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I. WHAT IS HERE UNDERSTOOD BY FLESH AND BLOOD?

1. Not as the Capernaites did, in a carnal sense, but in a spiritual.

2. As symbolizing the effects of His body broken and His blood shed, or the merits of His death and passion, as

(1)  The pardon of sin by His merit (Matthew 26:28).

(2)  The purification of our hearts by His Spirit.

3. The glorification of our souls in His presence (John 17:24).

II. IN WHAT SENSE ARE THEY SAID TO BE MEAT AND DRINK?

1. Is the body preserved in health by meat and drink?

2. Made strong?

3. Kept in life?

4. Refreshed? So is the soul by the merits of Christ.

III. How is it called meat INDEED, and drink INDEED?

1. Negatively. Not as if Christ's body was really meat for the body, nor as if His body and blood were substantially turned into real meat and drink, nor as if He referred to any corporeal eating of Himself in the sacraments, as the Papists hold, basing transubstantiation on this text; not considering(1) That He speaks not of a sacramental, but of a spiritual eating, as appears

(a)  in that the sacrament was not ordained (John 6:4; John 7:2).

(b)  In that he that eateth not of this bread shall die (ver. 53), whereas Every one that eateth it shall live (vers. 51, 54, 56).

(2) Suppose the Sacrament referred to it, it would not import any transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, but rather the transubstantiation of the body and blood of Christ into bread and wine.

2. Positively; because it really, and not only in show, does that for the soul which food does for the body (see chap. John 15:1). Nay, in some sense, Christ is more really our meat than bread can be.

(1) He nourishes our souls, this only our bodies.

(2) He so nourishes us that we shall be for ever satisfied (ver. 35), this not.

(3) Bodily food so preserves our lives that sometimes it destroys them; but never so Christ.

(4) Food preserves but our natural, Christ nourishes us to an eternal life (vers. 51, 58).USES.

1. (ver. 27).

2. Do not only labour for it, but feed upon it —

(1)  Believingly (ver. 35).

(2)  Thankfully.

(Bp. Beveridge.)

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KJV: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

WEB: Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.