(a) Explain Jesus' teaching about himself as the living water and bread of life. [12 marks] (b) Mention three ways in which man is denied of the bread of li...

Answer Details

(a) Jesus' teaching about himself as the living water and the bread of life

Living water (John 4:1-26, the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well):

• Tired from His journey, Jesus sat by Jacob's well and asked a Samaritan woman for a drink, surprising her because Jews did not associate with Samaritans.
• He told her that if she knew the gift of God and who was asking, she would have asked Him, and He would have given her living water.
• He explained that whoever drinks of ordinary well water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water He gives will never thirst; it will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
• This living water represents the eternal life and satisfaction of the Holy Spirit that Christ gives, meeting the deepest spiritual thirst of the soul.

Bread of life (John 6:22-58, after feeding the five thousand):

• When the crowd sought Jesus for more bread, He told them not to labour for the food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life.
• He declared, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst."
• He contrasted Himself with the manna their fathers ate in the wilderness and yet died; He is the true bread that came down from heaven, giving life to the world.
• He said the bread He gives is His flesh, given for the life of the world, and that whoever feeds on Him (believes and receives Him) will live forever and be raised up at the last day.

(b) Three ways man is denied the bread of life today

• Through false teaching and false prophets that distort the gospel and lead people away from Christ.
• Through neglect of God's word, prayer and worship, so that people are starved spiritually.
• Through materialism, sin and worldliness, which turn people from Christ to the pursuit of earthly things.