“I am the bread of life.” Now He proceedeth to commit unto them mysteries. And first He discourseth of His Godhead, saying, “I am the bread of life.” For this is not spoken of His Body, (concerning that He saith towards the end, “And the bread which I shall give is My flesh,”) but at present it referreth to His Godhead. For That, through God the Word, is Bread, as this bread also, through the Spirit descending on it, is made Heavenly Bread. Here He useth not witnesses, as in His former address, for He had the miracle of the loaves to witness to Him, and the Jews themselves for a while pretending to believe Him; in the former case they opposed and accused Him. This is the reason why here He declareth Himself. But they, since they expected to enjoy a carnal feast, were not disturbed until they gave up their hope. Yet not for that was Christ silent, but uttered many words of reproof. For they, who while they were eating called Him a Prophet, were here offended, and called Him the carpenter’s son; not so while they ate the loaves, then they said, “He is The Prophet,” and desired to make Him a king. Now they seemed to be indignant at His asserting that He “came down from heaven,” but in truth it was not this that caused their indignation, but the thought that they should not enjoy a material table. Had they been really indignant, they ought to have asked and enquired how He was the “bread of life,” how He had “come down from heaven”; but now they do not this, but murmur. And that it was not this which offended them is plain from another circumstance. When He said, “My Father giveth you the bread,” they exclaimed not, “Beseech Him that He give”; but what? “Give us that bread”; yet He said not, “I give,” but, “My Father giveth”; nevertheless, they, from desire of the food, thought Him worthy to be trusted to for its supply. Now how should they, who deemed Him worthy of their trust for giving, be afterward offended when they also heard that “the Father giveth”? What is the reason? It is that when they heard that they were not to eat, they again disbelieved, and put forth by way of a cloak for their disbelief, that “it was a high saying.” Wherefore He saith, “Ye have seen Me, and believe not” ( c. v. 39 ); alluding partly to His miracles, partly to the testimony from the Scriptures; “For they,” He saith, “are they which testify of Me” ( c. v. 43, 44 ); and, “I am come in My Father’s Name, and ye receive Me not”; and, “How can ye believe which receive honor of men?”