in the speake- Stier, I am a^Yare, calls this idea "highly arti- ficial" But I cannot see any force in the objection, and 1 see much difficulty in any other view.
Cyril remarks that a readiness to murmur seemed to be here- ditary with the Jews. From the days when they murmured in the wilderness, it was always the same.
[Because he said I am the bread.... heaven.] It does not appear that our Lord had actually used these words. We must there- fore suppose that the Jews constructed the saying out of three things that our Lord had said. One was, " I am the bread of life;" — another, "I came down from heaven;" — and another, "The bread of God is he (or it) which cometh down from heaven."
i2. — [Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph ?] The word " this," in the Greek, has a latent sneer of contempt about it, which our English version cannot fully convey. It is as if they said, " Is not this fellow," etc.
The expression " the son of Joseph," shows what was the impression that the Jews commonly had about our Lord's birth. They believed Him to be the naturally begotten son of Joseph the husband of Mary. The annunciation by the angel Gabriel, the miraculous conception, the miraculous birth of our Lord, are matters of which the Jews apparently had not any know- ledge. Throughout the whole of our Lord's ministry, we never find them mentioned. For some wise reason a total silence was observed about them until after our Lord's death, resurrection, and ascension. It was not probably till after the death of the Virgin Mary and all her family, that this great and deep subject was allowed to be much brought forward in the Church. We can easily see that an unhallowed curiosity might have arisen on questions connected with the incarnation, which would only have done harm.
[ Whose father and mother we know.] These words seem to show that Joseph was still living at this time. They could hardly have been used if Joseph was dead. They also show that Joseph and Mary were known at Capernaum, where this conversation was held. They had either removed there from Nazareth, or else were so connected with Capernaum and such frequent visitors there, that the inhabitants knew them.
[JIow is it then that he saith.] The^e words would have been more Hterally rendered, "How then does this fellow say?" Again, like the beginning of the verse, there is something scorn- ful in the phrase.
[/ came down from heaven.] The thing that seems to have vexeil and angered the Jews was that our Lord should so openly
88-i EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
declare His divine origin, by talking of " coming down trom heaven." They were oflended at the idea of one so lowly in dress, and circumstances, and position, taking on Himse'f to say, that He was one who had " come down from heaven." Here, as elsewhere, Christ's humiliation -was the great stumbling-block. Human nature would not so much object to a conquering Christ, — a Christ with a crown and an army, — a Christ with wealth to shower on aU His foUowc-rs. But a Christ in poverty, — a Christ preaching nothing but heart religiofi, — a Chiist followed by none but poor fishermen and publicans, — a Christ coming to suffer and die and not to reign, — such a Christ was always an offence to many in this world, and always will be.
Rollock remarks with great truth, that with many persons, " reasoning " (so called) is the grand obstacle to conversion.
i3. — [Jesus answered and said.] This phrase is almost the same as that used in chapter v, verse 19, when our Lord legan what many think was His formal defence of Himself before the San- hedrim. It leads me to think, as I have already said, that there is a slight break at this point of the chapter, and a slight pause, if only of a few hours in time. Our Lord knew by His divine knowledge that the Jews w^ere murmuring and saying contemp- tuous things about Him, and He therefore took up their thoughts, and made a reply to them.
[Murmur not among yourselves!] This seems a mild hint that they need not waste their time in murmuring. It neither sur- prised our Lord, nor discouraged Him. It is as though He said, " Your muriimring is only what I am prepared to expect. I know what human nature is. I am not moved by it. Think not that your unbelief will shake my confidence in my divine mission, or prevent my saying what I do. I know that you cannot naturally understand- such things as I am speaking of, and I will proceed to tell you why. But cease from these useless murmurings, which neither surprise nor stop me."
Webster thinks that the idea is /the same as that in John iii. 7—12, " I have harder things still to say." (See v. 28.)
44. — [No man can come...except the Father draw him.] The con- nection between this verse and the preceding one is not clear. Like many passages in St. John's writings, the language is ellipti- cal and the hnk must be supplied. But the precise link in the present case is not very evident. I believe it is something of this sort: — "You are murmuring among yourselves because I speak of coming down from heaven ; and you are making njy apparently low origin an excuse for not believing on me. But all the timo the fault is not in my sayings, but in your want of grace, and yuur unbelief. There is a deeper and more solemn truth, to