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"I Am"??two short words, yet expansive in meaning. John 8:58 quotes Jesus as having said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was [born], I am" (ESV). The Apostle John recorded seven "I Am" statements made by Christ as He spoke metaphorically of His relationship to mankind, and more specifically of His relationship to those who would trust in Him. The focus of this essay is on the first metaphorical statement, as Jesus told a Jewish crowd: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). Keeping this statement in mind when reading through the rest of the passage is a key to understanding this passage. Teachers and commentators in certain branches of Christendom have interpreted Jesus' metaphor as referring to the bread and wine of the Eucharist. This leads us to consider two other words that are vital to understanding this passage??and to its key phrase: "I am the Bread of Life."
"Of life"??again, two short words, yet eternal in meaning. Jesus is the source of eternal, spiritual life. The primary question John 6 answers is, How does a person receive eternal life? Consistency is needed in regard to our understanding the sense of this passage, thus the subtitle "A Consistent Sense of John 6." This book is based on recognizing the historical context of Jesus' words, as well as the literary context of comparing Jesus' various statements within this passage of John 6, with the intention of arriving at the "ABC's" of interpretation: being accurate, biblical, and consistent. It was approached without bias or preconceived conclusions, being bathed in prayer and meditation on God's Word.
A sequel e-book is also available, entitled "Branches of the Vine: A Fresh Look at John 15." It focuses on the seventh of the "I Am" statements of Christ, and also offers a brief commentary on another passage that uses an analogy regarding a vineyard (Matt. 20:1?16). That e-book is also highly recommended; however, this e-book offers an excellent commentary on the first "I Am" statement. The commentary on John 6, in this book, is also included in the more comprehensive book on all seven "I Am" metaphorical statements, entitled "Christ, the I Am"??now available both in print and as an e-book.
