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Every one that hath heard and learned from the Father, 46 cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father,

but he that is from God; he hath seen the Father*. 47 Verily verily I say unto you, He who believeth in me, 48 hath everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fa49 thers ate manna in the desert, and died. This is the bread 50 which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat of 51 it, and not die. I am the living bread which came down

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from heaven if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever and the bread which I will give, is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world †."

The Jews therefore contended among themselves, say53 ing, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus therefore said unto them, " Verily verily I say unto you, Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his 54 blood, ye have not life in you. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life; and him I 55 will raise up at the last day. For my flesh is truly food, 56 and my blood is truly drink. He that eateth my flesh, 57 and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; 58 so he likewise that eateth me, shall live by me.

This is

the bread which came down from heaven: not as [your]

seen the Father,] i. e. has known his will. So ver. 40. To see the Son, is to understand the doctrine of Christ. See ch. xiv. 9.

+ Our Lord perceived the mistake of his hearers; but not desiring to retain them as his followers, he does not correct it; but proceeds to use expressions still more offensive to their feelings and prejudices. What he means to inculcate is a practical reception of his divine doctrine, as the means of securing everlasting life. This, in allusion to the descent of the manna, ver. 32, 33, he first compares to feeding upon new and heavenly bread; he then describes it as feeding upon himself, ver. 51, and more particularly and offensively, as even eating his flesh and drinking his blood, ver. 53--57. This language, which they either did not or would not understand, so disgusted many of his bearers, that they quitted his society. This was the effect which Jesus intended, with respect to those, who, as he well knew, followed him from mercenary and ambitious

motives.

Unless ye eat the flesh, etc.] Unless ye receive and observe my doctrine. See ver. 35, 40.47. Newcome. It is not necessary to suppose that our Lord here has any allusion to his own death; though that is not improbable.

fathers ate [manna,] and died. He that eateth of this 59 bread, shall live for ever." He said these things in a

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synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

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Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard him, said, "This is hard doctrine: who can understand 61 it?" But when Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at this, he said unto them, " Do ye revolt 62 at this? What then if ye shall see the Son of man 63 going up where he was before? It is the spirit that

giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words which I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed 65 not, and who was to deliver him up.) Then he said, "For this cause I said unto you, that none can come unto me, unless it be given unto him by my Father."

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From that time many of his disciples went back, and 67 walked no more with him. Jesus therefore said to the 68 twelve," Will ye also depart?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? thou hast the 69 words of everlasting life and we believe, and know, 70 that thou art the Holy One of God¶." Jesus answered

The synagogue, N. "Doth this cause you to offend?" N. See Wakefield. This text is generally understood of a local ascent to a place from whence there had been a previous local descent. But this interpretation is not necessary, nor does it well suit the connexion. To ascend where he was before is, as, all interpreters agree, to ascend to heaven. But this phrase, as applied to the Son of man, means nothing more than " searching into the truths of God;" a sense in which Dr. Doddridge says that the phrase "ascending into heaven" is plainly used in many other places, and which in deed no one disputes. See ch. iii. 13, with Raphelius's and Doddridge's notes. The proper meaning therefore of this passage seems to be this: Do ye revolt at what I have now said? What then would you do if I should advance still further into the subject of my mission; and reveal truths which would be still more remote from your apprehen sion, and more offensive to your prejudices? See ch. xvi. 12.

These words are a caution to his hearers not to understand his expressions literally but figuratively, q. d. The spiritual and figurative sense of my words is the only useful sense. If it were possible for you literally to feed upon my flesh, it would do you no good. I am not speaking of a natural life, supported by eating my flesh, but of a spiritual life, supported by my doctrine. See Bishop Pearce.

that thou art the Christ, the son of the living God, R. T.

71 you

them, "Have not I chosen you twelve? and yet one of is a false accuser*." Now he spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon: for he was about to deliver CH.him up, [being] one of the twelve. And after these VII-things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.

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Now the feast of the Jews, called the feast of taberna3 cles, was near. His brethren therefore said unto him, "Depart hence, and go into Judea; that thy disciples 4 also may see the works which thou dost. For no man doth any thing in secret, and yet he himself seeketh to be known publicly. If thou do these things, show thy5 self to the world." (For neither did his brethren believe 6 in him.) [Then] Jesus saith unto them, "My time is 7 not yet come but your time is always ready. The world

cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it 8 that its works are evil. Go ye up to this feast: I go not up now to this feast; for my time is not yet fully come." 9 When he had said these words unto them, he still remain10 ed in Galilee. But when his brethren had gone up, then

he also went up to the feast; not openly, but as it were 11 in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and 12 said, "Where is he?" And there was much murmuring

among the multitudes concerning him and some said, "He is a good man :" others said, "No: but he de13 ceiveth the people." However, no man spake openly of him, for fear of the Jews.

14 But when it was now about the midst of the feast, Je15 sus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews

wondered, saying, "How hath this man learning, hav16 ing never been taught?" Jesus answered them and said, 17 "My doctrine is not mine, but his who sent me. If any man desire to do his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it be from God, or whether I speak of

* in the original, a “devil.”

18 myself. Whoever speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory but whoever seeketh his glory who sent him, he 19 is true, and unrighteousness is not in him. Did not Mo

ses give you the law; and yet none of you keepeth the 20 law? Why seek ye to kill me?" The multitude answered

and said, "Thou hast a demon: Who seeketh to kill 21 thee?" Jesus answered and said unto them, "I have 22 done one work, and ye all wonder at it.* Moses gave

you circumcision; (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers; and ye on the sabbath circumcise a man. 23 If a man on the sabbath receive circumcision, that the

law of Moses may not be broken; are ye angry with me, because I made a man altogether well on the sabbath? 24 Judge not according to appearance; but judge righteous 25 judgement." Then some inhabitants of Jerusalem said, 26"Is not this he whom they seek to kill? but, lo, he speak

eth boldly; and nothing is said unto him. Do the rulers 27 know indeed that this is the Christ? However, we know

whence this man is: but, when Christ cometh, none 28 knoweth whence he istt." Then Jesus cried out in the temple, as he taught, saying, "Do ye both know me, and know whence I am ? and yet I am not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom ye know not. 29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent 30 me." Then the Jews sought to apprehend him: yet no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet But many of the multitude believed in him, and

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*Or, wonder. Concerning this matter, Moses, etc. Compare the Greek with Mark vi. 6: Rev. xvii. 7: supposing the stop placed after die TYTо.

+ These words have the appearance of a marginal annotation inserted in the text. N. The very Christ, R. T.

++ It was a tradition of the Jews, that after the Messiah was born, he would be conveyed away and miraculously concealed, till Elias came to reveal and anoint him. See Whitby in loc. This tradition seems to be alluded to, Matt. xii. 38; xvi. 1; Mark viii. 11; Luke xi. 16; Matt. xxiv. 3. 30.

Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am. N. See Doddridge, Campbell, Wakefield

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said, "When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than [these] which this man hath done?"

The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring such things about him; and the Pharisees and the chief-priests 33 sent officers to apprehend him. Jesus therefore said, "Yet a little time longer I shall be with you; and then I 34 shall go to him who sent me. Ye will seek me, and will

not find me; and where I shall be, thither ye cannot 35 come." The Jews therefore said among themselves, "Whither will this man go, that we shall not find him? will he go to the dispersed Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What words are these which he said, Ye will seek me, and will not find me: and where I shall be, thither ye cannot come ?""

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Now on the last day, which is the great day, of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man 38 thirst, let him come to me, and drink. He who believeth in me, as the scripture hath said, from his belly shall 39 flow rivers of living water." (Now he spake this of the spirit, which those who believe in him were to receive : for the [holy] spirit was not yet given, because Jesus 40 was not yet glorified.) Many of the multitude therefore,

when they heard these words, said, "In truth this is a 41 prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But others 42 said, "Doth the Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not

the scripture said, that the Christ cometh of the offspring of David, and from the town of Bethlehem, where David 43 was?" So there was a division among the multitude be44 cause of him. And some of them desired to apprehend him but none laid hands on him.

45 Then the officers came to the chief-priests and Phari

sees; who said unto them, "Why have ye not brought 46 him?" The officers answered, "Never man spake like 47 this [man.]" Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are 48 ye also deceived? Hath any one of the rulers or of the 49 Pharisees believed in him? but this multitude, who

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