The Christmas season is a time to remember the Incarnation of the Lord the God-Man, who came on a rescue mission for sinners (Matthew 1:21; Luke 19:10). One interesting connection between the Virgin Birth and the Incarnation of Jesus is found in where Jesus was born in Bethlehem and how it connects with His teaching as the Bread of Life.
The Meaning of Bethlehem and Jesus the Bread of Life
In Micah 5:2 Bible readers are told that Jesus will come from among the clans of Judah from the city of Bethlehem. The fulfillment of this prophecy is found in many places in Scripture, such as Luke 2:1-7. The word Bethlehem comes from a combination of two words, Beth meaning the House and the Hebrew word Lehem meaning bread. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the House of Bread as the Bread of Life, who alone provides the food of eternal life and living water to His people through the Holy Spirit.
The Bread of Life and the Deity of Jesus
Many people have very different opinions about Jesus, and these opinions were found in Jesus’ ministry also. The I Am sayings in John’s Gospel highlight how Jesus is not one of many options among the deities, but the only option. John’s whole point with the I Am sayings are to reveal Jesus as the I Am God.
In John 6:35, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” The words “I AM” is a reference that takes Bible readers back to Exodus 3:14, where the Lord declares, “I AM WHO I AM.” Jesus’ use of the I AM proves He is deity.
When Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life, his hearers would have understood him to be talking about the manna during the Exodus. Those who partake of Christ get more than mere manna like those in the wilderness they get eternal life, for all who come to Him in faith will never be cast out (John 6:37).
Jesus was born in Bethlehem during a period of Jewish history when the Jews suffered at the hands of the Roman occupiers. Bethlehem was a small and seemingly insignificant city (Micah 5:2). In redemptive history, Bethlehem is significant because the Lord chose to reveal the glory of His Son Jesus in this village. The Lord loves to fulfill His purposes through those things man has forsaken (1 Corinthians 1:18-31).
God often uses what the world deems insignificant or unlovely. Across the world, His kingdom is spread by ordinary people who will probably themselves never be famous or remembered in the history books of men. Those who know Christ are remembered by God and are the most significant people of all in His eyes, the only eyes that matter. Each one of us, famous or not, can be used by the Lord in mighty ways.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
