The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 419

h~'l"'c been egotistical in the extreme. Comina from his lips, referring ns it did to himself, this declaration is natural enough. For°since he wns the Son or God, no clnim inferior to this would have been just. It is a marvellous metaphor, this, in which our Lord proclaims himself the true Dread, the Dread from heaven, the Dread of God, the Bread of life. I. CoNSIDER THE HUNGER OF THE SOUL WRICH IS PRESUMED. The body is dependent upon food for life, health, and strength; and the appetite of hunger prompts to tho seeking and partaking of food. 'l'here is a correspondence between the hunger that craves and the bread that satisfies ; an adaptation of the supply to the necessity. 'l'here is a parallel arrangement in the spiritual realm. Man is n weak, dependent craving being, with an ineradicable desire for the highest good-a desire not to b~ appeased by earthly provisions. It is a spiritual appetite, which in many is deadened by carnal indulgence, by sinful habit, yet which ever and anon recurs. What a revela- tion of soul-yearning would there be, could the inner natw·e and experience of any congregation be exposed t.o an observer's view! II. CONSIDER THE BREAD OF THE SOUL WlIICII rs PROVIDED. 1. Christ, ns the true Bread, is the gift of the Father. All the family are dependent upon the liberality and thoughtfulne~s of the great Father and Benefactor. If "he openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing," it is not to be believed that, providing fol' the lower waI!ts, he will neglect the higher. .And, as a matter of fact., he has not done so. 2. Christ is the Bread "from heaven." .As such he was prefigured by the manna of the wilderness. This gift is bestowed from the sphere of the spiritual and supernatural, which is thus bronght near to our souls. 3. He is the true, the real Bl'ead. There is no hollow pretence in this gift. God is not a Father who, if his son ask bread of him, will give him a stone. He who made the soul of man knows how that soul's wants can be fully and for ever met. III. CONSIDER THE S.ATISF.ACTION OF THE SOUL WHICH IS SECURED. 1. Christ ia partaken, not by physical eating, but by communion of the spirit with the Saviour. Faith is the means of appropriating the Divine provision. Jesus in this conversation especially warned his disciples of the error into which some of them afterwards fell-the error of confounding ca.rnal with spiritual participation of his body and blood. 2. The result of feeding by faith upon tbe Bread of life is-satisfaction and gladness, health and vigour of soul. and a life which is immortal. "If a man eat this Bread, he shall live for ever.n .As the hunger of the Israelites was appeased by the manna, as the hungPr of the multitude was appeased by the miraculous multiplication of loaves in the wilderness, so ha,·e myriads in every age partaken of the true and spiritual Bread, aud have borne witness to its efficacy to satisfy their deepest cravings, and to nourish their spiritual life.-T. Ver. 44.-The Father draws the soul to Cfhriat. We have to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to God, first for giving and sending his Son to be our Saviour, and then for !?'Uidina us unto his Son, in order that in fellowship with him we may experience the blessings of salvation. For in these two ways does the Father furnish us "Yith a com- plet.e display of his love· in these two ways does he completely secure our highest good. L THE DRAWING OF ::rHE SOUL BY THE F.ATHEB. 1. The soul needs to be divinely drawn. .And this because: (1) By reason of sin it is estranged from God, is far from God is even at enmity with God. (2) There are other attractions, very powerful, and such as men are wont to yield to, which draw man's nature in an opposite direction. " The world, the flesh, and the devil" have great power; and in the case of very many exert that power efficaciously to keep the soul from God, and even to increase the distance by which it is so separated- 2. The instrumentalities, or spiritual forces, by which the Father draws human souls to Ohrist. (1) The presentation of truth adapted to man's intelligence. The next vrrse brings this agency before us in explicit statement: "'!'hey shall be all taught of God." (2) The utterance of m~ral authori~y addre_ssing the conscience. Passion and interest may draw men from Chnst ; .'luty, with a mighty imperative, bids them approach their Lord and Saviour. (3) Love np11eals to the heart of man with mystic power. "The moon may draw the see.; The cloud may stoop from heaven, nnd take the shape, With fold to fold, o!' mountain or of cape." cu. v1. 1-71.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDI:N'G TO ST. JOHN. 287