He spake of Judas Iscariot— Though our Lord did not at that time think fit to mention Judas, the evangelist adds this gloss, to shew, that no other disciple was suspected. Jesus called Judas a devil, because he would be an apostate and traitor: so likewise in reproving St. Peter, who had expressed an utter aversion to our Lord's suffering at Jerusalem, he called him Satan, on account of that one act by which he opposed the great design of his coming into the world: wherefore he might much more give Judas the name of devil, who resembled Satan so nearly in the wickedness of his dispositions and actions. In fine, our Lord, by declaring that he had knowingly made choice of a traitor to be one of the twelve who constantly attended him, insinuated that in his most retired hours and secret actions he was not afraid of the eyes of his enemies; wherefore, having initiated a person of this character into all the mysteries of his fellowship, no man can suspect that he was carrying on a plot to deceive the world; for if he had, Judas, when he deserted and betrayed him to the priests, would not have failed to discover the imposture.
Inferences drawn from the miracle of the loaves and fishes, John 6:5-14. It is a misfortune, that truth, often presented to the mind in the same view, loses its force by repetition. According to reason, the more we are assured of it the more we should be affected: but we find by experience, that the most important truths, by being often represented after the same manner, become gradually less affecting; they grow familiar; they grow insipid, and at last nauseous. The divine wisdom and goodness has therefore, in the holy scripture, diversified the same truths with an almost infinite variety of circumstances, exhibiting duty in new lights, proper to awaken attention, and persuade obedience with such efficacy, as may, through the grace of God and the influences of his divine Spirit, make due impressions upon us, if any thing will.
That we are continually maintained by the providence of God, is a notorious truth, yet grown so trite, that it rarely moves our gratitude: but the portion of scripture now before us, may serve to enliven it with the new circumstances, in which it represents our obligations to God for our daily food; which is as verily his gift to us, as the loaves and fishes miraculously increased to feed thousands, were the gift of Christ to that multitude.
Had we been present at that wondrous feast, and seen the creating hands of our Lord actually producing food, increasing the small pittance of bread and fish to a quantity sufficient to feed so many thousands; with what pleasing wonder and awe should we have felt ourselves seized! with what devout thankfulness should we have received our portion of the miraculous entertainment!
Now every meal that we eat is in reality as much the gift of our Lord, as was that amazing banquet. His power created, and his goodness bestows our every morsel. The whole world indeed is his family, for which he daily provides, and gives to every creature his food in due season. He causeth the grass (says the Psalmist) to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth. Thus are all things living in the earth, air, and sea, subsisted by God: and as they are so subsisted chiefly for the sake of man, and subjected to his dominion; he, as the priest of this lower world, must pay their homage and service to the common Lord. God has made man to have dominion over his other works, giving him a kind of property in them: and it is therefore highly reasonable that man should pay their tribute of praise, they themselves not being capable of knowing their dependence on God. The young lions are said to seek their meat from God, and the young ravens to cry unto him; yet these are only the complaints of languishing nature, heard and relieved by the God of nature, but not directly addressed to him. Man alone is capable to hold such communion with God, to know his goodness, and celebrate his praise. Yet most men live as insensible to their obligations to him as the meanest animals, who have no capacity to apprehend them. Though they receive their daily sustenance from God, yet make they no returns of praise or thanksgiving. And one reason is, because their sustenance comes naturally, that is, by the ministry of second causes: for nature is the established method by which God produces it. But second causes do not derogate from the first; though, to the great reproach of human reason they too often obscure it. And therefore our Lord, in the case before us, acted without them, producing food immediately by his creative power, and shewing, without a veil, to whom we owe it. This is the sentiment which I purpose, with God's blessing, now to inculcate, after briefly reconsidering the history upon which it is grounded.
Great multitudes had followed our Lord from the neighbouring cities and villages into the wilderness. Their attention to his doctrine, and admiration of his miracles, had suspended the call of natural appetite: on this account our merciful Redeemer called his disciples and said unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way,—for many of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? The place indeed was a wilderness, a barren desart:—but Christ was there: he who furnished a table in the wilderness for their forefathers; he who gives the fruitful vallies their fertility, and whose open hand filleth all things living with plenteousness,—He was there; and could immediately have created food for their present supply, as he did the world from nothing. Why then did he inquire for the seven loaves?—seven stones, or seven clods of earth, were as sufficient in his hand to have fed his many thousand guests. All things were equally possible to his power, but not equally agreeable to his wisdom. He was to teach in every action, and set an example in all that he did. And therefore, though possessed of the inexhaustible stores of Omnipotence, he extended his power only in such degree as the present occasion called for. Seven loaves he had, and those he used: but seven were not sufficient, and therefore he produced a miraculous supply.—He used the ordinary means as far as they would go, and had recourse to the extraordinary only as a supplement to their deficiency.—A great lesson to us; as, on the one hand, not to tempt God with vain presumptuous expectations of assistance, when the abilities already given are sufficient, if we duly exert them; so, on the other hand, to rely with a steady assurance upon his goodness, after we have used our utmost endeavours, and done the best we can.
To instruct us in this, our Lord took the small pittance that was at hand, the seven loaves and few small fishes.—For these He gave thanks (seeing these were all) and he brake them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitude: and they did all eat, and were filled; and at the same time, doubtless, their minds were affected with reverence, and the warm emotions of gratitude. For we read that those who saw and partook of this miraculous banquet, were so sensibly affected, that they immediately in some sense professed their faith in him as the great Messias: and, in the sudden transports of their zeal, they would have made him their King; and, at length, grew so importunate, that they would by violence constrain him to accept that office: for the evangelist adds, that when Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a King, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. He fled from offered royalty; for he came into the world for a far higher end, than to wear its crowns. He was indeed a King, and to this end was he born, (as he declared before Pilate) and for this cause came he into the world, that he should bear witness to the truth of his being so. But his dominion was not of this world; it was a spiritual dominion, a rule over souls, an everlasting kingdom of saints. All other empire was unworthy of him, and far beneath his innate supremacy.
Gross and sensual as the opinion of the multitude concerning Christ in general was, their ideas were just in believing him to be the true Messiah, and consequently the highest of Kings. Why then do we not practically agree with them,—we, who speculatively acknowledge him in the most spiritual sense to be the King of kings? They would have made Christ their King for one meal thus bestowed. We receive our daily sustenance from him, yet the greatest part make no return of homage and obedience. And why are we less affected than that multitude? The cause lies partly in the manner, not the matter of the obligation: it is because we receive it by the mediation of natural causes, which proceed in a regular uninterrupted course, according to the wise appointment of God as the God of nature.
That which we call the course of nature, is truly the will of God, and a continual exertion of his Providence. St. Paul says, that God gives us rain from heaven. Yet rain proceeds from natural causes: but it is not less the gift of God, because bestowed by means that are ordinary and established. So our Lord, in that part of his sermon on the mount which concerns providence, says, that God feedeth the ravens: and God does as verily feed them, as they by his appointment fed his prophet Elijah at the banks of Kidron. Yet no man doubts but they are fed by the ordinary course of nature, which is not less providential, because constant and regular.
Nature is the servant of God, and ministers our food, as the disciples did the loaves multiplied by our Lord: and our gratitude should terminate in him, as theirs in some sense did, when they would have made him their king. But our minds are not affected with things that happen often: we contract a certain familiarity with common events; and the daily wonders of nature grow cheap and unaffecting by their frequency. Things which rarely happen, strike; whereas frequency lessens the admiration of things, though in themselves ever so admirable. This miracle of the multiplied loaves has its novelty to recommend it; but the others as much deserve our devout acknowledgments.
We may best judge of this by some other instances. Is it more strange that the rod of Aaron should bud, than that ten thousand woods and forests, stripped by the frosts, should in the spring shoot forth buds innumerable, and make new shades with returning leaves, and bloom? Or, that food should descend nightly from heaven, as the manna did upon one certain spot where the Israelites were encamped,—is this more strange than that food should spring, as it does yearly, and all the world over, out of the ground? God is alike the Author in both cases, and man's obligations are the same: but when his productions appear frequent, and after the same manner, we heedlessly pass them by as natural: and when they appear in a manner new and unusual, then we cry miracle and prodigy! The strangeness of the thing, as it were, alarms us, and makes us raise our eyes to the hand that caused it.
In condescension therefore to our weakness and inadvertency, Almighty God has vouchsafed, upon some extraordinary occasions, to divert his power out of the common channel of nature, and, for this reason among others still more important, to shew it in some other manner that is new and surprizing. In the case before us, he quite threw off the disguise of second causes, and visibly and in person exerted that power, from which the earth gives its increase, and the fountains flow with perpetual streams.
His operations in nature proceed very leisurely from small and seemingly despicable beginnings: passing through various successive changes, and advancing by just degrees, they attain at last their due perfection. Thus a grain of corn, sown in the earth, and perishing there, by a virtue which God has implanted in it, communicates we know not what fecundity to the glebe. From that secret spark of vegetative life the tender roots spread, and the green blade springs forth; which, after a revolution of various seasons, with the concurrence of frost, and rain, and snow, and dew, and sunshine, displays the ear, first green, with little cells full of a milky substance, which ripens and hardens in the sun, till the grain, perfected and ready for the labours of men, is gathered, and, after various operations, becomes proper for our nourishment. So long a progress through natural causes, with divers arts and labours of men, is necessary to make a piece of bread. But the Lord of nature might, and did go a nearer way to work. It was corn in its maturity, it was bread in its perfection, at once, in his creating hands.
The ordinary method of producing food is in general the most proper, as it employs the time, quickens the industry, and exercises the ingenuity of men: the extraordinary way was fit only for those particular occasions whereon our Lord used it, and wherein he had particular views and designs. One important point which he had regard to, was to remind us in that sensible manner of our obligations to him for our daily bread; to teach us to reflect, that however wonderful the sudden increase of loaves may appear, yet every harvest renews the miracle for the subsistence of all the world.
I add one or two instances more of the same nature, because I am desirous to inculcate this sentiment so often as may render it familiar, that our minds may readily enter into it upon all occasions; and as often as we partake of the gifts of God, we may at the same time see the hand that bestows them.
Had we fed upon the miraculous quails with the Israelites in the wilderness, and quenched our thirst at those sudden streams which the rock yielded, at the stroke of Moses, how should we have been transported with a sense of God's goodness! would not such a meal, while it fed our body, also have entertained our mind with holy wonder, praise, and thanksgiving? would not every morsel have renewed our gratitude, and excited our devotion?
And what difference is there between the food wherewith God fed the Israelites in the desart, and that wherewith he feeds us in this land of plenty? None in respect of the Author;—none in respect of our obligations to him. The food that he rained from heaven, and the corn he produces out of the earth, are both alike his creatures; and he that furnished that table in the wilderness, is the same that furnishes our table every day.
There is no room for argument upon this occasion. We all know that our food is the creature of God; that his power made, and his goodness bestows it, as verily as they did the food that fed these thousands. Yet many men make no returns to this universal Benefactor. How just therefore is that expostulation of the prophet, Do you thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy Father, that created, and fed thee? who gave thee all thy faculties, and all the objects wherewith they are gratified? Why have men reason wherewith to trace effects to their causes? Why have they, through divine Grace, lively apprehensions of benefits, and capacities for grateful sentiments, if they do not exert those faculties in the instances that most require, that best deserve them? if receiving daily obligations, they continue as void of grateful reflections, as beasts grazing in the fields, or feeding in the stalls, which have no understanding? Yet even these from the blind instincts of nature express something like an acknowledgment of favours. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib, saith God; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
How justly might God punish the ingratitude of men by withdrawing the blessings which they have long abused? He frequently does so even in this life: and many, who have not been thankful for their daily bread, have lived to want it. But in most instances, perhaps, the case is otherwise; and God maketh the sun to shine, and his rain to fall, and food to grow, for the evil and the good, the thankful and the unthankful, as long as this life lasts: and then the scene will be changed, and his blessings be no more bestowed promiscuously; but they who have not acknowledged his bounty, shall learn how great their obligations were, by the want of it; and, as a just punishment of their unthankfulness, be reduced to that sad state, in which they shall have nothing left to be thankful for.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The miracle recorded in the first part of this chapter, is the only one which all the four evangelists have mentioned. We have,
1. The time and place, when and where it was wrought. Christ had crossed the lake Gennesaret, called the sea of Tiberias from a city that Herod had built on the borders of it in honour of the emperor Tiberius. Multitudes followed him; not so much, it seems, affected by his doctrine, as drawn by his miracles. However, our Lord was ready to receive them; and, going up into the mountain, for the convenience of being heard, sat there with his disciples, and taught the listening crowd: and the passover, the third since his entrance on the ministry, now approached.
2. The miracle itself. Beholding with compassion the multitude who were assembled on this occasion, our Lord addressed himself to Philip, and asked him, in order to try his faith, being himself resolved what to do, Where they could get bread to feed that multitude? Philip, dull of apprehension, looked only to human aid, and suggests, that two hundred pennyworth of bread, which probably was all their common stock, would not be sufficient to give each a morsel. Andrew, hearing the discourse, suggests that there was a lad in the company that had five barley loaves and two small fishes; but these indeed would be as nothing among such a multitude. But where human means fail, the divine power is not straitened. Commanding his disciples, therefore, to seat the multitude in order, where the grass was their carpet, the earth their table, with his divine benediction he consecrated the scanty provision, and, breaking the bread and fishes, gave them to his disciples, who distributed them to the multitude; and, marvellous to behold! under their hands the meat continued to grow as it descended down the ranks; and not only afforded enough for a plentiful meal to all the vast multitude, but such a quantity of fragments as filled twelve baskets full. Note; (1.) When the Lord is pleased at times to leave us in perplexity, he has designs of his own to answer, and knows what he intends to do. (2.) Christ's disciples must not disdain coarse and scanty fare; but be content, when his providence so ordains, to put up with barley cakes, and be thankful for them; and then this poor provision, with the benediction of Jesus, shall yield a richer entertainment than all the delicacies of the luxurious. (3.) They who call a fish-meal fasting, seem to cast reproach on the rich feast with which Jesus entertained his followers. (4.) Bread must never be wasted; even the fragments of barley cakes are carefully gathered up. If we are full, others are fasting, who will be glad of our leavings; good economy is the means to enable us for more extensive charity.
3. Great was the effect, for the time at least, produced by this miracle on the minds of the people. They concluded that this must be that great prophet spoken of by Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15 who should come into the world.
2nd, We have,
1. The retirement of the Lord Jesus. They, whom he had in so astonishing a manner fed, were immediately for proclaiming him king of the Jews, and erecting his standard; expecting, according to their mistaken prejudices, that he would set up a temporal dominion, rescue them from the Roman yoke, and place them at the head of the nations. But far different was the kingdom that he came to establish: therefore, lest their irregular zeal should hurry them into some seditious behaviour, and they might, against his will, attempt to force the royalty upon him, he left them, and went up again into the mountain alone. Note; (1.) Christ's kingdom is not of this world; his true disciples will never seek their portion here below. (2.) His ministers must avoid every thing that may give the shadow of offence to the secular powers, never intermeddling with civil affairs, but teaching all dutiful submission to the powers that are.
2. While the Master was in the mountain, the disciples were tossing in the tempestuous waves. By the command of their Lord they had gone on shipboard, in order to cross the lake; but now the storm arose, the night was dark, the wind contrary, and their Master not come to them, which heightened their distress. Note; (1.) After the sweetest seasons of refreshment, sometimes severe temptations succeed. (2.) It is one of the heaviest afflictions to the soul under trials, when the presence of Jesus is withdrawn, and we are left under darkness and desertion; but this never is without some degree of previous unfaithfulness. (3.) They who embark in Christ's cause, must prepare for a storm. The way to glory lies in general through much tribulation.
3. In their extremity help approaches. In the way of duty we need not despair; Christ will deliver us in the needful time of trouble. He came to them, miraculously walking on the waters; but they, affrighted, thought it had been an apparition, till his well-known voice quieted their fears: when he was so nigh, no evil could hurt them. Note; (1.) We often terrify ourselves with unnecessary apprehensions of danger; and, when our minds are dejected, are ready to fear that the very means which are working for our good, portend an increase of our misery. (2.) Jesus alone, by his all-powerful word, can speak peace to the sinner's troubled mind.
4. With joy they welcomed their Master's arrival; and in a moment the ship, by miracle, was at the place of their destination. Note; (1.) Christ is doubly precious to the soul; when mourning after him, and walking in darkness, he returns, and lifts up the light of his countenance, and disputes every cloud of sorrow. (2.) It will be a pleasing surprise to many a trembling believer, when he shall find himself at death safely landed on the shores of eternal rest.
3rdly, All night the multitude seem to have waited for the return of Jesus from the mountain in the morning; for as they saw the disciples embark, and leave their Master behind them, and there was no other boat in which he could follow them, they concluded that he must still be on that side of the water: but, not finding him there as they expected, we are told,
1. How carefully they followed him. Some boats arriving in the morning from Tiberias, near that place where they had been miraculously fed through the benediction of Jesus, they crossed the lake to Capernaum, hoping to find him there, where he usually made his abode. Note; (1.) They who love Christ truly will stop at no pains in following him. (2.) When we are found in God's way, his providence will soon be seen most graciously to second our good designs and desires.
2. They found him on the other side of the sea, and could not but express their astonishment how he could come thither, having no convenience for crossing the lake. Note; Many eagerly run after Christ and his gospel, pretending great zeal for hearing, who never truly come to him by faith, nor receive the ingrafted word to the saving of their souls.
3. Christ, who knew the spirit and temper with which they followed him, replies to their question in such a manner, as he saw their state required.
[1.] He rebukes them for the corrupt principle on which they acted. They followed him, not because they were convinced by his doctrine and miracles, and believed on him to the saving of their souls, but merely because they had been fed at his cost, and expected yet greater temporal advantages from him when he should set up his kingdom. Note; Many follow Christ for the loaves, who have no love for his gospel.
[2.] He exhorts them to seek a better portion. 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. The world and all the things thereof perish in the using; and we are dying daily, and cannot long possess any thing here below. It were therefore the most egregious folly to lay out all our labour on so transitory a portion, and most criminal to make our profession of religion subservient to the base purposes of earthly advantage. Christ proposes to us a nobler good, even that spiritual food of his grace by which our immortal souls may be fed, and we may grow up to the participation of that eternal life, which the Son of man has to bestow on every truly faithful soul: for him hath God the Father sealed, fully commissioned and authorised him to give this eternal life to his faithful saints. Note; (1.) All our blessings in time and eternity, must come from the free gift of our Redeemer. (2.) None who come to Jesus, seeking the living bread, will be denied, for he feedeth the hungry.
4thly, In consequence of what he had spoken, the persons who heard him entered into conference with him, how they might attain that everlasting life which he mentioned.
1. They said unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? He had commanded them to labour for the enduring meat, and they wanted to know what they must do; whether any thing more was necessary than obedience to the law of Moses: for they founded all their expectations on their own doings and duties, and thought of no other way of life or acceptance with God than by the works of the law. (See the Annotations for another view of this subject.)
2. Christ replied, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. Faith in Jesus, in his divine character as the Messiah, and in the all-sufficiency of his death and intercession to justify the ungodly, is the leading point, without which it is impossible to please God. And this faith is his own work in the penitent soul.
3. They answered again, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see and believe thee? what dost thou work? They overlooked the miracles that he had already performed, and demanded greater. For since he seemed to assume higher authority than that of Moses, they thought he should produce greater evidences of a divine commission: it is true, he had by miracle yesterday fed five thousand, but they suggest that Moses did much more. Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. The number was much greater, the miracle daily continued, and the fare far more delicious than barley loaves.
4. Christ rectifies their mistake. They ascribed to Moses what was not his, but God's gift. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; it does not appear that he had the least concern in procuring it; neither did it come from heaven, as they seemed to imagine, but merely from the air, and served only to support a mortal life: but my Father, who gave you the manna, giveth you the true bread from heaven, of which that was the type and figure. For the bread of God is he (or that) which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world, a provision as much superior to the manna in the wilderness, as the throne of God is beyond the clouds, and life eternal exceeds the present moment of mortality.
5. Ignorantly mistaking his meaning, as if he spoke of material bread, they said unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. They eagerly desire that heavenly provision, whose properties were so excellent, and so far surpassed the manna which their fathers did eat in the wilderness. They indeed understood not what they asked; but if we have tasted the heavenly manna, have fed upon the word of Jesus, and feasted on the sweet and precious promises which are in him, we shall not cease with deep sensibility to cry, Lord, evermore give us this bread!
6. Christ plainly informs them of his meaning. I am the bread of life: he spoke not of bread literally, or of a merely temporal happiness, but of himself; a divine Person become incarnate to give spiritual life to immortal souls. He is the bread of life; our bodies could better live without daily food, than our spirits without constant supplies of his grace. He is both the quickening principle of our spiritual life, and the constant support of it. Therefore, says Christ, he that cometh to me, shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me, shall never thirst; whoever by faith applies to Jesus, shall not want the richest provision to satisfy the most enlarged desires of his soul. But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not; they had seen his miracles, yet, through their earthly-mindedness and attachment to worldly interest, they received him not as a spiritual Redeemer, nor trusted in him for eternal life. "This," says our Lord, in other words, "is an evidence of great obstinacy and untowardness, of improbity and pride in you. For had the Father's preventing grace had any success upon you, had it wrought probity or humility in you, you would certainly come in at my call: and I will not reject any one who thus comes, under whatever load of guilt or corruption he groans; nor cast him forth afterwards, if he will abide with me." (See the Annotations.) The Saviour's arms of mercy are open to receive the miserable and the desperate: no sinner who flies to him, need fear a repulse; however great or aggravated his iniquities may be, pardon and peace are assured to him by the promises of the God who cannot lie. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me; not to carry on any design separately from his Father; but as his ambassador, qualified and commissioned to execute that glorious work of man's redemption, to which he was appointed; and ready to do and suffer whatever the will of his heavenly Father had ordained for him. 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: "For this lies upon me as the office for which my Father hath sent me, (the fulfilling of which is all my care,) that I should be careful to preserve every one who with an honest heart shall thus come and believe on me; and give every one who thus perseveres (besides many excellent privileges here) eternal life of body and soul hereafter." (See the Annotations.) All those have a part in this salvation, who hear, and by faith embrace, the gospel which Christ declares. For this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day; the gospel proposes a free salvation, through Jesus, to every miserable sinner; and whoever receives the record of God concerning his Son, and sees his own deep need of the Saviour and the all-sufficiency of Jesus, becomes a partaker of that present life of grace, which is an earnest of the eternal life of glory to the faithful soul. They who perish, owe it to their wilful infidelity; they reject the counsel of God against their own souls, and will not come to Christ that they may have life; either, through wilful ignorance, obstinately insensible of their own misery and want of a Saviour, or, through Pharisaic pride, going about to establish their own righteousness, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God which is by faith.
7. Perceiving now that Christ plainly pointed at himself, as the living bread endued with such wondrous properties, the Jews murmured and cavilled at him, as if he assumed to himself extravagant honours, in pretending to come down from heaven, and to be the bread of life; and they objected his known descent from Joseph and Mary. 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? when his earthly original is so evident?
8. Christ confutes their cavils, and answers their murmurings. He said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves; he knew their thoughts, and the prejudices that they entertained against him, arising from that native corruption of their hearts, which nothing but divine grace through faith could subdue, and which they rejected. For no man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him; such is the present state of fallen man, that he is under an utter impotence to turn unto God, unless drawn by the Spirit of God, and enabled to believe in his dear Son, who offers sufficient grace to all without exception, and wills not the death of any sinner, but that he should repent and be saved. And to as many as do repent, and submit to, and faithfully improve his grace, Christ saith, I will raise him up at the last day; and the way in which the sinner is thus wrought upon, is according as it is written in the prophets, Isaiah 54:13.Jeremiah 31:34. They shall be all taught of God, by his revealed word and the illumination of his Spirit. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, attending to him, speaking in his word, and by his Spirit to the soul, cometh unto me, trusting on Jesus alone for pardon and salvation; and without such divine teaching and spiritual illumination, and such yielding and submission to those divine teachings, the natural man cannot receive the truths of revelation, nor believe in the Son of God. Not that any man hath seen the Father, visibly or personally instructing him, save he which is of God, his incarnate Son; he hath seen the Father; is privy to all his councils and designs; by him all divine discoveries are made, and through his agency divine power is communicated to the penitent soul, to receive the Gospel-word. Verily, verily, I say unto you, as a most undoubted truth, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life; the genuine Christian has at present a title to it by faith, embraces it in hope, and has the earnest and foretaste of it in present grace; and, if he perseveringly cleave to Christ, shall be brought to the actual enjoyment of eternal glory hereafter. I am that bread of life; it is derived from Christ our spiritual life; through him it is supported, and by him alone it can be perfected. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead; miraculous as their provision was, it only maintained for a while a temporal life, and did not prevent the ravages of death, or render them immortal. But this is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die; for whoever by faith truly and perseveringly feeds upon Christ, shall never die eternally. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven, to be the author of spiritual and eternal life: if any man eat of this bread, constantly hungering after the pardon, righteousness, and salvation which Jesus brings, he shall live for ever; though not immortal upon earth, yet crowned with an eternity of glory in heaven: and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. His human body, offered up as the great sacrifice for sinners, would be the grand procuring cause of all those inestimable blessings which he had mentioned; of which not only the Jews, but the Gentile world, would be made partakers.
9. The gross and carnal ideas of the Jews still prevented them from comprehending his meaning: and they strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? concluding his assertion to be absurd and improbable, because they understood him as if speaking of his human flesh, which should be eaten like bread,—an opinion as monstrous, as that which the Romish church has since adopted concerning the flesh of Jesus, as corporally eaten in the eucharist.
Lastly, Christ confirms and explains what he had said concerning his flesh. It was of absolute necessity, that, in a spiritual sense, that should be done which was figuratively represented by eating his flesh, and drinking his blood; even that they should be vitally united to him by faith, and become one with him, as the food which is eaten incorporates with our bodies. For 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; without this union of our souls to him, we can neither have spiritual life here, nor eternal life hereafter. But whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; not merely partaking of the elements which represent these; depending on which, they may deceive themselves, and think if they can but receive the sacrament before they die, they shall infallibly be saved; when neither living nor dying will these outward signs at all profit those who are strangers to the inward and spiritual grace; I say, it is not partaking of the outward elements, but the spiritual feeding upon Christ and his saving benefits by faith which is here meant; and whoever does that, hath eternal life, is now entitled to it, and, if faithful, will shortly be put in possession of it; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed; affording the most delightful nourishment and feast for the soul, infinitely exceeding any corporal refreshment. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, with spiritual appetite and discernment, dwelleth in me, and I in him. He is incorporated with Christ, as a member of his body mystical, is entitled to the remission of sins and acceptance with God, which, by the blood-shedding of Jesus, is obtained for all who believe in him, and has Christ as the quickening Spirit formed in his heart, the principle of spiritual life, which, in the faithful saints of God, shall reach its utmost perfection in eternal glory. For as the living Father, who is the fountain of life to every living creature, hath sent me; and I, as man and Mediator, commissioned by him, live by the Father, supported and enabled to finish the work that he has given me to do; so he that eateth me, united to me by faith, even he shall live by me; receiving out of my fulness, as the branches are fed by the living root. Because I live, ye shall live also. This then is the conclusion of the whole; I am that bread which came down from heaven, concerning which I spoke before, and the properties of which are so transcendently excellent: not as your fathers did eat manna; far different is this bread; that was from the air, this from the highest heavens; that was but a type, this the antetype and substance; that only supported a momentary life; they who fed thereupon, were subject to all the diseases and decays incident to mortality, and are dead; but he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever; he shall be holy here, and, feeding till death, on this heavenly food, shall be glorious for ever.
This discourse Jesus held in the synagogue at Capernaum, publicly and openly, that all who desired it might hear and receive his heavenly doctrines. Note; Truth seeks no covert.
The gospel of Jesus must be declared openly, and will bear the severest inquiry. His word is truth.
5thly, We have an account of the different effects produced by this discourse on the minds of the hearers.
1. Many who had followed him till then as his nominal disciples, were highly shocked at what they heard, taking it in a gross and carnal sense, and not entering into the spirit of his words; or they were offended at the divine original and operation which he claimed as co-equal with God the Father; or, because it was mysterious, they disbelieved his doctrine as absurd,—as the infidels and scoffers of our day, who, because the mysteries of grace appear not agreeable to their fallen reason, suppose it a mark of superior understanding to reject them.
2. Christ was apprized of their murmurings; for he sees the hard thoughts which sinners entertain of him, as well as hears their hard speeches. He searcheth the heart, and therefore replies, Doth this offend you? If the coming down of the Son of man from heaven appears so incredible, What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? This would perhaps yet more astonish them, considering the meanness of his present appearance; and might seem still more improbable to happen. As to what he had observed about eating his flesh, this must be understood not corporally, but spiritually: It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the bare participation of the outward ordinances avails nothing to procure eternal life. The sinner's soul must be quickened by the power of the Spirit of Jesus, and brought to the discernment of spiritual things, otherwise the most nourishing words of his gospel convey no food to the inward man. The words that I speak unto you, says he, they are spirit, and they are life; to be understood not in a literal but spiritual sense, and, accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost, become the means of quickening the dead sinner's soul, and maintaining the life which Christ bestows. But there are some of you that believe not; professing to be disciples, but in truth not at all experimentally acquainted with the doctrines of the gospel: for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father: "This was the reason that I told you, John 6:44 that no man cometh to the faith of Christ sincerely, but he who by my Father's preventing grace is qualified for it; (see the Annotations) because I saw that many who follow me, do not truly believe on me, nor intend to live as I command them; but one keeps his love of money, and for that will betray me; and others retain their other interests and their other sins. Note; Christ knows the heart, and sees the infidelity which reigns within, though covered with the most plausible cloak of profession."
3. Many who had murmured before, now utterly withdrew, and returned to their former occupations, to their own sinful ways, and Pharisaical teachers, and never made any farther profession, nor attended any more on his ministry. We are not to wonder if we see apostates; nay, many, of whom we had formed the most sanguine hopes, go back: it was so from the beginning.
4. Christ hereupon addressed his twelve chosen ones, that he might draw from them a profession of faith in him: Will ye also go away? Not that he doubted the sincerity of the eleven; but it bespoke his affection towards them, and his confidence in them, that, whatever others did, they would never follow such bad examples, but cleave to him with unshaken fidelity.
5. Peter's zealous heart cannot bear the suspicion which the question seemed to intimate, and therefore, in the name of his brethren, he nobly replies, Lord, to whom shall we go? Out of thee we can hope for neither pardon, peace, grace, nor glory. Turn where we will, misery and destruction meet us. Thou, and thou alone, hast the words of eternal life; and we believe all that thou hast lately spoken, and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Note; (1.) St. Peter's reply must be the answer of every faithful soul, when tempted to quit his profession: To whom shall we go, for life and peace? To our sins? they will destroy us. To our own works and endeavours? they cannot justify or save us. To the world? it will deceive our expectations. Christ, and Christ alone, is the only foundation of hope and fountain of happiness to a fallen sinner: out of him, nothing but wrath and ruin remain for us. (2.) The more steadily and assuredly we trust the Son of God, the more we honour him. And that faith which gives him glory, will bring us the most reviving consolations.
6. Jesus answered them, to check too great self-confidence, and prepare them for the issue, Have not I chosen you twelve to the distinguished honour of apostleship, and one of you is a devil? possessed by that wicked spirit in his heart a traitor and a murderer? He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon; for he it was that should betray him, as Christ well knew; though he was one of the twelve, which aggravated his guilt. Note; (1.) A man, like Judas, may have been the means of casting out devils from others, and yet be a devil himself. Among the most flaming professors there will be found hypocrites and apostates. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. (2.) The purest societies on earth cannot answer for all their members. It is in heaven alone, or perhaps also in the great millennium, that the wheat will be free from the chaff.