heaven.
This bread doesn’t just fill your stomach—it gives life to the world.
The crowd liked the sound of that. “Sir, give us this bread always,” they said.
But they were still thinking about physical bread.
Jesus Says, “I Am the Bread of Life”
Then Jesus made a bold statement:
“I am the Bread of Life.”
He was saying, “I’m not just here to give you bread—I am the bread. If you come to Me, you’ll never be hungry again. If you believe in Me, you’ll never be thirsty.”
Jesus explained that He had come down from heaven to do God’s will—and God’s will is that everyone who believes in Jesus will have eternal life and be raised to life again at the last day.
What an amazing promise.
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
We live in a world that offers us many kinds of “bread”—things we think will satisfy us: money, success, relationships, comfort. But just like the food the crowd ate, these things don’t last. They don’t feed our souls.
Jesus offers something deeper. He offers Himself.
He invites us to come to Him, to trust Him, and to receive the life that only He can give. Not just a better life now, but eternal life that starts today and lasts forever.
Final Thoughts
The crowd came to Jesus looking for another free meal. What they got instead was an invitation to receive the Bread that never runs out.
Jesus still makes that offer today.
Are you hungry for something more?
Come to Him. Believe in Him. And never hunger again.
John 6:22-40 (WEB)
6:22 On the next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one in which his disciples had embarked, and that Jesus hadn’t entered with his disciples into the boat, but his disciples had gone away alone. 23 However, boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus wasn’t there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
26 Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.”
28 They said therefore to him, “What must we do, that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
30 They said therefore to him, “What then do you do for a sign, that we may see and believe you? What work do you do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’ ”
32 Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, it wasn’t Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 They said therefore to him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don’t believe. 37 All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39 This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day. 40 This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”