Raised in the Anglesey village of Penysarn , Dyfed received his early education in the village primary school and then in Sir Thomas Jones comprehensive school.
For five years he worked in the local council's planning department, but then felt God's call to the full time ministry. He studied theology at the University of Wales, Bangor, graduating in 1992 and was then ordained as a Baptist minister in two churches in Holyhead. He also spent a short time in Clydach near Swansea . In 2001 he co-planted a church, Antioch , with Pete Leavers in Colwyn Bay .
Dyfed completed his doctoral studies in 2005. His thesis was the influence of the American revivalist, Charles Finney, on the Welsh revival of 1858-60.
Dyfed now works for the University at Bangor , where, among other things, he lectures on church history in the School of Theology .
John 6:35, I am the bread of life.
Jesus makes a statement about himself in each of the 'I am' sayings. He declares himself to be divine, by using the divine name 'I am'.
I AM = the divine name from Ex 3:14, I am who I am. 'Yahweh' in Hebrew, but in Gk it is 'ego eimi'.
The bread of life.
The context is about people coming to Jesus in order to receive from him: bread, miracles. But he wants to give himself to them: I am the bread of life. We should value everything Jesus has to give us. We should seek miracles of healing. But more than anything we should seek him, chase after him.
What does Jesus say about himself when he refers to himself as 'bread'?
First, he attracts us.
The smell of fresh bread is very attractive. Supermarkets have been accused of pumping the smell into the shop in order to draw people in!
We come to faith because we are drawn by the Father (Jn 6:44 ). He has attracted us into his kingdom, and the main attraction is Jesus in all his glory.
Our salvation is a God initiative. He took the first step to draw us to himself in Jesus. We then respond by trusting him.
Second, he fills us.
Bread is a carbohydrate that really fills us when we eat. We're not left hungry when we've eaten this.
This 'I am' saying comes after the story of the feeding of the five thousand, where John said they had their fill after eating what Jesus had given. The saying comes before Jesus telling his disciples to 'eat his flesh'. That is, we are to be in a deep union with Jesus.
Jesus fills us. He satisfies our hungry desires. He leaves us satisfied every time we come to him.
Third, he sustains us.
Bread not only fills, but it sustains. It can keep us going for a while. Carbohydrates are an essential part of our diet. They help keep us alive.
Jesus sustains us to eternity. He is the bread of eternal life. He is not about to let go of us once we are his. He holds onto us throughout our lives. Jesus says, 'I will certainly not cast out'. The original Greek puts a strong emphasis on the 'not' casting out.
Our hope, an eternal hope, is in Jesus.