In John chapter 6 Jesus spoke:
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Jesus had just fed the 5,000 by multiplying five barley loaves and two small fish and all were full. The disciples were full from the miracle and wanted to do miracles (works of GOD) themselves. Jesus took the opportunity to teach them concerning the bread of Holy Communion. This bread differs from the manna which came from Heaven because the children in the wilderness ultimately died. Jesus spoke of “true bread”:
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life (zōē) to the world.”
34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”
When asked about the bread, Jesus now explains what or who the bread is:
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Jesus Christ is the bread of life and He weaves in both the bread and wine of Communion when he speaks of those who will never hunger or thirst. Those who come to Him will not hunger but moreover those who believe IN HIM shall never thirst. There are two distinct acts: coming and believing so Communion deals with both of these acts. The more time we spending “coming and believing” the more mature we will be in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The result will be that we walk like Him and will be led by THE SPIRIT as He was in His walk. Jesus continues:
48 I am the bread of life.
49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
Jesus clearly states He is the bread of life and should not be confused with the manna in the wilderness. The manna was temporary by nature whereas Jesus being the bread is eternal for it is His flesh. Notice that He gave it for the world, not just a few. FATHER’S Divine Intent of Love is to benefit “the world” rather than some smaller group. Now Jesus provides us clarification on “eating” the bread (His Body) by using two different words for eating- phago and trōgō:
53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat (phago) the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
54 Whoever eats (trōgō) My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
Phago means to eat, devour, or consume. Trōgō means to gnaw, crunch, chew. This difference in words used by Jesus is a critical point in our maturing process. Verse 54 points to Communion and when we take His Body, we must “gnaw, crunch, and chew” which denotes deep contemplation and focus on the process of receiving His Body. It takes time to gnaw, crunch, and chew rather than simply swallow. When we spend time studying, dwelling, and contemplating His Word we come into full agreement with what we are consuming. As we focus on the Bread from Heaven (His Body), it takes on a much greater meaning and permeates our spirit, soul, and body. Our mind, will, emotions, and body begin lining up with our spirit and take on their rightful place of serving us rather than controlling us.
When we take the bread in Holy Communion, let us trōgō the bread from Heaven rather than simply phago it.