It is very difficult (at least it was for me) for a Western, Protestant mindset to read some of the material dealing with the customs of these Eastern people. Our worship of science and technology has caused us to look at people living in the Middle East as backward and ignorant. If we are going to learn of the ancient simple truths locked up in the language and customs of these people, we must humble ourselves — a very difficult, but needful thing for a Westerner to do. Perhaps we, Westerners, should heed Paul, the apostle, when he warns,
“But God has chosen the foolish thing of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Cor. 1:27-29)
Another difficulty present when trying to get at the original meaning of the Hebrew and Aramaic through studying these people and their present culture, is that other religions and cultures have penetrated this region thereby creating a mixture. Sorting out this mixture is not easy. The Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Samaritan, Babylonian, Persian, Islamic, as well as other religions and cultures have left their mark on these ancient people. Clearly, careful sifting is needed. I liken this kind of study very much to the way an archaeologist must uncover a tell — very carefully, slowly, methodically without preconceived notions.
Because of these difficulties and the length of time needed to try to decipher this material, one is inclined to simply relegate everything to the traditional superstitions of corrupted religions. I was in a constant struggle as I sifted through this material. There were times when I just wanted to quit. However, I eventually found so much valuable information that I had to continue. I likened the process to eating fish it is very good “brain food,” but one must eat slowly and wisely enough to find the bones before swallowing.
When reading about bread, I often wanted to put much of the information under the heading “Roman Catholic Eucharist tradition,” but that would have been a tragic mistake. While the Roman Catholic ritual is certainly, I believe, a false teaching, the Protestant rejection of transubstantiation, I am afraid, has also caused us to miss much truth regarding bread and its symbolism in the Scriptures as seen through the Semitic culture. We must remember that God established many types, shadows, rituals, etc., their purpose being to point us to spiritual truths. When Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life,” He used this term as a Semite would. For us to understand what He meant by being the Bread of Life, we must look at it from the Semites’ mind, not from the American mind or any other culture’s mindset.
What is it?
Everything that Moses pointed to as a type, the reality of that type is found in Jesus Christ and His body. I hope the reader is familiar with the Tabernacles, Temples, Holy Feasts, sacrifices, etc., and understands that they merely served to point to that which was to come in Christ. All the events in the life of Israel would find their true fulfillment in the life of Christ. For example, for forty years God through Moses fed Israel in the wilderness with a food which they named “Manna,” meaning in Hebrew, “what is it?” Some scholars believe it was a material similar to what can still be found in northern Mesopotamia today called “harullah.” It falls on certain trees in the early morning, tastes like honey, and disappears when the sun gets hot. Recently, it has been discovered this substance is formed from cuts made into the plants by ants. I don’t believe enough trees could have been found in that dessert to feed such a large group. Considering the fact that the material did not fall on the Sabbath day, it seems quite evident we are dealing with supernatural provision here (Exod. 16:26,27).
During their journey from the flesh pots of Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan, Yahweh through Moses fed the children of Israel with Manna. It was called “food from heaven.”
“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.’ Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.’ And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.ʼ” (John 6:32-40, KJV)
So then, the manna which came from heaven was not the true bread of life. While it may have been quite miraculous, this miracle was only to serve as a sign pointing to the True Bread of Life, Jesus Christ also provided by God. Now in what way was Jesus Christ the True Bread of Life? Jesus once spoke these seemingly gruesome words to a group of Jews who desired to become His disciples:
“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” (John 6:53-58, KJV)
At that point, many disciples left Him. This saying was too hard for them. They thought He had gone mad. Even His inner core of disciples murmured about this saying, but while they did not understand it, they did not leave. They knew Jesus had the words of Life. (Many times in my walk with the Lord, wrestling with the major differences among various Bible translations, seeing the hypocrisy in my life and the lives of many other Christians, seeing the blood bath left behind by those who murdered in the name of Jesus, I have wanted to walk away from the name, Christian. But there is something inside me, bigger than all the shame that sometimes comes with the gross things done by us in the name of Christ that will not let me go. His Spirit will not let me go. I know life is only in Him. Where else can I go?)
Back to Jesus’ statement. No one ever literally ate His flesh and drank His blood. So how is it possible to have this “eternal life” or “eónian zoín [aiónian zoén]” as it is rendered in the Greek language? The Catholics believe they have found it through the Eucharist. They believe, due to the Priests’ consecration of small wafers, that they are, in fact, eating the very body of Jesus Christ. They have taken away the blood from their ritual and so it has become a “bloodless” sacrifice. Is this the real “food from heaven” as represented by the manna in the wilderness? I think not!
All Truth is found in the Messiah Himself. Let us turn to His life and see if we might be able to find the “hidden manna,” this “True Bread that comes down from heaven,” this “Bread of Life.” In the Gospel of John, we find Jesus in Samaria breaking just about every rule in the Jewish code. We find Him among the Samaritans, a half-breed people transplanted into Israel from Babylon several centuries earlier by the king of Babylon during Israel’s 70 year captivity. Pious Jews considered this land “unclean.” Devout Jews would walk around Samaria going from Judaea to Galilee rather than to set foot on “unclean” soil that might contaminate their feet. Then He had the audacity to speak to a woman in public. Even worse, she was a Samaritan. To top it off, she had had five husbands and was living with a man out of wedlock, a big no-no in the Jewish and Samaritan cultures.
The disciples went into the city looking for food. Knowing that Jesus had no food, they offered Him some they had just bought. Just keep in mind this incident occurred in an “unclean” land right after Jesus spoke with an “unclean” woman. Even the woman was surprised at Jesus’ actions.
“In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.’ Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?’ Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.'” (John 4:31-38, KJV)
Please note that the term “meat” in this passage does not refer to animal flesh. The term “meat” in the King James Bible is a term for food in general. This use of the meaning of “meat” has been removed from the English language except in archaic English Bibles. Here is a good example of why we should always be open to use new translations of the Bible in our studies. Languages are very fluid and word meanings often change dramatically even within as short a time span as a single generation. (The word “gay” is such a word in our generation.)
Jesus told us that His food was to do the will of the Father and to finish His work. He also told us in the Gospels that He and the Father were one. The Father was in Him and He in the Father (John 4:34; John 10:30; John 10:38).
The High Priest of Israel had a mitre on His head marked with the Hebrew words “Holiness unto the Lord,” meaning, “Separated unto Yahweh.” Recall that Israel was to bind the Word of the Lord to their foreheads and on their arms. In other words, when a person has the Word of God (the expression of His will) in their minds, it should produce the work of God through their labors, which is what the hands (arms) speak of.
Jesus had the mark of God in His mind and on His hands. He was the Word of God who would perfectly fulfill the will of the Father in His works.
Most of us, Christian and others, spend large portions of our lives manifesting the mark of the beast. Our minds are filled with vanity and our hands are ever so busy creating nothing of lasting value. Our minds and hands are filled with the will and work of the flesh or carnal nature.
Only through receiving and staying in the mind of Christ will we begin to produce the works and fruit of the Spirit. The Bible says we “have” the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). Having it is one thing — staying in it and using it, is quite another. The driving force of Jesus’ life, is not mere survival of self. His driving force, His passion for living, was towards God. In that action, in that energy directed toward the Kingdom of God, He received His strength, His directions, His motivation, and His passion for living.
It was a two-way system — a hunger towards the things of the Father that culminated with the Father fulfilling that hunger. His hunger for righteousness was satisfied by His Father. Ask yourself: “For what am I hungry?” Am I really hungering after righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit? Do I seek to walk in the “weightier” elements, that is, justice, truth, and mercy, or do I play mind games with my God, those around me and myself? Am I pretending? Am I deceiving myself? Have I been deceived about God? These are important questions, which, when asked with sincerity, will draw the Holy Spirit to you instantly!! Here is where the Holy Spirit seeks to abide and make a permanent home!! Here is where the dove can nest and reproduce!
I have been told the word “sincere” comes from the Latin and means “without wax.” Dishonest clay jar merchants would often take a vessel in which was a crack, fill the crack with wax and then cover the surface with ground clay, making the vessel “appear” to be perfect. In the heat of the sun, the wax would melt thus revealing the defect. Should the heat from the Son shine on us, will we come through “sincere” (without wax)? Remember, the Son may show up in our lives in the form of an enemy, an ex-friend we had a falling out with, a beggar on the street, a hitchhiker, and many other different forms. When the heat strikes, what comes forth? Fruit of the Spirit? Or another kind of spirit? Oh, that all of us who espouse the name of Christ would put off our pretenses! We would grow to maturity so much more rapidly. We have been taught to lie, to hide, and to pretend to be what we are not. We know how to put on the “air” on Sunday morning. We are called to be people of substance, not air.
Jesus was in the will of the Father and the Father’s will was in Christ. This is perfect union, true oneness. Christ’s single-mindedness produced a perfect walk, no errors, no mistakes, and no sin. The Greek and Hebrew words for “sin” literally mean “to miss the mark,” as in shooting at a target and falling short. All of our walks fall far short of the mark which Christ was after, a perfect obedience to our Fathers’ will and to finish His work, that is, to fill it up to the brim. He came to bring to completion, the Law of Moses which would usher us into a New Law, the Law of the Life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:2).
There is a work prepared from the foundation of the world for each of us to walk in.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:8-10)
I realize that most Christians have memorized the first part of this verse and know it by heart. However, I am convinced that most of us who “memorize” Scriptures often do not understand what was memorized We must become enabled to walk in what was memorized. Oh, please, take time alone with the Holy Spirit and chew slowly on these words!
Most of Christianity has abandoned the message of grace through faith and has entered into some kind of system in which they are again “earning” their salvation. That includes just about every denomination of Christianity I can think of, including the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Please note that we are saved unto works prepared beforehand that we should walk in them! They are God’s works given us before we ever hit this planet! Again, I remind you, you are His workmanship. He is the author and finisher of your faith and He is faithful to complete that which He started (Heb. 12:2). He is not a builder who started to build and did not foresee certain difficulties that would prevent Him from completing His work. No, the Master Builder knows how to mold us into His image and no power in the universe including yourself will prevent Him from succeeding. Can you shout a big Amen!?
What is the true “Bread of Life?”
True Bread, then is the Word, Will, and Work of God the Father. This is Jesus Christ!!
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:1-5). “Behold, I have come-In the volume of the book it is written of Me-To do Your will, O Godʼ” (Heb. 10:7). “I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent me” (John 6:39). “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent me and to finish His work” (John 4:34). “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matt. 26:42).
It should be quite clear by now what Jesus’ food was while here on earth. In Him, was the embodiment of the Father’s Word, Will, and Work. Fulfilling these three required the crucifixion of His flesh. He brought it to perfect obedience to the Father’s will.
The flesh is always enticed by things that “appear” good to the eyes and the mind but eventually lead to death. The beginning of Christ’s life of authority in the Kingdom of God included the crucifixion of His flesh (self) and ended in His being glorified. Satan gives his best “show” first and then it gets worse. Christ laid out the truth first (which often is hard to swallow) and then brings us into a full marvelous wonderful life! He saves the best for last. Remember, the flesh will often choke on the word of God. See, Jesus’ example in the garden of Gethsemane, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful…O Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:38,39).
In Christ is perfect obedience to the Father. Believe me, it is not in our flesh to be obedient to Him. We must eat the flesh of Jesus Christ and drink His blood. Here is true food, indeed! How do we actually or practically do this?
Many people think that by keeping all kinds of laws, performing certain rituals, fasting and praying, attending church often, going to mass every week, etc., is doing the Word, Will, and Work of God. Some are taught that obeying the authorities of their church fulfills this requirement. No, it does not! Remember we cannot do it in ourselves. It is not within us to do. He invites us to eat of Him and in so doing receive the righteousness He received from perfect obedience to His Father’s Commandments. As we eat of His body, we receive of His power unto obedience to the Spirit and not the flesh.
When Jesus told the Jews that unless they eat His flesh and drink His blood they cannot receive life, they choked. The natural flesh (the carnal mind) couldn’t comprehend what He was saying. We must remember, according to the Law of Moses, which they were commanded to keep, drinking or tasting of blood of any kind was unlawful. Jesus’ command was truly a “hard” saying. They did not understand even as many Christians today still do not understand the true meaning of those words.
It is this bread that sustained Jesus throughout His ministry. Jesus was the embodiment of the Father’s Word, Will, and Work. Through Jesus’ Crucifixion and resurrection, He then became the Way to this Life. Jesus said His body is our bread. Can we not see that this is an invitation to partake of His Word, Will, and Work which His Father gave Him? We become what we eat. Feed a baby nothing or poison and it dies. Feed it foods with poor nutritional value and it will become unhealthy and possibly deformed. In Christ is the fullness of God’s Word, Work, and Will. He is the Way to a healthy spiritual life. It is the living Word of God that sustains us, not a wafer, bread, or cracker or the doing of a written law.
Bread With No Life
I am afraid too many of us are eating bread with no nutritional value in it. For example, attending Scripture memorizing classes, while seeming like a noble activity, is not eating the word of God. Many of us have fallen into customs, creeds, rituals, traditions-dead religious forms with no substance and have done it thinking we are pleasing God. God is not interested in dead works, no matter how well they are perfumed and prettied-up. The corpse is still stiff and without life! Children, please get out of these coffins! Partaking of this food is like eating a dead human corpse! When we follow religious leaders and enable them to build their own kingdoms instead of Christ’s, then we are eating of that minister and not of Christ. Get out of such activity! You are eating a dead body! Stop it!
Our big food processing corporations today, during the “processing,” often take out the natural nutrients and replace them with artificial ones because it’s easier and more profitable for them. I have found many religious organizations have taken out the true life found in the gospel and replaced it with man-made imitations devoid of any real spiritual substance.
Saints, the Bread from heaven is not hidden in the Roman Catholic church or any other organization — it’s hidden in you!! Christ in you the hope of glory!! It’s laid out just right for your makeup. No one else can eat it. It has been reserved from the foundation of the world specifically for you. God loved you so much before He even set creation in motion, that He took great care in laying out everything to bring you to the fullness of the stature of Christ.
We are thankful when we have parents who are responsible enough to provide all we need to prepare us for the “real” world. Well, have I got good news for you. Our heavenly Father is the best Dad one could have. He has carefully prepared provision for every single day of our lives!! Oh, what a Father!! Daily Bread!! And we’re not talking about a stale cracker, Honey! Remember, bread speaks of the very life of God Himself!