John 6:52
in John 6At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
KJV
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
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This verse in John 6
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
Few passages of Scripture have been so painfully twisted and perverted as that which we have now read. The Jews are not the only people who have striven about its meaning. A sense has been put upon it, which it was never intended to bear. Fallen man, in interpreting the Bible, has an unhappy aptitude for turning food into poison. The things that were written for his benefit, he often makes an occasion for falling. Let us first consider carefully, what these verses do NOT mean.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
The Jews, therefore, strove among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" They strove, and that among themselves, since they understood not, neither wished to take the bread of concord: "for they who eat such bread do not strive with one another; for we being many are one bread, one body." And by this bread, "God makes people of one sort to dwell in a house."
(Tr. xxvi. s. 14) The Jews not understanding what was the bread of peace, strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? Whereas they who eat the bread strive not among themselves, for God makes them to dwell together in unity.
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" If thou seekest to know the "how," why askedst not thou this in the matter of the loaves, how He extended five to so great a number? Because they then only thought of being satisfied, not of seeing the miracle. "But," saith some one, "their experience then taught them." Then by reason of that experience these words ought to have been readily received. For to this end He wrought beforehand that strange miracle, that taught by it they might no longer disbelieve what should be said by Him afterwards.
Failing to understand his words spiritually, [the Jews] were offended and drew back, thinking that the Savior was urging them to cannibalism. Then again in the old covenant there was the showbread. But that, since it belonged to the old covenant, has come to an end. In the new covenant there are the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation, which sanctify body and soul. For as bread corresponds to the body, so the Word is appropriate to the soul. So do not think of them as mere bread and wine. In accordance with the Lord's declaration, they are body and blood. And if our senses suggests otherwise, let faith confirm you. Do not judge the issue on the basis of taste, but on the basis of faith be assured beyond all doubt that you have been allowed to receive the body and blood of Christ.
A commentator
Cyril of AlexandriaCommentary on the Gospel of John, Book 4 · Written before 444.
proposed
All things are plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge, as it is written, but darksome to the foolish is even that which is exceeding easy.
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church5 voices
Above, our Lord checked the grumbling of the Jews over the origin of this spiritual food; here, he stops their dispute over the eating of this same food. First, we see their dispute; secondly, our Lord stops it (v 54); thirdly, the Evangelist mentions the …
For it is not the flesh of man simply, but of God: and it makes man divine, by inebriating him, as it were, with divinity.
The Jews, having heard about the eating of the Lord's Flesh, do not believe; therefore they also utter the word of unbelief, "how?" For when thoughts of unbelief enter the soul, then the word "how?" also enters along with them.
The instruction has been set forth; here secondly, on account of the disputing of the Jews, a confirmation is set forth. And first the disputation of the Jews is set forth; second, the confirmation of the doctrine, at the passage: "Jesus therefore said to them." …
The Jews thought that our Lord would divide His flesh into pieces, and give it them to eat: and so mistaking Him, strove.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The Jews therefore strove among themselves,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
Few passages of Scripture have been so painfully twisted and perverted as that which we have now read. The Jews are not the only people who have striven about its meaning. A sense has been put upon it, which it was never intended to bear. Fallen man, in interpreting the Bible, has an unhappy aptitude for turning food into poison. The things that were written for his benefit, he often makes an occasion for falling. Let us first consider carefully, what these verses do NOT mean. The "eating and drinking" of which Christ speaks do not mean any literal eating and drinking. Above all, the words were not spoken with any reference to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. We may eat the Lord's Supper, and yet not eat and drink Christ's body and blood. We may eat and drink Christ's body and blood, and yet not eat the Lord's Supper. Let this never be forgotten. The opinion here expressed may startle some who have not looked closely into the subject. But it is an opinion which is supported by three weighty reasons. For one thing, a literal "eating and drinking" of Christ's body and blood would have been an idea utterly revolting to all Jews, and flatly contradictory to an often-repeated precept of their law. For another thing, to take a literal view of "eating and drinking," is to interpose a bodily act between the soul of man and salvation. This is a thing for which there is no precedent in Scripture. The only things without which we cannot be saved are repentance and faith. Last, but not least, to take a literal view of "eating and drinking," would involve most blasphemous and profane consequences. It would shut out of heaven the penitent thief. He died long after these words were spoken, without any literal eating and drinking. Will any dare to say he had "no life" in Him? It would admit to heaven thousands of ignorant, godless communicants in the present day.
How can this man give us his flesh to eat? - Our Lord removes this difficulty, and answers the question, in Joh 6:63.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐμάχοντο | emachonto | Were arguing | G3164 → | |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| πρὸς | pros | with | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἀλλήλους | allelous | one another | G240 → | 100 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαῖοι | ioudaioi | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| λέγοντες· | legontes | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| πῶς | pos | How | G4459 → | 103 times |
| δύναται | dunatai | is able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| οὗτος | houtos | this [man] | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἡμῖν | hemin | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| δοῦναι | dounai | to give | G1325 → | 412 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σάρκα | sarka | flesh | G4561 → | 146 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| φαγεῖν;¶ | phagein | to eat? | G5315 → | 93 times |
ἘμάχοντοWere arguing
emachontoG3164 →
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
πρὸςwith
prosG4314 →700 times
ἀλλήλουςone another
allelousG240 →100 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἸουδαῖοιJews
ioudaioiG2453 →192 times
λέγοντες·saying;
legontesG3004 →1325 times
πῶςHow
posG4459 →103 times
δύναταιis able
dunataiG1410 →207 times
οὗτοςthis [man]
houtosG3778 →1381 times
ἡμῖνus
heminG3165 →1936 times
δοῦναιto give
dounaiG1325 →412 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
σάρκαflesh
sarkaG4561 →146 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
φαγεῖν;¶to eat?
phageinG5315 →93 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 2:14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- Romans 8:5–8
Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
- Matthew 13:11–17
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4–6
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- 1 John 2:27
And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all…
- 1 Corinthians 1:18
Through
John 3:9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
it leads to
- John 6:60
On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 42:16
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These…
- John 6:60
Through
John 6:41At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
it leads to
- John 7:12
Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.” But others replied, “No, He deceives the people.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 7:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies28
- Bread
- The Bronze Serpent
- Cut Off from Among His People
- Eternal Life
- Eternal Security, and the Five Warnings of Hebrews
- Feeding the Five Thousand, John 6:1-15
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
About John
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on John 26; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 6; Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 4; Cyril of Jerusalem, MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 4.4-6; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 46; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.