AFTER THESE THINGS,.... After Christ's curing the man at Bethesda's pool, and the vindication of himself for doing it or the sabbath day, and for asserting his equality with God; near a year after these things: for these were done at the feast of the passover, and now it was near another; and what i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A GREAT MULTITUDE FOLLOWED HIM,.... From several cities and towns in Galilee, where he had been preaching and working miracles: BECAUSE THEY SAW HIS MIRACLES WHICH HE DID ON THEM THAT WERE DISEASED; so that it was not for the sake of his doctrine, or for the good of their souls, they followed h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS WENT UP INTO A MOUNTAIN,.... In a desert place near Bethsaida, Luke 9:10; AND THERE HE SAT WITH HIS DISCIPLES; partly for security from the cruelty of Herod, having just heard of the beheading of John; and partly for privacy, that he might have some conversation alone with his disciples,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PASSOVER, A FEAST OF THE JEWS, WAS NIGH. This was the third passover, since our Lord's baptism, and entrance on his public ministry; see John 2:13. Whether Christ went up to this feast is not certain; some think he did not; but from what is said in John 7:1, it looks as if he did: how nigh i... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN JESUS THEN LIFT UP [HIS] EYES,.... Being before engaged in close conversation with his disciples, and looking wistly and intently on them, whilst he was discoursing with them: AND SAW A GREAT COMPANY COME UNTO HIM; who came on foot, over the bridge at Chammath, from Capernaum, and other cities... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS HE SAID TO PROVE HIM,.... Or "tempting him", trying his faith, and not only his, but the rest of the disciples; not as ignorant of it himself, but in order to discover it to him and them, and to prepare them for the following miracle; and that it might appear the more illustrious and marvel... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP ANSWERED HIM,.... Very quick and short, and in a carnal and unbelieving way: TWO HUNDRED PENNYWORTH OF BREAD IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR THEM. Two hundred pence, or "Roman denarii", which may be here meant, amount to six pounds five shillings of our money; and this sum is mentioned, because it mig... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES, ANDREW, SIMON PETER'S BROTHER,.... Who also, and his brother Peter, were of Bethsaida, as well as Philip, and was a disciple of Christ's; he hearing what Christ said to Philip, and what answer he returned, SAITH UNTO HIM; to Christ, with but little more faith than Philip, if a... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS A LAD HERE,.... Who either belonged to Christ and his disciples, and was employed to carry their provisions for them; which, if so, shows how meanly Christ and his disciples lived; or he belonged to some in the multitude; or rather he came here to sell what he had got: WHICH HATH FIVE BARL... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAID, MAKE THE MEN SIT DOWN,.... The Syriac version reads, "all the men"; and the Persic version, "all the people"; men, women, and children: Christ, without reproving his disciples for their unbelief, ordered them directly to place the people upon the ground, and seat them in rows by hundreds... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS TOOK THE LOAVES,.... Into his hands, as also the fishes, in order to feed the multitude with them: AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS; for them, and blessed them, or implored a blessing on them, that they might be nourishing to the bodies of men, as was his usual manner, and which is an example... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY WERE FILLED,.... Had not only eaten, but had made a full meal, and were thoroughly satisfied, having eaten as much as they could, or chose to eat: HE SAID UNTO HIS DISCIPLES, GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS THAT REMAIN, THAT NOTHING BE LOST; this he said, partly that the truth, reality, and grea... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEY GATHERED [THEM] TOGETHER,.... The several broken bits of bread, which lay about upon the grass, which the people had left, after they had been sufficiently refreshed: AND FILLED TWELVE BASKETS; every disciple had a basket filled: WITH THE FRAGMENTS OF THE FIVE BARLEY LOAVES; and it... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THOSE MEN,.... The five thousand men, who had been fed with the loaves and fishes: WHEN THEY HAD SEEN THE MIRACLE THAT JESUS DID; in feeding so many of them, with so small a quantity of food; in multiplying the provision in such a prodigious manner, that after they had eaten to the full, so ma... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN JESUS THEREFORE PERCEIVED,.... As being the omniscient God, who knew their hearts, and the secret thoughts and purposes of them; or, as man, understood by their words and gestures: THAT THEY WOULD COME AND TAKE HIM BY FORCE, AND MAKE HIM A KING; that they had "determined", as the Arabic versio... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN EVEN WAS [NOW] COME,.... The last of the evenings, when night was coming on; for the first of the evenings took place before they sat down to eat, when the above miracle was wrought; see Matthew 14:15. HIS DISCIPLES WENT DOWN UNTO THE SEA; of Galilee, or Tiberias, to the sea side; and this... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ENTERED INTO A SHIP,.... In which they came, and was waiting for them; or into another: AND WENT OVER THE SEA TOWARDS CAPERNAUM; steered their course from Bethsaida, where they took shipping over the sea of Galilee; at least over one part of it, a creek or bay of it, as they intended, towards t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SEA AROSE,.... Swelled, and was tumultuous and raging; the waves mounted up, and tossed the ship to and fro: BY REASON OF A GREAT WIND THAT BLEW; which agitated the waters of the sea, and lifted up the waves; which storm seems to have arose after they had set sail, and were got into the mid... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WHEN THEY HAD ROWED,.... For the wind being contrary, they could not make use of their sails, but betook themselves to their oars, and by that means got ABOUT FIVE AND TWENTY, OR THIRTY FURLONGS; which were three or four miles, or little more than a league; no further had they got, though they h... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE SAITH TO THEM, IT IS I, BE NOT AFRAID. Matthew 14:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THEY WILLINGLY RECEIVED HIM INTO THE SHIP,.... When they knew who he was; and especially he was the more welcome, as they were in distress; and he able, as they well knew, to help them: AND IMMEDIATELY THE SHIP WAS AT THE LAND WHITHER THEY WENT; which was done, as Nonnus observes, by a divine... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAY FOLLOWING,.... The day after that, in which the miracle of feeding live thousand men with five loaves and two fishes was done: the morning after the disciples had had such a bad voyage: WHEN THE PEOPLE WHICH STOOD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA; from that in which the disciples now were, bein... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT THERE CAME OTHER BOATS FROM TIBERIAS,.... A city by the sea side, built by Herod, and called so in honour of Tiberius Caesar; though the Jews give a different etymology of it; they say, it is the same with Rakkath, Joshua 19:35, and that it was a fortified place from the days of Joshua, and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE PEOPLE THEREFORE SAW THAT JESUS WAS NOT THERE,.... At the sea side, at the usual place of taking boat; and having reason to think he was not on that side of the lake, but was gone from thence: NEITHER HIS DISCIPLES; when they found that there were neither of them there, but both were gone,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY HAD FOUND HIM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA,.... At Capernaum, and in the synagogue there; see John 6:59. THEY SAID UNTO HIM, RABBI; or "master", a name now much in use with the Jewish doctors, and by which they delighted to be called; and these men being convinced by the miracle, that... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS ANSWERED THEM AND SAID,.... Not by replying to their question, or giving a direct answer to that, which he could have done, by telling them that he walked upon the water, and found his disciples in great distress, and delivered them, and came early that morning with them to the land of Gennesa... [ Continue Reading ]
LABOUR NOT FOR THE MEAT WHICH PERISHETH,.... Meaning either food for the body, which is perishing; its virtue is perishing; man cannot live by it alone, nor does it last long; its substance is perishing; it is received into the stomach, and there digested; it goes into the belly, and is cast out int... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID THEY UNTO HIM,.... Understanding by what he said, that they must labour and work, though not for perishing food, yet for durable food; and as they imagined, in order to obtain eternal life by working: WHAT SHALL WE DO THAT WE MIGHT WORK THE WORKS OF GOD? Such as are agreeable to his will,... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM, THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD,.... The main and principal one, and which is well pleasing in his sight; and without which it is impossible to please him; and without which no work whatever is a good work; and this is of the operation of God, which he himself works in men... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SAID THEREFORE UNTO HIM,.... Seeing he proposed believing in him as the grand work of God to be done, and what is most acceptable in his sight: WHAT SIGN SHOWEST THOU THEN, THAT WE MAY SEE AND BELIEVE THEE? The people of the Jews were always requiring signs and wonders, and when they had one a... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS,.... Which was a sort of food prepared by angels in the air, and rained down from thence about the tents of the Israelites; it was a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground; it was like a coriander seed, and the colour of it was the col... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JESUS SAID UNTO THEM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU,.... It is truth, and may be depended on, whether it will be believed or not: MOSES GAVE YOU NOT THAT BREAD FROM HEAVEN; in which Christ denies that that bread, or manna, did come from heaven; that is, from the highest heavens, only from the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE BREAD OF GOD IS HE WHICH COMETH DOWN FROM HEAVEN,.... In the way and manner just now mentioned: and which clearly points out Christ himself, who may be called "the bread of God"; to distinguish him from common bread, and to show the excellency of him, and that he is of God's providing and gi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID THEY UNTO HIM,.... At least some of them: LORD, EVERMORE GIVE US THIS BREAD; that is so divine and heavenly, and has such a quickening virtue in it: these words are said by them either seriously, and to be understood of bread for their bodies, of which they imagined Christ was speaking; a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS SAID UNTO THEM, I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE,.... Christ is so called, because he gives life to dead sinners: men in a state of nature are dead in trespasses and sins; and whatever they feed upon tends to death; Christ, the true bread, only gives life, which is conveyed by the word, and made eff... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I SAID UNTO YOU,.... The substance of what follows in John 6:26 though the Persic and Ethiopic versions render it, "I say unto you"; and so refers not to anything before said, but to what he was about to say: THAT YE ALSO HAVE SEEN ME, AND BELIEVE NOT; that is, they had not only seen him in per... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVETH ME,.... The "all" design not the apostles only, who were given to Christ as such; for these did not all, in a spiritual manner, come to him, and believe in him; one of them was a devil, and the son of perdition; much less every individual of mankind: these are, in some sen... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN,.... by change of place, or local motion; for Christ is the immense, infinite, and omnipresent God, and cannot be said properly to move from place to place; for he fills all places, even heaven and earth, with his presence, and was in heaven as the Son of God, at the same... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS IS THE FATHER'S WILL WHICH HATH SENT ME,.... This explains both who he was that sent him; the Father of him, and of his people; whose sending of him does not suppose any change of place, or inequality between them, or disrespect unto him, or compulsion of him, but agreement between them, an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS IS THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME,.... The Vulgate Latin adds, "of my Father"; and all the Oriental versions read only, "and this is the will of my Father"; this is his declared, his revealed will in the Gospel, which the sons of men are made acquainted with, as the other was his secret will,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWS THEN MURMURED AT HIM,.... When they found that he spoke of himself as the true bread, the bread of God, and bread of life, and as descending from heaven: and which was to be fed upon in a spiritual manner by faith, which they were ignorant of, and had no desire unto: and thus being disappoi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID, IS NOT THIS JESUS THE SON OF JOSEPH?.... From murmuring they go to mocking and scoffing at his parentage and descent, and object this to his coming down from heaven; and intend by it to upbraid him with the meanness of his birth, being the son of Joseph, a poor carpenter; and suggest,... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS THEREFORE ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM,.... Either overhearing what they said, or knowing, as God, their secret murmurs, and private cavils among themselves, thus addressed them, MURMUR NOT AMONG YOURSELVES: meaning neither about his descent from heaven, nor about coming to him, and believing... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN CAN COME TO ME,.... That is, by faith, as in John 6:35; for otherwise they could corporeally come to him, but not spiritually; because they had neither power nor will of themselves; being dead in trespasses and sins, and impotent to everything that is spiritual: and whilst men are in a state... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS WRITTEN IN THE PROPHETS,.... In the book of the prophets, as the Ethiopic version renders it: the Jews divided the books of the Old Testament into three parts, the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa; now in that division which was called the Prophets, are the following words: or in one of... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT THAT ANY MAN HATH SEEN THE FATHER,.... This is said, lest it should be thought from the above words, that our Lord meant that men should be so taught of God, as that they should visibly see the Father, and vocally hear his voice, and be personally instructed by him; for his voice is not heard, n... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU,.... This is a certain truth, and to be depended on: HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME HATH EVERLASTING LIFE; not only he may have it, as in John 6:40, and shall have it, but he has it; he has it in Christ, his head and representative; he has it in the covenant of grace; he has... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THAT BREAD OF LIFE. John 6:35.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS,.... All the while they were in the wilderness, for the space of forty years, till they came to the borders of the land of Canaan; this was their only food on which they lived, during their travels through the wilderness. It is observable, that Christ say... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE BREAD WHICH COMETH DOWN FROM HEAVEN,.... Namely, that of which he had spoken John 6:32, meaning himself: THAT A MAN MAY EAT THEREOF, AND NOT DIE; for this heavenly bread is soul quickening, soul strengthening, and soul satisfying food; nor can there be any want where this is: eating of... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE LIVING BREAD WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN,.... This is the same with what is said in John 6:33, which is true of Christ, as he has life in him; and is the author and giver of life to others; and is of an heavenly original, and came from heaven to give life to men: and such is the virtue of t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWS THEREFORE STROVE AMONG THEMSELVES,.... Fell to cavilling and disputing one among another; some understanding Christ, and others not; some being for him, and vindicated what he said; and others being against him, and who were the majority, objected, SAYING HOW CAN THIS MAN GIVE US HIS FLESH... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JESUS SAID UNTO THEM,.... The Jews, who were litigating this point among themselves: VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU; or you may assure yourselves of the truth of what follows, EXCEPT YE EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN, AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, YE HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU: by "the son of man", Christ m... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO EATETH MY FLESH, AND DRINKETH MY BLOOD,.... Spiritually by faith, as explained in the preceding verse: HATH ETERNAL LIFE; the principle of spiritual life, which is evidently implanted in him, as appears from his eating and drinking; and is a durable and lasting principle: grace is an incorrup... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MY FLESH IS MEAT INDEED,.... Not in a corporeal, but in a spiritual sense; and the same is said of his blood: AND MY BLOOD IS DRINK INDEED, c. that is, they are both "truly" meat and drink, as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions render it or are "true" meat and drink, as the Arabic... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT EATETH MY FLESH, AND DRINKETH MY BLOOD,.... In the sense above given; John 6:53; DWELLETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM. There is a mutual indwelling of Christ, and believers; Christ is the habitation, or dwelling place of his people: there is a secret dwelling in Christ; so the elect of God dwelt in... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE LIVING FATHER HATH SENT ME,.... Into the world, to be the Saviour of it; not by local motion, but by assumption of human nature; and not against his will, or as having superiority over him; but by joint consent and agreement: the first person in the Godhead is here styled, "the living Father... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THAT BREAD WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN,.... That true bread, the bread of God, the bread of life, living bread; meaning himself, as in John 6:32; NOT AS YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA, AND ARE DEAD: this is bread of a quite different nature from that; that was only typical bread, this true; tha... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS SAID HE IN THE SYNAGOGUE,.... Openly and publicly, in the place of divine worship, where the Jews resorted for that purpose: AS HE TAUGHT IN CAPERNAUM; his own city, and where there was a synagogue, into which he often went and taught his doctrines, and wrought miracles; see Matthew 3:... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY THEREFORE OF HIS DISCIPLES,.... Not of the twelve, nor of the seventy, but of the multitude of the disciples, who followed him from place to place, attended on his ministry, and might be baptized in his name; see John 4:1; WHEN THEY HAD HEARD [THIS]; that his flesh and blood were truly and rea... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN JESUS KNEW IN HIMSELF,.... And of himself, without any intelligence from others, or hearing what was said, being the omniscient God: THAT HIS DISCIPLES MURMURED AT IT; at the doctrine he had delivered, looking upon it as absurd, incredible, and contrary to sense and reason: HE SAID UNTO THEM,... [ Continue Reading ]
[WHAT] AND IF YE SHALL SEE THE SON OF MAN,.... Meaning himself then in a state of humiliation, and was taken for a mere man, though the true Messiah, and Son of God: ASCEND UP WHERE HE WAS BEFORE? for Christ was, he existed before his incarnation, and he was in heaven before; not in his human natur... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH,.... It is the spirit of man that quickens him; or which being breathed into him, he becomes a living soul; for the body, without the spirit, is dead; it is a lifeless lump: and it is the Spirit of God that quickens dead sinners, by entering into them as the spirit o... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT BELIEVE NOT,.... Notwithstanding the ministry they sat under, and the words they heard; for though they professed to believe in Jesus, as the Messiah, yet they did not truly believe in him; their faith was not a living faith, or of a spiritual kind, but a mere historic... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, THEREFORE SAID I UNTO YOU,.... Referring to John 6:44, where the substance of what is here said, is there delivered; though the Ethiopic version reads, therefore I say unto you, what follows: THAT NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT IT BE GIVEN HIM OF MY FATHER; which is the same, as to be d... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THAT [TIME] MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES WENT BACK,.... Not any of the twelve apostles, for they are distinguished from these in the next verse; nor any of the seventy disciples, for their names were written in heaven, and could not apostatize totally and finally, as these did; but some of the multitu... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THE TWELVE,.... "To his own twelve", as the Persic version reads; that is, to his twelve apostles, whom he had chosen to that office: Christ takes no notice of those that went away from him, he showed no concern about them; he knew what they were, that the truth of grace was not... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SIMON PETER ANSWERED HIM,.... Who was strong in the faith of Christ, and full of zeal for him, and love to him; and who was the mouth of the apostles, and always forward to speak out of the abundance and sincerity of his heart, in their name; believing, that they all of them, for he had now no... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WE BELIEVE AND ARE SURE,.... Or know of a certainty: they believed upon the first call of them by Christ, and their following of him, that he was the true Messiah; and they came to an assurance of it, by the miracles he wrought, and by the doctrines which he taught; their faith, how weak soever... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS ANSWERED THEM,.... The disciples, taking Peter's answer to his question, as delivered in the name of them all, and as expressing their mind and sense: HAVE NOT I CHOSEN YOU TWELVE; not to grace and glory, to holiness and happiness; though this was true of eleven of them, but to be apostles:... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SPAKE OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, [THE SON] OF SIMON,.... These are the words of the evangelist, pointing out the person Christ intended, lest any other should be suspected: FOR HE IT WAS THAT SHOULD BETRAY HIM: as it was determined and foretold, and which Christ knew full well, and therefore said the ab... [ Continue Reading ]