31 "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 82 There is another who beareth witness of me; and I know 33 that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent 34 unto John, and he bare witness to the truth. Yet I receive not witness from man: but I say these things, that ye may 35 be saved. He was that burning and shining lamp but ус 36 chose to rejoice for a short time only in his light'. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to perform, these works which I 37 do, bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, who sent me, hath borne witness of me. 38 Have ye never heard his voice, nor seen his form? And have ye not his word abiding among you, that on him whom he hath sent, ye believe not*?

39

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think that ye have 40 everlasting life: and they bear witness of me: and yet ye are not willing to come unto me, that ye may have life.

41

"I receive not honour from men: but I know you, that

42 ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Fa43 ther's name, and yet ye receive me not: if another shall 44 come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye

believe, who receive honour from one another, and seek not 45 the honour which cometh from the only God? Think not

that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that ac46 cuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For if ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote 47 of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how will ye believe my words?”

CH. VI. AFTER these things Jesus went over the lake of Gali

"and ye were willing to rejoice for a time in his light." N. See Wakefield.

"Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not." N. See Theol. Repos. vol. i. p. 55, and Campbell in loc, Our Lord alJudes to the descent of the spirit upon him in a corporcal form, which was a public designation of him to his office, ch. i. 32-34.

2 lee, which is the lake of Tiberias. And a great multitude fol. lowed him, because they saw the miracles' which he did on 3 those who were diseased. And Jesus went up a mountain, 4 and sat there with his disciples. Now the passover (a feast 5 of the Jews) was nigh*. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw that a great multitude was coming to him, he saith to Philip, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these 6 may eat?" (Now he said this to try him: for he himself 7 knew what he was about to do.) Philip answered him,

"Bread, worth two hundred denarii, is not sufficient for 8 them, that every one of them may take a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto 9 him, "There is a child here, that hath five barley-loaves, 10 and two fishes: but what are they among so many?" And Jesus said, "Make the men place themselves on the ground." (Now there was much grass in the place.) So the men placed themselves on the ground, in number about 11 five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and, when he had given thanks, he distributed [to the disciples, and the disciples] to those that were on the ground: and in like 12 manner of the fishes, as much as they would. And when they were filled, he saith to his disciples, "Gather the frag13 ments which remain, that nothing be lost." They therefore gathered them, and filled twelve panniers with the fragments of the five barley-loaves, which remained to those 14 that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle which Jesus did, said, "This is in truth that pro15 phet who was to come into the world." When Jesus therehis miracles, R. T. * Gr. recline, or lie down; and so in other places, ver. 10, 11.

*This verse is found in all the Mss. which have been collated. But it is in. troduced without any connexion with the context, nor does it appear that our Lord attended this passover at Jerusalem. Bishop Pearce therefore thinks that the whole verse is spurious, and Vossius, Mann, and Priestley reject the word passover. Very strong presumptive arguments are alleged against the ge nuineness of the word passover in Priestley's Harmony, Prel. Diss. p. 46.

fore perceived that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him a king, he withdrew [again] to a mountain himself alone.

16 And when evening came, his disciples went down to the 17 lake1; and entered into a ship, and went over the lake toward Capernaum. And it was now dark; and Jesus was 18 not come to them. And the lake rose, because of a great 19 wind which blew. So when they had rowed about twentyfive or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the lake, 20 and drawing near to the ship: and they were afraid. But 21 he saith unto them, "It is I: be not afraid." Then they were glad to receive him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they were going.

22

The day following, when the multitude who stood on the other side of the lake saw that there was none other boat there but one3, and that Jesus had not gone with his disciples into the ship, but that his disciples had departed alone; 23 (however there came other boats from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread, after the Lord had given 24 thanks;) when the people therefore saw that neither Jesus was there, nor his disciples, they took shipping and came to 25 Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they had found him

on the other side of the lake, they said unto him, "Rabbi3, 26 when camest thou hither?" Jesus answered them and said, "Verily verily I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye have seen miracles, but because ye ate of the loaves and 27 were filled. Work not so much for the food which perish

eth, as for the food which endureth to everlasting life, which the Son of man will give you: for him hath the Father sealed, 28 even God." They said therefore unto him, "What shall 29 we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said unto them, "This is the work of God, that

Gr. sea; and so elsewhere.
Master, or, My Master, N.

Work not out, &c. N.m.

2 whereinto his disciples were entered, R.T. 4 Gr. Work not for, &c. but for, &c. Or,

30 ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Then they said

unto him, "What miracle [therefore] doest thou, that we 31 may see it, and believe in thee? what dost thou work? Our

fathers ate manna in the desert: as it is written, 'He gave 32 them bread from heaven to eat."" Jesus [therefore] said unto them, "Verily verily I say unto you, Moses gave you not the bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the 33 true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that

which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the 34 world." Then they said unto him, "Master, always give 35 us this bread." And Jesus said unto them, “I am the bread of life+: he who cometh to me, shall never hunger; 36 and he who believeth in me, shall never thirst. But I have said unto you, that ye have both seen me and believe not'. 37 All whom the Father giveth me, will come to me: and him 38 who cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. For I am come down from heaven ‡, not to do mine own will, but the And this is the will of him2 who

39 will of him who sent me.

sent me, that of all whom he hath given me I should lose

40 none, but should raise them3 up at the last day. For this is the will of him who sent me, that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have everlasting life: and him I will raise up at the last day."

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, 'I 42 am the bread which came down from heaven:' and said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how therefore doth this man say, 'I came

'Or, that though ye have seen me, yet ye believe not. Palairet. 2 of the Father, R. T. 3 Gr. it: or, him, Mss. 4 Or, of my father who, Mss.

* Or, is giving you, &c.] The bread from heaven clearly signifies the doctrine, not the person, of Christ. See Lindsey's List, p. 45, and Dr. Priestley in loc.

+ I am the bread of life,] i. e. my doctrine, which will ensure eternal life to all who practically embrace it.

I am come down from heaven,] i. e. I am invested with a divine commission. See John iii. 13.

43 down from heaven *?' " Jesus' answered and said unto 44 them, "Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come

to me, unless the Father, who sent me, draw him: and him 45 I will raise up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And all shall be taught of God.'. Every one that hath 46 heard and learned from the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, but he that is from God; 47 he hath seen the Fathert. Verily verily I say unto you, 48 He who believeth in me hath everlasting life. I am the 49 bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the desert, and 50 died. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, 51 that a man may eat of it, and not die. I am the living

52

bread which came down 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

The Jews, like many modern expositors, mistook our Lord's meaning. They understood that of his person which he intended of his doctrine, and took that in a literal sense which he meant figuratively. Observe, that the Jews call Jesus the son of Joseph, without being contradicted by the Evangelist.

+ 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, 38, 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 hearers, 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, &c.] 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.