The Words of Christ
Let us take the words of the text, and by seeing the different ways in which they have been misinterpreted, let us learn to hold fast the lessons of our Lord in all their original freshness and piercing power.
I. First, there was the error of those who understood, or rather pretended to understand, our Lord's words according to the very letter, who said "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" It would have been such utter foolishness so to have misunderstood Him, that we cannot suppose that any one could really have been so ignorant. To follow the letter of our Lord's words on many occasions would either profit us nothing, or would absolutely be mischievous to us.
II. Theirs, however, is a more common error, who, not content with not following the letter of the commandment, lower and weaken the spirit also; and thus set up for themselves a different and less perfect rule of life than that which God has given us. Persons of this sort would explain the words of the text by saying "Except ye keep the commandments of Jesus Christ ye cannot be saved." Now, this doubtless is very true; but it is not exactly the whole truth of Christ's expression. To keep the commandments of Jesus Christ does not quite come up to the force of His own lively words that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood. These words express that He must be to our souls what daily food is to our bodies; that we must live upon Him; that we must be ever walking by faith in Him; that we must look up to Him habitually in all our temptations, distresses, and perplexities as our only deliverer, comforter, and guide; that we must be in communion with Him as members with their head; and this day by day, and always, for without Him we can do nothing, and our souls will sicken and fall away from their sound health if they are kept even a day without that nourishment, which turning to Him in prayer and in constant meditation can alone supply them with. Many persons, by forgetting the force and peculiar meaning of the command to make Christ our food, and by putting always in the place of such lively expressions the mere injunction to obey Christ's law, have, in fact, grown cold in their feelings towards Him, have lost the sense of their close relationship to Him, have not held fast to Him as their Head, nor have sought of Him daily their spiritual nourishment and strength.
T. Arnold, Sermons,vol. i., p. 208.
References: John 6:53. H. Alford, Sermons on Christian Doctrine,p. 294.John 6:53-56. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxii., No. 1288; Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times,"vol. iii., p. 105.John 6:53-57. W. Hay Aitken, Mission Sermons,2nd series, p. 154.John 6:54; John 6:55. F. Tugwell, Penny Pulpit,No. 38 3 John 1:6 :55. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxv., No. 1460; R. Tuck, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xii., p. 406.