all who profess to admire and follow popular preachers, are real Christians. This is far too much forgotten.
[This is an hard saying.] This does not mean "hard" in the sense of being " difficult to understand." It is not so much " h;ird to the comprehension," as " hard to the feelings." Park- hurst defines it as " shocking to the mind." It is the same word that is used in the parable of the talents: "Thou art an hard man " (Matt. xxv. 24) : and in the Epistle of Jude : " the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (Jude 15.)
Some think that the " hard saying " means the whole dis- course. My own opinion is, that it refers specially to our Lord's concluding words about eating His flesh and drinking Hi^ blood,
[ Who can hear it ? ] The " hearing " here is evidently th hearing so as to beheve, receive, and obey. " Who can behev; receive, and obey such a saying as this ? " (See John v. 24 ; viii. 43; x. 3, 16, 27; xviii. 37; 1 John iv. 6.)
61. — [JesUrS knew in himself.] This means, that He knew by that divine knowledge, through which He always " knew what was in man." (John ii. 25.)
[Ris disciples murmured at it] This would be more literally rendered " His disciples are murmuring about this." He spoko at the very moment of their murmuring.
[Doth this offend you f ] This means, " Is this saying of mine a stumbling-block to you ? Is the doctrine of eating my flesh and drinking my blood, too humbling a doctrine for your hearts to receive ? "
62. — [ What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend.] This means, " What will ye think and say of my ascension into heaven ? " " What will your feelings be, if you behold this body of mine going up to that heaven from whence I came down ? Will you not be much more offended ? " (See John iii. 12.)
The first thing, we must remember, that the Jews " nmr- mured " about, was our Lord's saying that He " came down from heaven." The second thing was, His saying that He would ."give them His flesh to eat." Both times our Lord's human body was the subject. — Here our Lord asks them what they would think, if they saw that same body " ascending up " into heaven. Even then, after his ascension, they would have to " eat His flesh, and drink His blood," if they desired eternal life. What would they think of that ? Would they not find it even more difiicult to receive and believe ?
[Where He was before.] This is an expression which no