John 6:58 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

This is that bread which came down, &c.— "If you attend to these important hints which I have given, you may in general know what I meant, by saying, as I have done, This is the bread that came down from heaven; a kind of bread, infinitely superior to the manna, both in its nature and efficacy; for it is to be eaten by you, not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: it is neither to be eaten the same way that your fathers did eat the manna, nor with the same effect; but he that eateth of this bread, shall live for ever: this bread shall nourish the faithful soul unto everlasting life." See John 6:50. A brief analysis of this passage, respecting the bread of life, will perhaps make the whole more clear. We have heretofore observed, that it was customary with our Lord to accommodate his discourses to the occasions which gave rise to them, and to draw instructions and reflections from the objects which presented themselves. See on Matthew 5:2. The tenor of the present discourse, considered in this view, will appear more beautiful. We are told, John 6:26 thatthe Jews followed our Lord because of the miracle of the loaves, and in expectation of further support. He reproves them on that account, John 6:27 and exhorts them to desire and seek that bread, which endureth to everlasting life; that divine knowledge and grace, which was the proper food of the soul, and which, being receivedby persevering faith in him, would bring them to eternal glory. They then ask him, how they should do this? and in reply he tells them plainly, John 6:29 by believing on him: on this they declare, that they will not believe, unless he give them some sign, some eminent miracle, John 6:30 and they mention Moses as having brought them manna from heaven, and intimate that they would expect no less a miracle from him, John 6:31. Upon this he compares himself with the mamma; shews how much he surpassed it, and continues the comparison between himself and bread, John 6:33. This comparison, wherein he asserts, that he was the bread which came down from heaven, offends the Jews, John 6:41. Christ therefore resumes the subject, and confidently asserts, Iam that bread of life, John 6:48 that is to say, "that spiritual food, which can bring men to everlasting life." And this bread, says he, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world; that is, "I will die, as an atoning sacrifice, to bring men to life eternal." As if they had not understood him all this while,though he had at first spoken to them in plain terms, and expressed the whole of his meaning by believing on him with a living faith, John 6:29; John 6:35 and made use of this figurative method in answer to their proposals,—they pervert his meaning, and ask, how can this man give us flesh? John 6:52. In answer to which he replies, John 6:53. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat, &c. still meaning what he had meant all this while, in opposition to the manna—that his doctrine, for the preaching whereof he was sent down from heaven, and that grace which should be purchased for them by his death, was the most excellent food for their souls; which would be able to maintain their spiritual and eternal life, and to be to them the source and fountain of perpetual happiness, John 6:54-58. From this analysis we learn, that the amount of the foregoing discourse is, that Christ,—the mortal, despised, and crucified Christ, who took our flesh, came down from heaven, lived and died among us, to reveal his Father's will, and work living faith in us, is the food of our souls; the believing and obeying of whom will support our spiritual life, as food sustains the animal life: and we may hence infer what that faith is, which Christ represents as so highly necessary, and which can be no less than such a belief of the great doctrines of Christianity, as through divine grace shall influence our hearts, lives, and practice.