The Manna of Jesus in the Book of Exodus

After the Israelites left Egypt, they entered a vast, desolate wilderness—a place where millions of people and animals could not possibly survive. Moses faced many problems, but the most immediate one was food. Where would he find enough food for everyone? The answer was, “It must come from God.” God gave them a small, round food that looked like coriander seed, was white in color, and tasted like wafers made with honey (Exodus 16:31b). Every morning, they would find it on the ground. After they gathered and discovered it was edible, they named it “manna,” which means “What is it?” They lived on “What is it?” for 40 years in the wilderness.

Manna was God’s response to the Israelites’ complaints. In 1 Corinthians 10:3, manna is called “spiritual food.” Did God create manna without a deeper purpose? John 6:32-33 says, “It is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

It is clear that this manna was a prefiguration of Christ. Our Lord Jesus is the bread of God who came down from heaven to give life to the world. Jesus said, “Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:49-51).

(Compiled and edited based on the Chinese Union Version and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.)