John 6:71

He spake of Judas Iscariot.

At that time none knew of whom he spoke. The words were well calculated to cause each one to examine himself.

Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

The Revision reads, "the son of Simon Iscariot," which is the proper rendering of the Greek. Simon, the father of Judas, is called Iscariot as well as his son, which shows the word is not. surname but evidently designates place. They were men of Kerioth,. place in Judah named in Joshua 15:25. Some have endeavored to identify the father of Judas with "Simon the Canaanite," one of the apostles, others with "Simon the leper," who lived at Bethany, but there is just as much warrant for identifying him with Simon Barjona, or Simon the Galilean Pharisee, or Simon, one of the brethren of our Lord. The name was. very common one and we have nothing particular about this Simon except that he was the father of Judas and. man of Kerioth.

In this remarkable chapter there are given three discourses of the Savior, or three separate sections of one discourse. The bread with which the five thousand had been fed furnishes the text, as the water of the well of Jacob did when he discoursed of the Water of life. An examination of his words will show the gradual development of his thought. He announces:

1. Verse 33, the Bread of God, which cometh from heaven, and giveth life to the world.

2. In verses 48 and 50 he declares: "I am the Bread of life."... This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that. man may eat of it and not die.

3. Verses 51-56 show that the Bread of life must be eaten by becoming partakers of his flesh and blood, or by becoming the kindred of Christ and dwelling in him and having him abide in us.

4. Verse 63 shows that eating his flesh and drinking his blood are not literal acts, but are symbolical expressions. The literal flesh profiteth nothing. The words of Christ are spirit and life. The spirit of man is quickened (made alive) by feeding upon those divine words which are endued with life.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

1. "Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The "Word became flesh and dwelt among men." That Word is the Bread of life of which, if. man eat, he shall have life, and "he hath given his flesh for the life of the world." Yet the flesh in itself "profiteth nothing." "It is the spirit that quickeneth." Christ's words "are spirit and life." He who feeds upon his words shall live. Thus the lesson is brought out that we are made alive by hearing, receiving into our souls, incorporating into our being as life principles, the words of Christ. It is thus he is eaten. The spirit of man thus feeds upon the spirit of Christ.

2.. common life only exists in the most Intimate union. Christ hath the life of, because he is in the Father and the Father in him. So, too, Christ must be in us and we must be and abide in Christ in order to be partakers of his life.

3. The ordinances appointed by Christ symbolize the intimate union of his disciples with the Lord. They believe upon him, are baptized into him (Romans 6:3) and thus put on Christ (Galatians 3:27) and henceforth dwell in him (Romans 8:1) and are new creatures in Christ Jesus. In the Lord's Supper the disciples partake of the symbols of his flesh and blood, and by faith enjoy "the communion of his body and blood."

4. We may not always understand the words of Christ; they may be too deep for us; but we can receive them in loving trust as the words of our Lord. If we were to turn from Christ where could we go? Not to Buddha, or Mahomet, or to the philosophers and theorists. When the children ask for bread they give them. stone. None other than Christ can feed to the soul the Bread of life and give it rest. He only has the words of eternal life.