Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 41 – Verse 44
Verſe 58. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eate Manna and are dead: he that eateth of this bread ſhall live for ever.
59. Theſe things ſaid he in the Synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
In the concluſion of this diſcourſe, 1. Chriſt repeateth his former doctrine, pointing out his excellency as bread of life, from his divine original; his excellency above Manna; and the effects of feeding on him. 2. John deſignes the place where Chriſt preached his Sermon, which was their Synagogue at Capernaum, or the place where they of that City did aſſemble (as the word ſignifieth) for reading the Law, and ordinary moral worſhip. This erecting of Synagogues in the ſeveral places of the Land, hath beene of old appointed by God for the peoples edification, albeit they behoved to performe ceremonial worſhip in the Temple at Jeruſalem. See Act. 15.21. with Pſal. 74.8. And the deſignation of the place is recorded here, to ſhew that at this Chriſt cloſed his ſermon, and that what is after recorded, was onelyonly occaſionall, and upon their removall, or after they were gone thence.
From verſe 58. Learn, 1. The blinde and corrupt hearts of men are not eaſily brought to cloſe with ſaving truths, but either they do reject them, or do ſoone forget and let them ſlip; So much doth this inculcating of the commendation of this heavenly bread, import. 2. It is abſolutely neceſſary, that men do not halt nor heſitate in the matter of cloſing with Chriſt, and feeding upon him; but that over all impediments, they take up their need of him, and make uſe of him accordingly; Therefore it is ſo much born upon them, again and again. 3. Miniſters muſt not be weary to preſſe ill learned truths, but their inculcating them is one mean to make them be received: for, therefore doth Chriſt tell the ſame things over again. 4. One main impediment unto the ſucceſſe of truth, is mens natural inclination to their old errours and principles, and their unwillingneſſe to quit them; for, ſo is here imported, that Moſes and the Manna which came from heaven, did ſo ſtick with them, that they could dreame of nothing ſo excellent; and therefore he takes pains to refute this. 5. Chriſt being known in his true excellency and worth, both in reſpect of his Original, and the benefits which are conferred by him, will be found farre above any thing men doat on, and richly able to make them happy; Therefore is he held out here as come down from heaven, and making men to live for ever, neither of which could be ſaid of Manna, as hath already been cleared.
From verſe 59. Learn, 1. When the Lord brings a Nation into viſible Covenant with himſelf, it is his will, that care be had to keep up his worſhip, and to ſpread the knowledge of his name in all the corners of the Land; for, to this end did their many Synagogues tend. 2. It is the duty of Chriſts ſervants, to take hold of all occaſions within the compaſſe of their calling, to publiſh truth, and work upon ſouls: for, therefore did Chriſt teach in the Synagogue of Capernaum, that he might take occaſion to ſpeak to many when they conveened there. 3. However men diſreliſh Chriſts doctrine, yet it is truth, and ſo innocent and harmleſſe, that it needs not ſeek a corner, but may be avowed; Therefore he went publickly to the Synagogue with it. See Matth. 26.55. John 18.20. 4. Chriſt takes notice of places where he hath preached, and what means he ſends to ſuch and ſuch places; that as hereby he teſtifieth his reſpects, ſo their conviction may be greater, if they bring not forth anſwerable fruits; therefore is it recorded that this was done in Capernaum, where he often taught, but with ſmall fruit, Matth. 11.23.
Ver. 60. Many therefore of his diſciples, when they had heard this, ſaid, This is an hard ſaying, who can heare it?
Unto the end of the chap. we have the events and conſequents that followed on this Sermon. And the firſt is, that they carp at his doctrine and cannot digeſt it, ver. 60. and he doth vindicate and clear what he had ſaid, ver. 61, 62, 63, 64, 65.
In this ver. their hard cenſure of this doctrine of Chriſt is recorded; They declare it to be intolerable, blaſphemous, and ſo abſurd, that none could hear it. And this is recorded to be the practice, even of many of his diſciples, whereby we are not to underſtand the twelve Apoſtles, who yet ſtay with him, ver. 67. nor yet is it to be underſtood of theſe ſeventy diſciples, who were all Teachers, Luk. 10.1. But it was ſuch as had given up their names to him, to follow him and learn of him. And ſo this Sermon ſtumbled not only the common multitude at Capernaum, or theſe who followed him over the ſea, for loaves: but even many of his ordinary followers miſtook it. Doctrine 1. When Chriſt hath taken moſt pains to inculcate and clear ſaving and neceſſary truths, yet ordinarily the moſt part will never make them welcome; f…r, they were many, who ſtumbled, to wit, in compaſſion of th…ſe to whom his doctrine was ſavoury. 2. Profeſſions of viſible intereſt in Chriſt will not … …ove found to the end, but the moſt part of ſuch profeſſours will ſooner or later, when their trial and tentation comes, ſtumble at him, his way and truth, for, many of his diſciples did here miſcarry. 3. Carnal hearts, as they do not underſtand, ſo they cannot digeſt the ſpiritual truths of Chriſt; And their corrupt diſpoſition diſreliſhing the Word, is a main ſtumbling block unto them; for, this was the cauſe of their miſcarriage here. They ſaid, this is a hard ſaying, or, intolerable. It was not ſo indeed, but as they underſtood and took it carnally, and the blame was not in the doctrine, but in their corrupt taſte, which made what was ſweet, bitter to them. 4. Carnal men, and ſuch as get no good of hearing, are in peril to grow ſtill the longer the worſe, and at laſt impatient of hearing at all; for, they who murmured and ſtrave before, come now to this, who can hear it? 5. Corrupt men do meaſure all others by themſelves, and their pride and ſelfe-love makes them imagine, that Chriſt and his truth can reliſh no better with any, then it doth with them; Therefore ſay they, who can hear it? thinking none could like it, more then they, wherein they were far miſtaken, ver. 68.
Verſe 61. When Jeſus knew in himſelfe that his diſciples murmured at it, he ſaid unto them, Doth this offend you?
Followeth Chriſts anſwer to their murmuring, which ſeems to have been ſpoken after they were now come out of the Synagogue. In it, he reprehends their ſtumbling, ver. 61. cleares his doctrine, ver. 62, 63. and points out the true cauſe of all their miſtakes, ver. 64, 65. In this ver. it is recorded that Chriſt perfectly knew and took notice of their murmuring, and doth challenge and reprove their unjuſt and cauſeleſſe ſtumbling. Whence learn, 1. It is Chriſts prerogative to know moſt ſecret things in himſelfe; neither needing ſight nor information, nor yet any divine revelation extrinſecal to his perſon, ſuch as the Prophets had, but by vertue of the union of his humane nature to the Godhead, his humane nature by revelation from the Godhead, is made to know what is needful, though it be not made omniſcient of it ſelfe; for, Jeſus knew in himſelfe, when they had gone aſide, and diſcourſed upon this matter apart from him. 2. Chriſt makes uſe of this his knowledge, to take notice what his followers are doing, and what fruits follow upon his doctrine and preaching to them, as here we ſee. 3. Chriſt doth take notice of, and is offended with the corrupt affections of men, and the ſecret out-breakings thereof, how ſecretly however they be conveighed; Therefore doth he…e prove that which he know in himſelfe they were gui…ty of. 4. Stumbling, and being offended at C…ſts doctrine and diſpenſations, whether by the w…k… malicious, is a great impediment to the ſucceſſe of the Goſpel, and a great fault in men; Therefore doth he reprove that they were offended, or ſcandalized, and ſtumbled. 5. Murmuring, and repining, or quareling, at that which Chriſt ſaith or doth, is a ſad evidence of ſtumbling, and of hazard of falling; Therefore from their murmuring, he gathers their being offended. 6. When Chriſts followers and diſciples do ſtumble and take offence, the fault is the greater; Therefore ſaith he to his diſciples, doth this offend you? God hath taken moſt pains on them, they have profeſſed the contrary, and their ſtumbling give…h more offence, and therefore is the more odious. 7. Albeit many ſtumble at the doctrine of Chriſt, ſome at the doctrine of the croſſe, others at the depth of his decrees, ſome at the ſtrict doctrine of holineſſe and renouncing our own righteouſneſſe, and ſome at the ſimplicity of the doctrine of the Goſpel; yet there is no juſt ground of offence in any of theſe: And in particular, it is a cauſeleſſe and ſinful ſtumbling, when men offend at the ſweet doctrine of cloſing with, and feeding upon Chriſt: Therefore ſaith he, with indignation, doth this offend you? to wit, my doctrine, and in particular, this ſweet and eaſie doctrine, formerly taught.
Verſe 62. What and if ye ſhall ſee the Sonne of man aſcend up where he was before.
In this and the following ver. Chriſt doth cleare his doctrine, at which they ſtumbled ſo much. And firſt, whereas they ſtumbled that he, who appeared ſo much in outward baſeneſſe, ſhould ſay he came down from heaven, ver. 41, 42. He declareth, that his aſcenſion into heaven ſhould prove the truth of that, to their conviction and ſhame. And this alſo helps to cleare their miſtake about eating of his fleſh. It doth not neceſſarily inferre that they ſhould be witneſſes of his aſcenſion, but that he ſhould indeed aſcend, and that the truth and certainty of this ſhould ſhame them for their baſe thoughts of him likewiſe, while it is ſaid, he ſhall aſcend up where he was before, it is not to be underſtood, as it his Godhead did change place, and leave heaven at his incarnation; for, however he ſtooped, in reſpect of ſtate, to appeare on earth in our nature, ye… he is ſtill in heaven, Joh. 3.13. Nor is it the meaning, that his humane nature did deſcend from heaven, ſeeing in reſpect of that he aſcended. But the meaning is, that the aſcenſion of his humane nature, by local change of place, ſhould clearly prove that he came from heaven in reſpect of his divine natures ſtooping to be cloathed with our fleſh; And both theſe two are ſpoken of the whole perſon, in reſpect of the perſonal union, though they be verified but in the one or other nature. Further, it is to be marked, that Chriſts aſcenſion doth prove his Godhead, and that he came down from heaven; to wit, not ſimply, for Enoch and Elijah did aſcend to heaven, who yet were not there before; but in regard that he did ariſe and aſcend by his own power, Job. 2.19. and 10.18. Pſal. 68 18. Joh. 20.17. Doctrine 1. Albeit men will not for preſent beleeve the excellency and glory of Chriſt; yet it will be diſcovered, and they may ſee it to their conviction and ſhame, either in mercy or in judgement; for, ſo doth he intimate, that they ſhould ſee their folly, when they ſee the Sonne of man aſcend up. See Joh. 8.28. Luk. 12.22, 67, 69. 2. Chriſts aſcending into heaven is a clear proofe of his Godhead, and that he deſcended from heaven in his incarnation; Therefore, doth he confirme the one by the other. See Rom. 1.4. Eph. 4.8, 9. 3. Chriſts aſcenſion into heaven, in his humane nature, is a ſufficient refutation of all carnal conceptions of partaking of Chriſt, or of eating his fleſh: Therefore alſo doth he bring in this when they ſtumbled at eating of his fleſh, to ſhew that his aſcenſion into heaven might refute all ſuch conceits.