Come and eat!
(Horatius Bonar, "The Bread of Immortality")
"I am the bread of life." John 6:48
"I am the living bread." John 6:51
All food is for the sustaining of life.
Jesus announces Himself as the bread which will
sustain
the life of the soul. Not merely some doctrine--but
Himself.
He is the bread; not merely bread--but the bread--the
one
true bread; without whom the soul cannot grow, nor its life
be sustained. For only by this life-sustaining bread,
can
such sickly souls be nourished. As such, Jesus is necessary
to the soul as its food--its bread.
Outside of Him, there is no nourishment, no sustenance.
He feeds--He alone. He feeds us on Himself! All
else is
husks, or mere air and vapor. Jesus, in His glorious person,
is our food--the true bread and sustenance of
the soul;
the hidden manna.
Jesus applies various names to it:
"bread from heaven"
"true bread"
"the bread of God"
"bread of life"
"living bread."
All these are names indicative of its excellence, its power,
its suitableness. It is the very bread we need; no other
would do. Jesus is the soul's eternal food. This
storehouse is inexhaustible--and ever accessible!
Come as you are, poor prodigal, starving on husks--come
and eat! Eat, O friends!
Eat, and live! Eat, and be strong!
Eat, and be in soul health!