Expository Thoughts
eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Last, but not least, we may learn that faith in Christ's atonement is a personal act, a daily act, and an act that can be felt. No one can eat and drink for us, and no one, in like manner, can believe for us. We need food every day, and not once a week or once a month—and, in like manner, we need to employ faith every day. We feel benefit when we have eaten and drunk, we feel strengthened, nourished, and refreshed; and, in like manner, if we believe truly, we shall feel the better for it, by sensible hope and peace in our inward man.
Let us take heed that we use these truths, as well as know them.
The food of this world, for which so many take thought, will perish in the using, and not feed our souls. He only that eats of "the bread that came down from heaven" shall live forever.
Technical Notes:
52. The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53. Then Jesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54. Whoever 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 meat indeed, and by blood is drink indeed.
56. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me,