“For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).

Rebellion led the Israelites to wilderness wanderings. While in the wilderness, this vast crowd had physical needs. They needed the basics: food and water. God provided for them.

The “spiritual food” was manna (Exodus 16:4). It came from heaven, and thus was spiritually provided rather than naturally given. Likewise the “spiritual drink” was water provided by God from rock. It was not naturally given. Both the manna and the water provided physical nourishment for the needs of God’s wandering people.

During Jesus’ ministry, large crowds followed him. On one occasion, Jesus was in a desolate place, by the sea of Galilee, with a crowd numbering over 5,000 (John 6:10). They were hungry and in need of physical nourishment. Jesus provided “spiritual food” for them.  Taking five loaves and two fish, Jesus provided enough food for the people to eat their fill with more left over than what they begin with.

The next day, Jesus left the crowd and was on the other side of the sea. The people got in boats and found him. Jesus said that they were seeking him, “not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (John 6:26). He then commanded them, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” (John 6:27).

The crowd then quoted Nehemiah 9:15 (and others like Psalm 78:24-25), apparently intending that Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat. Perhaps also implying that the one time Jesus gave them food was not sufficient. If Jesus claimed to be from God and desired for them to listen, then he should sustain them like God did for a generation.

Jesus replied, “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. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32, 33).

This bread from heaven which gives life to the world intrigued the crowd. “Sir, give us this bread always,” they implored.

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst’” (John 6:35).

The “spiritual food” that God provided to the Israelites was natural food spiritually given. It sustained them physically. But it did not have the desired spiritual effect, as Paul says, “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness” (1 Corinthians 10:5).

Now the antitype of that “spiritual food” is come to the world. Jesus is “the bread of life” which will spiritually nourish all those who partake of him. He is the “spiritual drink” which will quench the spiritual thirst of all who drink of him.

Those who come to Jesus can live eternally (John 6:48-51).

“Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:58).

Jesus understood that while feeding the physical body is important, feeding the spiritual man takes precedence.

“Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Has anyone brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work’” (John 4:31-34).

Are you spiritually well-fed?

Lee Parish, link to original article