Joh 6:49-51 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 49. Your fathers did eat manna . There was a real miracle wrought in their behalf; there was a perpetual interposition of God which showed that they were his chosen people. And are dead . The bread which they ate could not save them from death. Though God interfered in their behalf, yet they died. We may learn, 1st. That that is not the most valuable of God's gifts which merely satisfies the temporal wants. 2nd. That the most distinguished temporal blessings will not save from death. Wealth, friends, food, raiment, will not preserve life. 3rd. There is need of something better than mere earthly blessings; there is need of that bread which cometh down from heaven, and which giveth life to the world. (k) "and are dead"

John 6:49-51

Verse 49. Your fathers did eat manna. There was a real miracle wrought in their behalf; there was a perpetual interposition of God which showed that they were his chosen people.

And are dead. The bread which they ate could not save them from death. Though God interfered in their behalf, yet they died. We may learn,

1st. That that is not the most valuable of God's gifts which merely satisfies the temporal wants.

2nd. That the most distinguished temporal blessings will not save from death. Wealth, friends, food, raiment, will not preserve life.

3rd. There is need of something better than mere earthly blessings; there is need of that bread which cometh down from heaven, and which giveth life to the world.

(k) "and are dead" Zech 1:5 Verse 50.

(l) "not die" Jn 3:16 Verse 51. The bread that I will give is my flesh. That is, his body would be offered as a sacrifice for sin, agreeably to his declaration when he instituted the Supper: "This is my body which is broken for you," 1Cor 11:24.

Life of the world. That sinners might, by his atoning sacrifice, be recovered from spiritual death, and be brought to eternal life. The use of the word world here shows that the sacrifice of Christ was full, free, ample, and designed for all men, as it is said in 1Jn 2:2, "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." In this verse Jesus introduces the subject of his death and atonement. It may be remarked that in the language which he used the transition from bread to his flesh would appear more easy than it does in our language. The same word which in Hebrew means bread, in the Syriac and Arabic means also flesh.

(m) "my flesh" He 10:5,10,20 (n) "the life of the world" Jn 3:16