When Jesus knew Greek, ειδως δε ο Ιησους εν εαυτω, Jesus knowing in himself; that his disciples murmured at it Though they did not speak out their objections and scruples; said, Doth this, which you have just now heard, offend you And do you stumble at it as incredible? What if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up Αναβαινοντα, ascending; where he was before? How much more incredible will it then appear to you, that he should give you his flesh to eat? Or, will not that convince you of the truth of my having come down from heaven? Will it not show you, likewise, that I never intended you should eat my flesh in a corporeal manner? It is very probable that what Christ here says of his ascension, was, partly at least, intended to intimate to them the necessity of taking his discourse in a figurative sense, as it would so soon be evidently impossible to eat his flesh, which was to be received into heaven. It is the Spirit The spiritual meaning of these words; that quickeneth By which God giveth spiritual life. The flesh
The bare, carnal, literal meaning; profiteth nothing. The words that I speak, the doctrines that I preach, unto you are spirit and life Are to be taken in a spiritual sense; and when they are so understood and believed, or marked, learned, and digested, they are made the means of spiritual and eternal life to the hearers. There are some of you who believe not And so receive no life by them; for Jesus knew from the beginning Namely, of his ministry; who they were that believed not, and who should betray him He knew the inward disposition of every particular person that heard him, and foresaw which of his disciples would be so base as to betray him. From this we infer with certainty that God foresees future contingencies:
“But his foreknowledge causes not the fault, Which had no less proved certain unforeknown.”
Therefore said I, &c. Because I know perfectly the inward frame of your minds, that the prejudices of corrupt nature lie strongly against such a doctrine as I publish, and that nothing but divine grace can subdue them, therefore I told you plainly, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father And it is given to those only who will receive it on God's own terms. See the note on John 6:37; John 6:44.