may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jesus had said in the previous verse that all that the Father had given him should be saved. Lest it should be supposed that if a man was given to him this was all that was needful, and lest he should say, if I am to be saved I shall be, and my efforts will be useless, Jesus states here that it is necessary that a man should believe on him. This would be the evidence that he was given to God. All the doctrines of Jesus as he preached them, are safe, and pure, and consistent; as men preach them, they are, unhappily, often inconsistent; open to objection; and either fitted to produce despair or indolence on the one hand, or presumptuous self-confidence and delay on the other. Jesus teaches men to strive to enter heaven, as if they could do the work themselves, and yet to depend on the help of God, and give the glory to him, as having done all.

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day.

'No man can come to me.' This was spoken by Jesus to reprove their murmurings. Murmur not among yourselves.' They objected to his doctrine because he claimed to be greater than Moses, and because they supposed him to be a mere man, and that what he said was impossible. Jesus does not deny that these things appeared difficult; and hence he said that if any man believed, it proved that God had inclined him. It was not to be expected that of themselves they would embrace the doctrine. The difficulty in this case was not a want of natural faculties, or powers to do their duty, but erroneous opinions, pride, obstinacy, self-conceit, and a deep felt contempt for Jesus. The word 'cannot' is often used to denote a strong and violent opposition of the will. Thus when we say, a man is so great a liar that he cannot speak the truth; or is so profane that he cannot but swear, we mean by it that he is so evil that while he has this disposition the other effects will follow; but we do not mean to say that he could not break off from the habit. See Gen. xxxvi. 4. Matt. xii. 34. Luke xiii. 33. 1 Sam. xvi. 2. 'Draw him.' This word is used evidently to denote such an influence from God as to secure the result; or as to incline the mind to believe. What is

its meaning here must be determined by the facts about the sinner's conversion. See note on ver. 40. In the conversion of the sinner, God enlightens the mind, ver. 45; he inclines the will, Ps. cx. 3, and he influences by motives, by the view of his law, and his love, his commands and threatenings, by a desire of happiness and a consciousness of danger, to yield himself voluntarily to the Saviour. So that while God inclines him, and will have all the glory, man yields without compulsion; the obstacles are removed, and he becomes a willing servant of God.

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

In the prophets,' Isa. liv. 13. A similar sentiment is found in Jer. xxxi. 34. Shall be all taught of God.' This explains the preceding verse. It is by the teaching of his word and Spirit that men are drawn to God.

46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

'Not that any man hath seen the Father.' Jesus added this evidently to guard against any mistake. He had said that all who came to him were taught of God. The teacher was commonly seen and heard by the pupil; and lest it should be supposed that he meant to say that a man to come to him must see and hear God, visibly and audibly, he adds that he did not intend to affirm this. Save he which is of God.' Jesus here evidently refers to himself as the Son of God. He had just said that no man had seen the Father. When he affirms that he has seen the Father, it implies that he is more than man. See John i. 18. Heb. i. 3. Rom. ix. 5. By his being' of God' is meant that he is the only begotten Son of God, and sent as the Messiah into the world. Hath seen.' Hath intimately known or perceived him. He knows his nature, character, plans. This is a claim to knowledge superior to what man has possessed, and it cannot be understood except by supposing that Jesus is equal with God.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life.

'I am that bread of life.' My doctrine, and the benefit of my mediation are that real support of spiritual life of which the manna in the wilderness was the faint emblem. See ver. 32, 33.

49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

'Your fathers did eat manna.' There was a real miracle wrought in their behalf; there was a perpetual interposition of God, which showed that they were his chosen people. And are dead.' The bread which they ate could not save from death. Though God interfered in their behalf, yet they died. There is need of something better than mere earthly blessings-even of that bread which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

The bread that I will give is my flesh.' That is, his body should be offered as a sacrifice for sin, agreeably to his declaration when he instituted the supper, 1 Cor. xi. 24. 'Life of the world.' That the world might, by his atoning sacrifice, be pardoned, be reconciled to God, and be brought to eternal life. The use of the word 'world,' here, shows that the sacrifice of Christ was full, free, and ample, I John ii. 2.

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

In these verses Jesus repeats what he had, in substance, said before. 'Except ye eat the flesh,' &c. Jesus did not mean that this should be understood literally. His body was offered on the cross, and was raised up, and ascended to heaven. There is no evidence that he had any reference to the Lord's supper. That was not yet instituted. The plain meaning of the passage is, that by his bloody death-his body, and his blood offered in sacrifice for sin, he would procure pardon and life for man; and that those who partook of that, or had an interest in it, should obtain eternal life. He uses the figure of eating and drinking, because as he had said that he was the bread of life, it was natural a ndeasy to carry out the figure, and say that bread must be eaten in order to be of any avail in supporting and saving men. To eat and to drink, among the Jews, was also expressive of sharing in, or partaking of, the privileges of friendship. And the happiness of heaven and all spiritual blessings are often represented under this image, Matt. viii. 11; xxvi. 29. Luke xiv. 15, &c.

55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

'Is meat indeed.' Is truly food. My doctrine is truly that which will give life to the soul.

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

'Dwelleth in me.' To dwell or abide in him, is to remain in the belief of his doctrine, and in the participation of all the benefits of his death. Compare John xiv. 1-6; xvii. 21-23. 'I in him.' Jesus dwells in believers by his Spirit and doctrine. When his Spirit is given them to sanctify them, and when his doctrine is received by them, and influences their life, it may be said that he abides or dwells in them.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

'I live by the Father.' See note, John v. 26.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven; not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

'Shall live for ever.' Not on the earth, but in the enjoyments of a better world.

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

'Many of his disciples.' The word 'disciple' means learner. It was applied to the followers of Christ, because they were taught by him. It does not imply of necessity that those to whom it was given were real christians; but simply that they were under his teaching, were professed learners in the school of Jesus. See Matt. xvii. 16. Mark ii. 18. John ix. 28. Matt. x. 24. This is an hard saying. The word 'hard' here means offensive, ungrateful that which they could not bear. The doctrine which he delivered was opposed to their prejudices; it seemed to be absurd, and they, therefore, rejected it. Saying.' Rather doctrine or speech. It does not refer to any particular part of the discourse, but includes the whole. 'Who can hear it? That is who can hear it patiently-who can stay and listen to such doctrine, or believe it? The effect of this is stated in ver. 66.

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples

murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

'What and if,' &c. They had taken offence because he said he came down from heaven. Instead of explaining that away, he proceeds to state another doctrine quite as offensive to them, that he would re-ascend to heaven. The apostles only were present at his ascension, Acts i. 9. As Jesus was to ascend to heaven, it was clear that he could not have intended literally that they should eat his flesh.

63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

He refers here probably to the doctrine which he had been teaching in opposition to their notions and desires. My doctrine is spiritual; it is fitted to quicken and nourish the soul. It is from heaven. Your doctrine, or your views are earthly, and may be called flesh, or fleshly, as pertaining only to the support of the body. Quickeneth.' Gives life. The flesh.' Your carnal views and desires; and the literal understanding of my doctrine. By this, Jesus shows them that he did not intend that his words should be taken literally. ' Profiteth nothing.' Would not avail to the real wants of man. The bread that Moses gave; the food which you seek would not be real value to man's highest wants. "They are spirit.' They are spiritual. They are not to be understood literally, as if you were really to eat my flesh, but they are to be understood as denoting the need of that provision for the soul which God has made by my coming into the world. Are life.' Are fitted to produce, or give life to the soul dead in

sins.

64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

'Jesus knew from the beginning,' &c. As this implied a knowledge of the heart, and of the secret principles and motives of men, it shows that he must have been omniscient.

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Many of his disciples.' See note ver. 60.

'Went back.'

Turned away from him and left him. From this we may learn