Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice

“Marvel not at this--this committal of all judgment to the Son of man. for the hour is coming--He adds not in this case (as in Joh 5:25), "and now is," because this was not to be till the close of the whole dispensation of mercy.”

You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved.

“Ye sent unto John--(See Joh 1:19, &c.). receive not testimony . . . from man--that is, depend not on human testimony. but . . . that ye might be saved--"I refer to him merely to aid your salvation."”

John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light.

“He was a burning and a shining light--literally, "the burning and shining lamp" (or torch):--that is, "the great light of his day."”

But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the…

“I have greater witness--rather, "The witness which I have is greater." the works . . . bear witness of me--not simply as miracles nor even as a miracle of mercy, but these miracles, as He did them, with a will and a power, a majesty…”

You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life.

“How touching and gracious are these last words! Observe here (1) The honor which Christ gives to the Scriptures, as a record which all have a right and are bound to search--the reverse of which the Church of Rome teaches; (2) The opposite extreme is…”

How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

“How can ye believe, &c.--(See on Joh 5:40, 41). The "will not" of Joh 5:40, and "cannot" here are just different features of the same awful state of the human heart.”

Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope.

“Do not think I will accuse you to the Father--"My errand hither is not to collect evidence to condemn you at God's bar." one that accuseth you, even Moses, &c.--"Alas!”

When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified.

“He would appear to them at first like a dark moving speck upon the waters; then as a human figure, but--in the dark tempestuous sky, and not dreaming that it could be their Lord--they take it for a spirit.”

But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.”

“It is I; be not afraid--Matthew (Mt 14:27) and Mark (Mr 6:50) give before these exhilarating words, that to them well-known one, "Be of good cheer!"”

Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your…

“"Ye seek Me not because ye saw the miracles"--literally, "the signs," that is, supernatural tokens of a higher presence, and a divine commission, "but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled."”

Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

“This is the work of God, &c.--That lies at the threshold of all acceptable obedience, being not only the prerequisite to it, but the proper spring of it--in that sense, the work of works, emphatically "the work of God."”

Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

“Moses gave you not, &c.--"It was not Moses that gave you the manna, and even it was but from the lower heavens; 'but My Father giveth you the true bread,' and that 'from heaven.'"”

For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“For the bread of God is he, &c.--This verse is perhaps best left in its own transparent grandeur--holding up the Bread Itself as divine, spiritual, and eternal; its ordained Fountain and essential Substance, "Him who came down from heaven to give it" (that Eternal Life…”

Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.

“I am the bread of life--Henceforth the discourse is all in the first person, "I," "Me," which occur in one form or other, as STIER reckons, thirty-five times.”

Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away.

“This "shall" expresses the glorious certainty of it, the Father being pledged to see to it that the gift be no empty mockery. (2) "AND HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT."”

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

“For I came down from heaven not to do Mine own will--to play an independent part. but--in respect to both the foregoing things, the divine and the human side of salvation.”

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.

“I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day--The meaning is not, of course, that He is charged to keep the objects entrusted to Him as He received them, so as they should merely suffer nothing in His hands.”

It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me—

“Every man therefore, &c.--that is, who hath been thus efficaciously taught of Him. cometh unto me--with absolute certainty, yet in the sense above given of "drawing"; that is, "As none can come to Me but as divinely drawn, so none thus drawn shall fail to…”

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.

“The words "I will give" may be compared with the words of institution at the Supper, "This is My body which is given for you" (Lu 22:19), or in Paul's report of it, "broken for you" (1Co 11:24).”

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.

“They asked how it was possible to eat His flesh. He answers, with great solemnity, "It is indispensable." Yet even here a thoughtful hearer might find something to temper the harshness.”

Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.

“He that eateth . . . dwelleth in me and I in him--As our food becomes incorporated with ourselves, so Christ and those who eat His flesh and drink His blood become spiritually one life, though personally distinct.”

This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

“(It should be added that although this discourse has nothing to do with the Sacrament of the Supper, the Sacrament has everything to do with it, as the visible embodiment of these figures, and, to the believing partaker, a real, yea, and the most lively…”

Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?

“What and if, &c.--that is, "If ye are stumbled at what I have said, how will ye bear what I now say?"”

However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)

“But there are some, &c.--that is, "But it matters little to some of you in what sense I speak, for ye believe not."”

Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”

“Therefore said I, &c.--that is, "That was why I spoke to you of the necessity of divine teaching which some of you are strangers to."”