The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 403

1he C'('\n,li(i0n 0f !his mntnnl indwelling? of the belic-.cr to Christ. "Ho thnt ontoth Christ pn(s (he condition of this Divine iu- me" gathers up and really comprehends nll !erpre!nlion 1hns: "He thnt cnteth my flesh thn t he.s gono before. It is, then, possiblo and <lrink,,1h my bloo<l, dwolloth in ml", and for the believer not only to shn.ro in the I in J,im." 1 'fho verb is in the presont Divine humanity by his foith, and nlso in 1<'nso, implying the continuous npproprintion the fulness nn<l signiflcanco of his (blood) ,,f the Di-.iue sustcnanoo. death, but to lie.ve fnll possession of his Yer. 5i.-Here is the grandest n.sscrtion Divine 1icrso1w.lity, "He thnt cnteth me of nll. Christ began by 11pcnking of himself shall live bcc.'luso of me" (cf. "Because I ::s the Dread of God, as the life-giving Bread, live, yo shnll live also," eh. xiv. l!J). This ;:s the living Brend of human souls. Ho is the vindicntion of tho previous verse, nnd mndc it then clear tha.t he we.s this by tho climax of the nrgllDlcnt. reason of his Divine humanity given for the Vor. 58.-Hcre tho Lord returns once life of the world. He added to this tho.t he more to the stnrting-point of tho discourse. WIU! specially to be appropriated and ac- This is the bree.d that oame down from cepted e.s o. sacrifioe, as the death-sacrifice, heaven (cf. vers. 50, 51). Already he had involved in his gi'"ing his flesh for the life of said, •• I e.m the living Brend that came the world. The power conferred by his death down from heaven," and he hns expanded in life and life in death for man, enabled him the statement to show how much we.a con- to institute eternal life-giving relo.tions be- tained or involved in eating it. He has, tween himself e.nd those who entirely occcpt moreover, emphasized the two sides of his and make their own this cent.ml reality. offer of himself to the woi-ld, nn<l shown how And now, to meet the no.scent objection as the twofold reception of both sides becomes e. to the unique grandeur of his position, he thorough nccepte.nce of himself, and e. two- adds: As the living Father sent me. The fold identification of himself with his people. phrase, "living Father," occurs nowhere He forthwith returns to the original state- else (cf. "righteous Father," eh. :nil. 25; ment, and to its implied contrast with the.t "holy Father," eh. :i.vii. 11 ; "the living which these sign-loving Jews had demanded. God,'' Mo.tt. xvi. 16; 2 Cor. vi. 16; Heh. Not as (your 1) fe.thers e.te, and died: he that x. 31 ; and o.bove all, eh. v. 26, "A.s the ee.teth of this bread shall live for ever. This Father he.th life in himself, so he gave also is e. strong reassert.ion of the fangue.ge of to the Son to have lifo in Limsclf"). Christ vers. 49-51. Life itself in its highest sense is speaking of the human position he shall be independent of death, and will assumed ucfore them as sent by the Father triumph over it. who hru, life in himself, who is more than Ver. 59.-These things-probably refer- all his law~ or all Lis works. Not merely ring to the discourse which followed upon the as the Word, but as the Word of the living contest e.nd discussion of the Jews e.mong Father made Lesh, he stands before them. themselves (vers. 52-58), or it me.y include And I live beoause of the Father. "Because the entire discassion Crom ver. 40 onwe.rds- he lives.. I live; my life is guaranteed by he said in synagogue (or, in a synagogue), his." Thie is the premiss, the platform on e.s he was teaohing in Capernau.m. Caper- which he now stands (!iJ. .,.1i,, nam!pa. must naum is thus distinctly verinod e.s the place not be confounded with per Patrem, or a,a whither the multitudes hnd followed him. .,-ou Il<h-pos, ns M•Leod Campbell, who, in his It was, as we learn from the synoptists, his interesting discussion on "Christ the Bread second and habitual home in Ge.lilee. In of Life," made tLis expression equivalent to Warren's 'Recovery of Jerusalem,' p. 344, ihe means e.nd condition of the Saviour',3 a description of Tell-Hu.in and of its ruins life). From this premiss the Lord ai·gues a occurs, and amongst them the remains of e.n corresponding relation of the believer to him- ancient syne.gogue. " On turning over e. self: So he tha.t ee.teth me, he also &hall live large block of stone,'' says Wilson, "we bec.-a.me of me. The points of comparison found tho pot of manne. engraved on its are: (1) The Father's life-i.mpe.rting relation face." "This very symbol me.y have been to Christ, and Christ's life-imparting relo.- before the eyes of those who heard the tion to the believer. In both ca.i;es the life Lord's words" (Westcott). This note of of one is the guarantee of the life of the time and place is important, as showing that other. (2) The sending of Christ Ly the thus early in his ministry our Lord pro- Father, correlated with the eating of Christ by the believer. (3) 'l'he peculiar relation , T.R. and Lachmann, the lator uncials D, t:., etc., and the Italio Version, Vulgate, 1 D here adds, Ka.Ows tv lµ.ol 6 n.a,.,.¾]p KO')'~ and Syrie.e, read, bµ.&11 ..-b /J-0,Jllla. (Nonnns lv .,-tj n.i'Tp,. 'Aµ.71v ,lµ,71v "-•'Y"' iµ'iv, Ea.JI µ.71 added,., .,.6 lpf/JM11); but N, B, 0, D, L, T, }.,.fjfin ..-o a;,µa. 'TOU lzvBponrou ws .,.i,, IJ.p..-011 33, Coptic, Curetonian Syriao, lEthiopio, .. ;;, ("1fls orJK rxEn (<ur,v ,,, a./ntj. There omit it, and so T1·cielles, 'l'ischendo.-f (8th a.re some Latin versions which retai.D it. edit.), llleyei, Westcott and Hort, and B.'l'. OIi, VI. 1-71.] TUE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. Zil