John 6:41-51 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.… ised by Him: — I. OUR COMING TO CHRIST. 1. This is not to be understood corporeally. It was not so taken by Himself. "Ye will not come," and yet many literally come from captiousness, curiosity, for loaves and fishes, and under temporary emotion, and after awhile "went back." 2. But the expression is taken from the body, and there is hardly a part of it that has not been used to hold forth the operations of faith. Sometimes the reference is — (1) To the eye; then believing is seeing Christ. (2) To the ear; then believing is hearing Him. (3) To the taste; then believing is eating His flesh and drinking His blood. (4) To the head; then believing is knowing Him. (5) To the feet; then believing is coming to Him. 3. This coming to Christ implies — (1) Absence. Else why come? (2) Accessibleness. How can we come unless we can approach Him? "Lo, I am with you alway." (3) Application. We come to Him — (a) As the way that we may walk with Him; (b) As to a refuge that we may enter Him; (c) As to a fountain that we may be cleansed; (d) As a foundation on which we may build; (e) As to a physician for cure; (f) As our prophet, priest, and king, to be taught, saved, and ruled over by Him. 4. Faith is trust, confidence. II. MAN'S INABILITY WITHOUT DIVINE AGENCY. 1. This is a very unwelcome doctrine, even to those who admit human depravity; but it is wrapped up in that depravity. 2. This is a Scriptural doctrine — "In our flesh dwelleth no good thing." 3. This is a doctrine based upon the nature of things. As we cannot perform natural actions without the concurrence of nature, how can we perform spiritual actions without the concurrence of the Spirit? 4. This is a doctrine of importance. (1) It serves to show those who are the subjects of this work what is their duty to bless and praise God for His sovereign grace. (2) It serves to show sinners their duty to pray to Him who wills all men to be saved. III. THE INFLUENCE BY WHICH THE SOUL IS BROUGHT TO THE SAVIOUR. In a general way the Father draws thus. 1. There is a confliction of sin 2. This produces distress and fear: 3. Hence renunciation and despair. 4. Yet along with this is hope. 5. Concurrently new desires after Jesus. 6. Reception of Jesus as a Saviour, and reliance on His salvation. IV. THE FINAL BLESSEDNESS RESULTING FROM THIS. 1. The speciality of this reference. He will raise all, but the privilege is limited to some. 2. The memory of this blessedness. It is the completion of the blessedness of a persevering Christian life. Without the body the Christian man would be incomplete. Man will be raised infinitely improved. 3. The Author of it. Christ is not only the model of this resurrection, but its accomplisher. 4. Its certainty. If it were not so, He would have told them. "Because I live ye shall live also." (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. |
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