The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; (23) Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias, nigh unto the place where they did eat bread after that the Lord had given thanks: (24) When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. (25) And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? (26) Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. (27) Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (28) Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? (29) Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (30) They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? What dost thou work? (31) Our fathers did eat manna in the desert: as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. (32) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. (33) For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. (34) Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. (35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (36) But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. (37) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (39) And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (40) And this is the will of him that sent me, That everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (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. (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. (46) Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. (47) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (48) I am that bread of life. (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. (51) I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; 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? (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 shall 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, (55) For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (56) He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. (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. (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 forever. (59) These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
I have thought it right not to break the thread of our Lord's discourse, but to go through it, and then propose a few general observations at the close, which may the Lord graciously make profitable.
And, first, I pray the Reader to remark with me, the wonderful sublimity of our Lord's words. How evidently they manifested the greatness of his Almighty character. What Prophet, what Apostle, what servant of Jehovah ever made use of such language! I am the bread of life, the living bread of God, which came down from heaven. He that eateth of this bread shall live forever! Carnal, unawakened men, may, as the Jews did, mistake the blessedness of our Lord's words, and cry out, how can this man give us his flesh to eat? But, every truly regenerated believer, will enter into the full apprehension of our Lord's meaning, and say with the Apostles, Lord! evermore give us this bread!
I detain the Reader to observe with me the beauty and aptness of the similitude. As the common bread is the staff of the body, so Christ, the heavenly bread, is the life of the soul. And, as the body cannot subsist without daily food, so neither can the soul without her spiritual support in Christ. Yea, the soul hath more need for Christ, in his person, fulness, and grace, than the body hath for the bread that perisheth. For, put the case to the worst, that by reason of a famine of bread, the body languisheth and dieth, it is but a death a little premature, and which would otherwise have died in due time. But the soul without Christ, the bread of life, must famish forever, and though existing, lives only to eternal misery.
Reader! see, I beseech you, the vast and infinite importance of feeding spiritually on Christ. Oh! how sweet a life of faith, to be thus eyeing Christ, and knowing Christ to be the bread of life! To feel a daily longing for him, an hungering for him, as the keen appetite of an healthy laboring man doth for his daily food. It was thus holy men of old longed for Christ. They felt their need of him. They found their souls satisfied in him, and as one of them expressed it, so all of them enjoyed it, more painting for Christ than the hart for the water brooks. Reader, do not dismiss this part of our Lord's discourse, until that you have well pondered it over, and consulted those scriptures. Psalms 42:1 and Psalms 43:1; Ephesians 3:17; Psalms 89:16; Hosea 14:8; Psalms 63:1
I would beg the Reader next to notice that very precious part in this discourse of Jesus, where Christ speaks of his designation to the high office of Mediator. For Him hath God the Father sealed. Let it be observed, that within the compass of those seven words, is contained the office characters of the whole Godhead, in the appointment of the God-Man-Mediator. Him, that is, Christ, God the Father, that is, in his own peculiar personal character in the covenant. And sealing is the special act in the anointing of Christ by the Holy Ghost. How sweet, how very sweet, and richly consolatory to the soul of a believer, is it to behold the joint act of the Holy Three in One, in the mission of Christ Jesus? I pray the Reader to turn to a few scriptures in point, by way of confirmation. Isaiah 42:1-8; Psalms 110:1; Hebrews 7:21-25; Acts 10:38; Isaiah 61:1 etc. Luke 4:18-19; Hebrews 5:1-5
Let me lead the Reader by the hand, to a third improvement, which this most blessed discourse of Jesus teacheth. For when the Jews demanded what they should do, that they might work the work of God? Jesus made this remarkable answer, This is the work of God, (said Jesus), that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. As if, and which in fact is truly the case, the whole work of God consists in a right belief and apprehension of God's dear Son. And small, as in some men's eyes these things may appear, it is the greatest work upon earth, and never wrought in any man's heart but by a miracle. It is indeed what Christ calls it, God's work, and not man's. It is in wrought by the Spirit of God in the heart. Oh! for grace, to believe the record which God hath given of his Son! 1 John 5:10-11
One word more, by way of improvement, from this divine discourse of Jesus. How truly blessed is it to learn from the lips of Christ himself, that the provision made for bringing home his whole redeemed, here in grace, and hereafter in glory, is so secure, that all whom the Father hath given him shall come to him; and him that cometh, Jesus will in no wise cast out. As Moses told Pharaoh, not an hoof should be left behind. Exodus 10:26. So here, the flocks must all again pass under the hand of him that telleth them. Jeremiah 33:13. Nothing upon earth can be equal to the precious assurance of this most glorious truth. Neither can it fail, no, not in a single instance. The loss of one soul, for whom Christ died, and whom the Father gave to him, would tarnish the crown of the Lord Jesus Christ forever. But the thing is impossible. It is founded in a covenant which is ordered in all things and sure. 2 Samuel 23:5. The tenor of the covenant is everlasting, and of perpetual efficacy, and in which God himself undertakes, both for himself, and for his people, I will not, and they shall not. Jeremiah 32:40. And the Lord Jesus refers, in further confirmation of the soul-reviving truth, that as a testimony of divine teaching the coming to him proves it. All the children shall be taught of God, saith Christ. Then, saith Jesus, here is the evidence, everyone that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father. cometh unto me. Reader! it will be a blessed fulfilment of Christ's words, if you and I, from being come to Jesus for life, and salvation, hereby prove no less, that we are taught of God! Isaiah 54:13; Jeremiah 31:34. And this is to do what John the Baptist said, to set to our seal that God is true. John 3:33
I will only detain the Reader with one observation more, from this most blessed sermon of Christ, just to call his attention to what our Lord hath said, that no man can come unto me, (said Jesus), except the Father which hath sent me, draw him! There is somewhat very strong, both in the words of Christ, and the doctrine of Christ, as contained in this verse. No man, be his natural gifts whatsoever they may, or outward advantages of hearing God's word ever so many, can, in himself, find either a disposition or ability to come to Jesus, so as to believe in him, except my Father (that is, not to the exclusion of the quickenings of Christ, or the Holy Ghost, for all the persons of the Godhead are included in the saving act), which hath sent me, draw him; that is, secretly and sweetly incline the heart to come to Jesus. Reader! pause over the words. They are very sweet to a child of God, and very solemn to the carnal! The child of God discovers in the everlasting love of God, the sure drawings of the Father. See Jeremiah 31:3. and take comfort. And, Reader, if God the Father draws his people to Christ, who or what shall ever draw them away? John 10:27-29.