John 6:41-51

2. Vv. 41-51.

A murmur which rises in the assembly (John 6:41-42) forces Jesus to declare to the Jews distinctly their incompetency in this matter (John 6:43-46); after which, with an increasing solemnity, He again affirms Himself to be the bread of life (John 6:47-51); and this while adding in the last words (John 6:51 b) a striking, defining phrase, which becomes the occasion of a new phase of the conversation.

ADDITIONAL NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR.

Vv. 41-51a.

1. The Jews mentioned in John 6:41 were probably persons who were present during the conversation with the ὄχλος, and in this sense a part of it; but we may infer from the technical use of this expression that they formed only a part of the company, and were of a similar character to that of the leading adversaries of Jesus in Jerusalem, who are ordinarily designated by this title in the Fourth Gospel.

2. The opinion of Meyer seems to be correct, that John 6:42 conveys, rather than otherwise, the impression that Joseph, as well as Mary, were still alive at this time. As the design of the sentence, however, is found, not in itself, but in the words which follow in the closing part of the verse, no conclusion can be confidently drawn from it.

3. The general thought of this passage is similar to that of the verses which immediately precede the non-receptivity of the unsusceptible soul, and the life which the susceptible soul receives through Christ. The following points, however, may be especially noticed:

(a) The giving of the Father is here explained as a drawing it is a Divine influence working upon the soul.

(b) The soul, in connection with this drawing influence, hears the Father's voice and learns from Him.

(c) As thus learning, the soul is ready to find in Christ the full revelation of the Father and of the life (the light-life in which there is no darkness), and thus to believe on Him.

(d) Believing on Him and finding eternal life in Him, the soul recognizes in Him the bread which gives life and the bread which has life in itself (ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς ὀ ἄρτος ὁ ζῶν, John 6:48; John 6:51), and, feeding upon this bread, it will find its life not ending in death, as was the case with those who ate the manna, but continuing forever.

4. The whole development of thought in this discourse, which bears upon the inner life of the soul, seems to show clearly that, in such verses as John 6:44; John 6:37, the question is not of God's electing purpose, but of the inward susceptibility to Divine influence. And the same is true of other similar passages in this Gospel.