The Tupelo journal., 1908-03-06
Jesus h
Bread of Life
Sunday School Lesson for March 8, 1908
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-John s:22-5l. Memory
verses, 30. 80.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Jesus said unto
them: 1 am the bread of ~fe."-John
6:35.
TIME.-The day after our last les
son. when Jesus fed the 5000, April. A.
D. %.
PLACE.-Gennesaret, a beautiful plain
on the western shore of the Sea of Cali
lee. south of Capernaum.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCEs.-Jesus
the Bread of Life. John 6:4S-5l, So; / Cor.
1~1:23-26, and the use of bread in the in
stitution of the Lords Supper. Compare
Deut. S:3 and 1920; Matt. 44; GIL. The
Mamma referred to in John 6:i9, 80: Eek.
~16:14-35; Neh. 9:15; Pisa. 1924. Jesus the
Life. John Ia; 5:2t; 6; 11:25; 14:6; T:3:
/ John 1:2; 2:25; 5:1l-13. 20; 2 Cor. 4:lo:
Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3: 2 Tim. IL, 10; Rev
81. Old Testament Miracles of Feeding
compared and contrasted with this mir
acle of Jesus. Elijah fed by ravens q
Kings 17:6); miraculously increases the
widows meal and oil q Kings 1918;
Elisha feeds 100 men with 20 loaves q
Kings 4:42-44).
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Why did the people seek Jesus2
This question in v. 25 implies thai
the next morning the people had been
searching for Jesus, not having seen
him leave the fields where the miracle
had been wrought.
Two motives are given: the higher
motive they ought to have had, and
the lower motive which predominated.
V. 26. Jesus answered" not their
spoken question, but their spiritual
need which their conduct asked. "Ye
seek me, not because We saw the mir
acles." r. ", signs" the Greek name
for miracles used here. This would
have been a right motive to which
Jesus himself appealed. They were
not attracted by the miracles as
signs of Gods love, as types and
proofs that Jesus was the Messiah, as
invitations to trust and love him.
But because re did eat the loaves, and
were filled" The~verb means were
satisfied as a beast with fodder
Whitelaw. They were not hypccrltes;
they only took a low view, and wer&
selfish. Their motives lay chiefly in
the results of the miracles; the heal
ing, the satisfying of hunger, and not
in the miracles as signs. They saw
the outward form of the miracles, but
not the soul; the husk, but not the
kernel; they read the words as in an
unknown tongue, but did not see
their meaning.
They were like the Roman soldier,
who, finding an embroidered purse Of
jewels. kept the purse, but threw
away the priceless gems.
Why did Jesus answer as he did?
By this answer Jesus tried to lift the
minds and hearts of the people to
higher motives and clearer views of
the truth.
How did Jesus lead them to higher
aims in life? V. 81. Labor not"
Work not; the same word as work"
in VS.. $3.50 below. For the meat
which ~perisheth." The food for the
body. This is not to be the chief end
of work for daily food.
V. 81. Our fathers did eat mama
in the desert" (see Elk. 16.) "As it is
written eek. 1874; Psa. 1924, Sep
tuagint version). Moses, our founder.
lawgiver and leader, to whom the
promised Deliverer is to be like Deut.
1915; Acts 1920.
Moses proved that he was sent
from God by giving the people bread
from heaven to eat; now what do YOU
do that is greater than this to prove
that you are the greater prophet, even
the Messiah, who will deliver us from
our bondage to the Romans, as Moses
delivered us from the Egyptians?
Jesus had fed 5000 with five loaves
from the earth for one meal. Moses
had fed millions for 40 years with
bread from heaven"
The Tests.-Such are the tests of
true religion, by which we may rec
ognize it and distinguish it from all
substitutes that are offered. "a It
is from heaven and bears the marks
it's heavenly origin. (2) 1t gives
life, awakens and sustains every fac
ulty. CD 1t is for the soul, the spir-
itual nature, more than for the body.
(4) 1t blesses for this life, but es-
p~ecially prepares for eternal life, AMI
assures us of it's blessedness. (5) 1t
is universal, for all ages, and for all
men, under all circumstances. (6)
But, like earthly bread, it must be
eaten in order to avail.
What is meant by Jesus as the
Bread of Life? How does he feed our
First. He by his atonement
and holy spirit imparts spiritual life,
the new life of God in the soul. We
are born of the Spirit"
Second. The soul needs food as
really as the body. Every faculty of
the soul needs it's own food, that will
and sustain it's life, de-
velop it's powers, make it grow into
the fuilness and perfection of its ma
ture.
Third. Jesus feeds the soul in every
part. How many characteristics are
to make our character God
like. We do not know. There must
love, humility, submission, pa
thence, hope, ~gentleness, joy, and all
the qualities that entered to compose
the character of the Son of Cod
Cornelius Woelfkin.
Fourth. We come into this personal
with Jesus, and within the
power of his personality, by reading
and studying the records of his life.
loving him, by working with him