III. CONFIRMATION FROM THE SCRIPTURES
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JESUS called himself "the bread of life." What is the nature of bread as it relates to man's needs? We call it the "staff of life." We mean that it sustains life. Water refreshes and cleanses and enters together with food, or "bread," into the composition of man's body. It is also indispensable, and Jesus said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." Bread and water, or food and drink, are essential to man's life. Jesus says that he is the bread "which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35.) Jesus is evidently making the stupendous claim that he is the source and supply of our spiritual needs. He could not make any such claim if he were not God manifest in the flesh.
Fancy any of us uttering such words as these: "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life!" (John 8:12.)
Or this, "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." (John 8:24.)
We take them seriously; indeed, we do not question them. Our opinion of him is based upon just such statements. We cannot separate them from the rest of the record, for they are inextricably woven into its very mesh and fiber: indeed, the entire record is in perfect harmony with such statements.
Jesus says of his life, that which no one else dares to say of his own life, a challenge that in itself is astounding, and yet which we, as well as his enemies who watched him with keenly criticizing eyes, cannot take up: "Which of you convicteth me of sin?" (John 8:46.)
Which of us can say, in any special sense: "I proceeded and came from [literally "out of"] God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me?" (John 8:42.)
Or who can call his own words God's words, thus, that he is God speaking? "He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God?"
Or who else could have said, "Before Abraham was, I am"? (John 8:58.)
Let us refer to another familiar statement: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." . . Do we think him presumptuous in this claim? No, we accept it. Why? "As the Father knoweth me, even so I know I the Father:" Conceive the magnitude of this claim which no one questions! "and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. . . I have power to lay (my life) down, and I have power to take it again. . . The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. . . . My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are One."
The tenth chapter of John, from which these words are quoted, and which we accept unquestioningly, is one of the most affecting expressions of the Divine love ever uttered; its statements fully confirm our position. It unequivocally makes the Father and the Son identical, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 40:11, where Jehovah says He will come as the Good Shepherd.