John 6:53-56

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 6:55

Verse 55 55.For my flesh is truly food. He confirms the same statement by other words, “As the body is weakened and consumed by the want of food, so the soul, if it be not fed with heavenly bread, will soon perish with hunger.” For when he declares thathis flesh is truly food, he means that souls are famished, if they want that food. Then only wilt thou find life in Christ, when thou shalt seek the nourishment of life in his flesh. Thus we ought to boast, with Paul, that we reckon nothing to be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 6:56

Verse 56 56.He who eateth my flesh. This is another confirmation; for while he alone has life in himself, he shows how we may enjoy it, that is, by eating his flesh; as if he had affirmed that there is no other way in which he can become ours, than by our faith being directed to his flesh. For no one will ever come to Christ as God, who despises him as man; and, therefore, if you wish to have any interest in Christ, you must take care, above all things, that you do not disdain his flesh. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 6:1-71

2. Christ declares himself to be the Sustainer and Protector of the life of which he is the Source . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 6:22-59

(3) The sequel of the signs . The discussion which follows is closely linked with these two great miracles of power and love. It naturally arises out of them, and refers with great explicitness to the former of them and to its true meaning. The discussion does unquestionably alter its scope as it proceeds, and at John 6:41 and John 6:52 "the Jews" take up a controversy which had previously been conducted by a portion of the crowd who witnessed his mighty works. Jesus declared (1) ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 6:52-59

(d) The conflict among the Jews leads Christ to insist further on separate participation of his flesh and blood as the condition of life . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 6:52-59

The increasing difficulties of Jewish unbelief. The further teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum only developed the more decidedly the unbelieving temper of the Galilaeans. I. THE STRIFE AMONG THE JEWS . "The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can he give us his flesh to eat?" 1 . Some of them evidently were in his favour, and understood his words in their true sense ; but the majority were as evidently opposed to him. 2 . Those who are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 6:53-51

Jesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye have eaten the flesh of the Son of man, and have drunk his blood, ye have not life in yourselves . He that eateth ( τρώγων , "eateth with pleasure, eagerness," is repeated four times, as perhaps a stronger expression than φάγων ) my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. This result, it should be seen, is identical with the promises made to " beholding ," " coming ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 6:55

A new justification is given for this great statement: For my flesh is true £ food, and my blood is true £ drink . (The two active verbals are adopted, "eating," "drinking;" but βρῶσις and πόσις are used very frequently by the Attic writers for "food" and "drink , " as well as for the processes of eating and drinking.) That is, Christ's flesh and blood stand in the same relation to the true life of man that food and drink do to the physical life of earth; and so,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 6:56

He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I (dwell) in him . This mutual indwelling is illustrated elsewhere ( John 15:1-5 ) by the image of the vine and its branches. The vine abides in the branch in the virtue of its life-giving forces. Cut away from the parent stem, it can do nothing. Fruitlessness condemns and fire consumes it. The branch abides in the vine, as deriving all its worth, its true place, its possibility of growth and fruit, from the vine (cf.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 6:53-55

In these verses Jesus repeats what he had in substance said before.Except ye eat the flesh ... - He did not mean that this should be understood literally, for it was never done, and it is absurd to suppose that it was intended to be so understood. Nothing can possibly be more absurd than to suppose that when he instituted the Supper, and gave the bread and wine to his disciples, they literally ate his flesh and drank his blood. Who can believe this? There he stood, a living man - his body yet... read more

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