1. _I am the living bread_, _which came down from heaven_. _If any man eat of this bread_, _he shall live for ever_: _and the bread that I will give is my flesh_, _which I will give for the life of the world_. _The Jews_, _therefore_, _strove among themselves_, _saying_: _How can this man give us his flesh to eat_? _Then Jesus said unto them_: _Verily_, _verily_, _I say unto you_; _Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood_, _ye have no life in you_. _Whoso eateth my flesh_, _and drinketh my blood_, _hath eternal life_: _and I will raise him up at the last day_. _For my flesh is meat indeed_: _and my blood is drink indeed_. _He_, _that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood_, _dwelleth in me_, _and I in him_—_These sayings said he in the synagogue_, _as he taught in Capernaum_. _Many_, _therefore_, _of his disciples_, _when they had heard this_, _said_: _This is an hard saying_; _who can hear it_? _When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it_, _he said unto them_: _Doth this offend you_? _What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before_? IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH: THE FLESH PROFITETH NOTHING. THE WORDS, THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU, ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE. {11b} When our Lord enforced the necessity of eating his flesh and of drinking his blood, the Jews and even his disciples, understanding him _literally_ just as the Romish Clergy _now_ expound his language, murmured at so hard a saying, and asked how he could possibly give men his flesh to eat. Whereupon Christ, in the avowed way of explanation, immediately declared: that _the words_, _which he spake_, _are spirit_; and that _the flesh profiteth nothing_. Clearly, therefore, according to his own distinct explanation, his words are to be understood _spiritually_ or _figuratively_, not _carnally_ or _literally_. 2. _As they were eating_, _Jesus took bread_, _and blessed_, _and brake_, _and gave to his disciples_, _and said_: _Take_, _eat_; _this is my body_. _And he took the cup_, _and gave thanks_, _and gave to them_, _saying_: _Drink ye all of it_; _for this is my blood of the New Testament_, _which is shed for many for the remission of sins_. _But I say unto you_: _I will not drink henceforth of_ THIS FRUIT OF THE VINE, _until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom_. {12a} (1.) The authoritative interpretation of such language, as that which is here employed by our Lord, had already been given by him at Capernaum. His words are to be understood _spiritually_ or _figuratively_: just as when he declared himself to be a _vine_ and his disciples to be _branches_. {12b}