John 6:47

45 It is written in the prophets, ^a‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ ^bTherefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.

46 ^aNot that anyone has seen the Father, ^bexcept He who is from God; He has seen the Father.

47 Most assuredly, I say to you, ^ahe who believes in Me has everlasting life.

48 ^aI am the bread of life.

49 ^aYour fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 ^aThis is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.

51 I am the living bread ^awhich came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and ^bthe bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

52 The Jews therefore ^aquarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless ^ayou eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.

54 ^aWhoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is² drink indeed.

56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood ^aabides in Me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.

58 ^aThis is the bread which came down from heaven—not ^bas your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Turn Away

60 ^aTherefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a¹ hard saying; who can understand it?”

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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John 6:48 >>

What Does John 6:47 Mean?

John 6:47-51

Verses 47-51 reinforce the strategic role eating—listening to and believing in—God's living Word, Jesus Christ, plays in producing everlasting life. The knowledge that one gains by listening to and applying God's Word results in the greatest of all possible blessings: everlasting life. Remember, eternal life is quality of life as God lives it, as well as endless life.

Notice also that those who believe already have this life. It is the gift of Jesus Christ. Those who have believed have "eaten" Him, and thus He calls Himself the Bread of Life. This Bread does what no other bread, even manna, can do. It works to impart spiritual life and banish spiritual death. He adds that He is the "living bread," implying that He lived in the past, is living in the present, and will live in the future. He will always be there to provide nourishment. Further, we must not just taste this Bread. Once the process begins, we must eat it continuously so that we can assimilate Him into us and begin living life in Him and He in us.

Up to this point, Jesus has insisted that He, not manna, is the true Bread of Life. Now, He adds a new thought: This Bread will give His life in the flesh so the world may also live. He means that we cannot have everlasting life without also "eating," believing, accepting, assimilating, His voluntary, vicarious death by crucifixion for us. The Father gives the Son, and the Son gives Himself. Apart from this sacrifice, Christ ceases to be bread for us in any sense.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Eating: How Good It Is! (Part Four)

Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing John 6:47:

John 3:1-12

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John 6:48 >>

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Many Disciples Turn Away

What Does John 6:47 Mean?

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning