I don’t know about you, but I really love bread.

I love all kinds of bread. I eat bagels in the morning for breakfast. I eat buttered toast for an evening snack. My go-to bakery item at Starbucks is banana bread. When I place an order at Panera Bread, I never ask for the chips or the apple—I always go for the baguette. If a restaurant brings breadsticks before the meal, you can bet I’m going to eat one (or two). I’m a believer that consuming chili without cornbread is sacrilegious. And if I suddenly woke up with a gluten allergy and couldn’t eat any kind of bread any more, I think I would die. (Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but I would be very, very sad.)

All of that being said, bread is great, and a lot of people think so. In fact, every country and culture around the world has some form of bread as a basic staple of their diet. The ancient Jews once had a very special kind of bread that they treasured dearly. However, their great affection and desire for this bread made them miss an even greater Bread that was right in front of them.

Thousands of years ago, the young nation of Israel was wandering around the wilderness, finally free from the oppressive hold Egypt had on them through the miraculous signs and wonders of the Lord. Instead of rejoicing over their fate or resting in their sweet freedom, Israel began grumbling and complaining about God and Moses, their leader and prophet, because they didn’t have any good food. These people who just saw the God of the universe perform sign after sign, miracle after miracle to release them from Egyptian slavery now believed that God was trying to kill them with hunger (Exodus 16:3). Very dramatic.

God, being the gracious and merciful God He is, provided them with food. And not just any food—bread. He gave them bread from heaven or, as they called it, manna. He would give Israel this manna, this bread from heaven every morning—save the Sabbath—and provide for their needs daily. While the manna satisfied the people’s needs for a moment, it didn’t take long for them to complain about that, too (Numbers 11:4-6). Like I said, very dramatic.

Centuries later, Israel found herself under oppressive rule once more—this time by the Roman empire—and a new prophet had arisen amongst the people. But this prophet was no ordinary man. He was Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah whom the Jews believed would free them from captivity and bring them manna once again.

During Passover, which is the Jewish feast that celebrates Israel’s rescue from Egypt, Jesus was surrounded by a group of about 5,000 men. When you include the women and children who were likely present as well, scholars believe there could have been up to 20,000 people in the crowd. The people had been following Him for a long time and had nothing to eat, so Jesus multiplied two fish and five loaves of bread to feed everyone present and then some (John 6:9-13). And when they saw what Jesus had done, they knew He had to be their promised Messiah—

“When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, ‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!’” John 6:14, ESV

But the Messiah Israel was expecting was not the Messiah who came. They imagined that their Savior to come would be a warrior, riding in to conquer the enemy. They believed He would come with manna to feed their hungry bellies. So, they went after Jesus—looking for a warrior, seeking for some sign that He was the Messiah, searching for bread from heaven (John 6:25-34).

Jesus did not come as a warrior, and He did not come to provide physical sustenance. As Messiah, He came to offer Himself.

“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

Jesus is the Bread of Life, the true bread from heaven. Not only does He sustain us physically, He also satisfies us spiritually. Everything we need in this life can be found in Him, and in Him, we can find true peace and contentment. While bread or manna can satisfy us for a short time, Jesus, as our better Bread, gives us everlasting life.

While this revelation fills us today with happiness, and joy, and hope for the future, it was not quite so with the people of Israel. They did not believe what Jesus said. They did not believe He was the Messiah or the Son of God because He wasn’t what they expected. So, they began to grumble against Him, just like the forefathers grumbled against God and their own prophet in the wilderness (John 6:41-42).

If you’re anything like me, you may find yourself judging or ridiculing these Jews. Didn’t they just see Jesus feeding 20,000 people with five loaves and two fish? Didn’t they see Jesus healing the sick, and didn’t they listen to His teachings? How could they not believe Him?

The truth is we are no different than Israel. How often do we expect Jesus to answer our prayers and then begin grumbling when we don’t get the answer we hoped for? How often do we expect Him to meet our expectations and then begin doubting His power or His goodness when He appears to fall short?

Jesus may not match up exactly with our preconceived notions of Him. He may not answer our prayers in the way we like. This does not mean we ought to complain about our circumstances or doubt the veracity of His claims. Instead, this means we must make an effort to know who Jesus really is according to God’s Word and find contentment in Him.

And who is Jesus?

He is the Bread of Life. The Son of God, sent from heaven to give life to the world (John 6:27, 33). The Son of Man who obeys the will of His Father and preserves the lives of His people for eternity (John 6:37-38).

Believe in Jesus, and you’ll experience the best bread you’ve ever tasted.

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” John 6:51a