Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 27
Verſe 41. The Jewes 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 ſonne of Joſeph, whoſe father and mother we know? How is it then that he ſaith, I came down from heaven?
Followeth their bad uſe of this ſweet doctrine. The clearer Chriſt ſpeaks, they diſcover the more of their diſpoſition, and teſtifie their diſcontent of ſpirit, by murmuring. They paſſe over all that Chriſt had ſaid beſide, and do carp only at what he had ſaid in direct anſwer to their deſire, ver. 34. wherein he aſſerts himſelfe to be that bread of life, ver. 35. which he had ſaid did come down from heaven, ver. 33. This they carp at, that he, whom they ſuppoſed they knew to be but the Sonne of Joſeph and Mary, ſhould ſpeak ſo great things of himſelfe. Wherein they not only bewray their ignorance of his divine nature, and miraculous conception, but their groſſe errour, in alleadging that he was the Sonne of Joſeph. From ver. 41. learn. 1. Men may pretend to much affection and eſtimation of Chriſt, who yet will prove but inconſtant, ſeeing they proceed not on ſolide grounds; for, they who cryed him up, ver. 14, 15. do now vilipend him, and carp that he ſhould commend himſelfe. 2. Such as do not get good of Chriſt and the Goſpel, nor do embrace him when he is offered, will certainly grow worſe; The powerful Goſpel will bring out their heart, and their unſoundneſſe will draw on more unſtreightneſſe; for, ſo fared it with them who ſought and heard Chriſt for a wrong end, the longer and the more they heare, they grow the worſe. 3. It is no ſtrange thing to ſee corrupt men, not only not embrace ſaving doctrine, but that they murmure and fret againſt it, and ſpit out their gall againſt the meſſengers thereof, either ſecretly or openly; for, ſuch is the entertainment Chriſt and his doctrine gets, The Jewes (as they were who followed and heard him) murmured at him, or, ſecretly muttered againſt what he ſaid. 4. Such as turn carpers and ſecret grudgers at the doctrine of Chriſt, do not only prove their preſent unſoundneſſe, but are on the way to further and more horrid apoſtacy; for, ſo doth the ſequel prove in theſe, this was the beginning of a breach betwixt him and them, which came at length to a greater height. The higheſt degrees of apoſtacy would not be digeſted at firſt by many, but murmurings, grudgings, and miſtakes, do by little and little habituate them unto it. 5. Such as carp at Chriſts doctrine, and deny unto him the glory of his excellency, in his perſon and offices, do not only wrong him, but ingrately deſpiſe their own great mercy; for, this point which they murmured at; that he is the bread which came down from heaven, doth not only ſet forth his glory, but was moſt ſweet and comfortable to loſt ſinners, as holding out his rich offer, and his gracious condeſcendence and love, that he would ſtoop and come down, to give life and refreſhment to them. 6. Though Chriſt had ſpoken much more then this, and that which concerned them very nearly, yet they take notice of no more but this one word. We may conceive the reaſons to be. 1. This having diſpleaſed them, it caſts down all the teſt; as oft times one word, croſſing carnal hearts, will irritate their corruptions, to reject all they heare, were it never ſo uſeful and inoffenſive, Jer. 26.3, 6. with 9. 2. It may be conceived, that, however they underſtood, and did reſent the hard newes that were inſinuate againſt them, ver. 37. yet, they will not quarrel upon that, but upon a more plauſible ground: To ſhew, how ſubtile unfriends to Chriſt are, that can mask their diſcontent with faireſt colours, and not diſcover the bottome of their hearts. Or. 3. It may be conceived, that not only paſſion becauſe of what Chriſt ſaid, but their own conceit of themſelves, hindred them from taking up that ſentence indirectly hinted at, and therefore Chriſt doth inculcate it again, ver. 44, 45. And ſo it teacheth, That, men who are puffed up with a conceit of themſelves, will not readily take with a reproofe or diſcovery of their condition, eſpecially if it be done but indirectly, and not held forth in expreſſe tearmes. Doctrine. 7. When enquiry is made, it will be found, that it is not Chriſts doctrine, but mens own corruptions and miſtakes, that cauſe them to ſtumble; for, if they underſtood his meaning to be, that his very body deſcended from heaven (as their following reaſoning doth import they did) this was but their own fancy; for, he ſpeaks of his Godhead and of the manner of his conception. And to deny his divinity and miraculous conception, was but their own ignorance of the Scriptures, Iſa. 7.14. and 9.6.
From ver. 42. learn. 1. Sinnes of progeniters may bring poſterity very low, and put even the poſterity of Kings into a mean condition; for, Joſeph, the ſuppoſed father of Chriſt, and his mother, were both of the blood royal of the Kings of Judah, and yet they lived in a poor condition, which occaſioneth this mentioning of them with contempt. 2. It pleaſed our Lord not only to ſtoop and become man, but to be born of baſe and mean parentage; That ſo he might accompliſh prophecies, Iſa. 11.1. and 53.1. That he might ſhew, that his Kingdome is not of this world; might ſanctifie a mean condition to his own, and by his poverty make many rich, 2 Cor. 8.9. And, that, in Gods righteous judgement, reprobates might ſtumble at him; for, ſo was it with him here, his ſuppoſed father, and his mother, were in no great account at this time. 3. It is the diſpoſition and plague of hypocrites and belly-gods, that they ſtumble at Chriſts outward baſe eſtate, and do not ſee his true and ſpiritual glory ſhining through that vaile; for, ſuch were they who ſee not the myſtery of his Incarnation, nor the glory of his Godhead, but do ſtumble on this, Is not this Jeſus the Sonne of Joſeph whoſe father and mother we know. 4. It is a great engine of Satan, to oppoſe Chriſt and his truth, by raiſing and ſpreading untruths, to bear him and it down; for, this was a grand cauſe of their ſtumbling, that they falſly ſuppoſed him to be the Sonne of Joſeph, which did obſcure the glory of his miraculous conception and birth. Thus alſo did Satan labour to bear him down by a general reproach caſt upon his countrey, Joh. 1.46. and 7.52. Thus did he endeavour to obſcure his reſurrection, Matth. 28.13, 14, 15. And it is no wonder to ſee Chriſt and his truth ſuffer prejudice, by hereditary miſreports and calumnies in all ages. 5. Much outward familiarity with Chriſt and his ſervants, will readily breed contempt of him in carnal hearts; for, their knowing of him, his mother, and ſuppoſed father, makes them ſleight him, notwithſtanding his miracles, is not this Jeſus, whoſe father and mother we know? 6. Corrupt and blinded reaſon in men, is a great enemy to God, and their own ſouls, while it muſters up things, partly falſe, and partly true in their own kinde, to oppoſe againſt ſupernatural truth, and to drive men from embracing of Chriſt; for, they pleaſe themſelves in their reaſonings againſt Chriſts aſſertions, partly, alledging falſe principles, that he was the Sonne of Joſeph, and nothing but a meer man, and partly, meaſuring his miraculous conception by their principles of reaſon, whence they reaſon it to be abſurd that he ſhould ſay, I came down from heaven. Men had need to ſubject their reaſonings to divine revelation in the things of God, leſt they wrong him and themſelves both.