John 6:22-59: Jesus is the Bread of Life

The crowds eagerly follow Jesus, drawn by His miraculous feeding of the five thousand. Yet, Jesus confronts their motives, urging them to seek not earthly bread but the true Bread of Life—Himself. As He speaks of giving His flesh and blood for food that we must “eat,” His words provoke confusion and even rejection. Naturally, when Jesus speaks of His body and blood, we think of the Lord’s Supper. Is Jesus giving us here a hint of things to come or something else? Scholars continue to explore this profound question, but what if the argument itself misses the point?

The Rev. John Shank, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study John 6:22-59

The Gospel of John takes us on a journey through the Good News of Jesus in a unique way. It reveals Jesus as the incarnate son of God from eternity. From His miraculous signs to His profound "I Am" statements, we witness Jesus offering living water to the thirsty, light to those in darkness, and life to the dead. But this is also a story of conflict: Jesus is relentlessly pursued by those who reject Him, yet He willingly goes to the cross, showing the depths of God’s love. As we travel from His first miracle to His ultimate victory over death, John invites us to see and believe—that in Jesus, we find eternal life and the very presence of God among us. Connect to God’s revealing Word in this series that uncovers the rich, layered truths of John’s Gospel and the unshakable hope it offers.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.