_CHRIST AND THE GREAT COMPANY_ ‘And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, Be saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?’ John 6:4 In this miracle our Lord appears as the Master of matter—of ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_CO-OPERATION WITH GOD_ ‘And Jesus took the loaves.’ John 6:11 There is great teaching in this. What were ‘five loaves’ for ‘five thousand’ persons? Why use them at all? Just as easy to make the whole supply out of nothing by one creative act; and would not the miracle then have been, at least wo... [ Continue Reading ]
_ALL NEED SUPPLIED_ ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.’ John 6:12 ‘Five barley loaves and two small fishes’ in Christ’s hands can do more than two hundred pennyworth of bread, even if that amount could have been purchased. When will the Church fully entrust her Lord with... [ Continue Reading ]
_PROPHECY FULFILLED_ ‘This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.’ John 6:14 We may reverently take up the words of the admiring crowd as they beheld the miracle of multiplied bread, and expand them in the light of a fuller revelation. ‘This is of a truth that Prophet’ Who ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE KING AND THE KINGDOM_ ‘Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take Him by force, to make Him king, withdrew again into the mountain Himself alone.’ John 6:15 (R.V.) It was the miracle of the loaves and fishes that provoked the popular enthusiasm; and no doubt the people... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST’S PRESENCE IN TROUBLE_ ‘Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.’ John 6:21 A strange transition. From witnessing a mighty miracle, and helping it instrumentally, amidst an admiring crowd, the disciples experience solitude... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LABOUR QUESTION_ ‘Labour not for the meat which perisheth.’ John 6:27 The most pressing question of the day is the ‘Labour Question.’ Our Lord’s teaching shows us:— I. THE DIGNITY OF LABOUR.—He worked with His own hand at a useful trade. He described His Divine office in the world as ‘work... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE WORK OF FAITH_ ‘Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent.’ John 6:28 Christ’s answer must have greatly surprised those who asked the question. As much a... [ Continue Reading ]
_SPIRITUAL FOOD_ ‘Jesus said unto them, I am the Bread of Life.’ John 6:35 The multitude followed the Lord, and immediately He directed their minds to that deduction which He would have us likewise draw from this fact—the necessity of seeking food not for the body only, but for the whole man, sou... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE GOLDEN PROMISE_ ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’ John 6:37 When a penitent sinner ventures to come to the Lord, he is so keenly alive to his condition that a word, a look, would drive him back. This promise, then, is just the strong consolation he wants. It sweeps away eve... [ Continue Reading ]
_IMPERSONAL RESURRECTION_ ‘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.’ John 6:39 ‘Raise up at the last day’ is a phrase repeated four times in this chapter (John 6:39_; _ John 6:44_; _ J... [ Continue Reading ]
_MYSTERY AND RELIGION_ ‘I am that Bread of Life.’ John 6:48 The Jews ask questions which Jesus declines to answer, but directs their attention to the subject of their own personal interest in the things of salvation. Thereupon ensues a conversation and a discussion, the leading points of which sh... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE EUCHARIST_ ‘The bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’ John 6:51 The Jews expressed no desire to know how to obtain this promised blessing, but perplexed themselves with the inferior question—how the thing promised could be accomplished. ‘How can th... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE FOOD OF THE SAINTS_ ‘As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.’ John 6:57 These words, simply and naturally, imply, first of all, the idea simply of eating. It is not, I think, amiss for us from time to time to recollect on w... [ Continue Reading ]
_A SPIRITUAL PLUMMET_ ‘Doth this offend you?’ John 6:61 This interrogation is the plummet wherewith God tries, from time to time, the depth of our religion, our progress in the hidden life. I. HE TRIES OUR FAITH!—You say that you believe in Jesus. You do well; but Satan does the same. How, then,... [ Continue Reading ]
_WORDS OF LIFE_ ‘The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.’ John 6:63 (R.V.) In John’s Gospel the _ prooemium_, standing where it does, effects a great purpose. A great life is not sufficiently recounted by anecdotes and dates. How can we link its facts together, and present... [ Continue Reading ]
_FALLING AWAY_ ‘Will ye also go away?’ John 6:67 The sin implied in this affecting appeal of Christ is that of backsliding and apostasy from Him and His cause. I. SOME FORSAKE THE WAY OF THE LORD BECAUSE OF ITS GROWING STRAITNESS.—The extreme narrowness of the way does not fully appear to the b... [ Continue Reading ]
_ABIDING WITH CHRIST_ ‘Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.’ John 6:68 Other teachers may do good or not, but they will do no great harm so long as they do not keep men away from Christ, nor take men away, nor tempt them to go away. Tempta... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE DOWNFALL OF JUDAS_ ‘Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon.’ John 6:70 Who was Judas? He was one of the Twelve chosen to be with the Lord during His life on earth. When the twelve were sent out by two and two to preach, Judas went... [ Continue Reading ]