This document discusses how the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life, as opposed to mere physical existence. It contains multiple sections: 1. It explains that the Holy Spirit quickens believers and allows for a spiritual understanding of religion, as opposed to an external or ceremonial understanding focused on rituals. 2. It discusses how union with Christ is spiritual rather than physical, and how true worship is spiritual rather than just bodily observances. 3. It addresses how the kingdom of God is a spiritual concept, not a worldly organization, and how sacraments are meaningful as spiritual expressions, not just physical rituals. 4. Obedience to Christ is rendered spiritually by the will, not just bodily conformity to

1. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES LIFE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 6:63 63TheSpirit gives life; the flesh counts for
nothing. The words I have spoken to you-they are full
of the Spirit and life.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The FleshAnd The Spirit
John 6:63
J.R. Thomson
Our Lord here teaches a greatlessonwhich he severaltimes repeatedin the
course of his ministry, and which is most emphatically inculcatedby the
Apostle Paul, especiallyin his Epistles to the Corinthians. There are two
different principles of religion - one carnal, i.e. earthly and human; the other
spiritual, i.e. heavenly and Divine; and of these the secondis the true and
satisfactoryprinciple. "The flesh profiteth nothing" - the religion which is
external and ceremonial, which rules itself by the letter, is vain; "the Spirit
quickeneth" - the religion which begins with the inner nature, and lays all
stress upon the laws and the life of the soul, is Divine, acceptable,and
enduring.
I. THE SUPERIORITYOF THE SPIRIT TO THE FLESHIS APPARENT
IN THE VITAL QUESTION AS TO THE NATURE OF THE UNION OF
THE CHRISTIAN WITH CHRIST. The religion of the flesh teaches that, if a
man could only eat the Lord's body and drink his blood, he must be saved.

2. The religion of the Spirit tells us that physical contactin itself is worthless;
and that the matter of all importance is the spiritual connectionbetweenthe
believer and the Saviour.
II. SPIRITUAL WORSHIP IS BETTERTHAN MERE BODILY
OBSERVANCES. There is a very powerful tendency in human nature to
lowerreligion into a system of form and ceremony. Many under the Mosaic
economywere carried awayby this tendency, whilst the more spiritual Jews
saw clearlyinto the true nature of acceptable worship. On this point our
Lord's language is most explicit, especiallyin his conversationwith the
woman of Samaria. "Godis a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth."
III. A SPIRITUAL CONCEPTIONOF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS
SUPERIOR TO ONE THAT IS CARNAL. It is often regardedas something
of the nature of a human organization; yet our Lord's parables should
convince the student that there is a kingdom altogetherdifferent from any
human institution, whether political or ecclesiastical. Manyare the mischiefs,
as Church history abundantly teaches us, which have flowed from the
fountain error of regarding the Divine kingdom according to "the flesh,"
IV. THE SACRAMENTS THEMSELVESARE ONLY RIGHTLY DEEMED
OF WHEN THEY ARE VIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF THE SPIRIT. The
outward observances,the visible signs, are valuable and necessary. But they
are material expressions ofspiritual truth and reality; they are earthly means
to spiritual ends.
V. CHRISTIAN OBEDIENCEIS THAT WHICH IS RENDERED, NOT
SIMPLY BY THE BODILY NATURE, BUT BY THE SPIRIT. Christ is a
Masterwho asks notmere outward homage or conformity, but the reverential
subjection, the cheerful obedience, ofthe whole nature. Let the spirit serve
him, and the devotion of the bodily powers will follow, to prove the sincerity
of love. - T.

3. Biblical Illustrator
Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard this, said, This is a hard
saying; who canhear it?
John 6:60-65
The defectionof the disciples
T. Whitelaw, D. D.
I. OCCASIONEDBYA HARD SAYING (ver. 60). It was unquestionably
hard (vers. 51, 53, 57).
1. Difficult to understand even for Christians (John 14:17, 26; 1 John 2:20,
27), but especiallyfor unbelievers (1 Corinthians 2:14).
2. Difficult to receive, demanding humility, self-abnegation(Matthew 16:24),
whole-heartedsurrender (Romans 13:14;Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:8),
none of which is easyfor the unrenewed.
3. Difficult to practice.
II. ARRESTED BYA HIGH SAYING (ver. 62).

4. 1. Retrospective (John3:13; John 6:38, 51; John 7:29; John 8:38); referring to
His pre-existent condition.
2. Predictive;foretelling His ascension.
3. Anticipative; cherishing the hope that His exaltationwould resolve
difficulties (Matthew 28:17).
III. INSTRUCTED BYA DEEP SAVING (ver. 63).
1. The announcement of a truth. Only spirit canimpart life.
2. The removal of an error that literal eating was meant.
3. The illustration of a principle. Wrong understanding a stumbling block;
right understanding of the same words life.
IV. WARNED BY A SHARP SAYING (ver. 64).
1. Discriminating. Christ, then as now, distinguished betweenthose who
believed and those who believed not.
2. Informing. Christ, then as now, showedthat He was perfectly acquainted
with characters, works, andways (Revelation2:2, 9, 13, 19; Revelation3:1, 8,
15) of His professedfollowers.
3. Reproving of their guilt. Christ never regardedunbelief as an accident,
misfortune, disease, but always as a sin.
4. Sorrowing (Mark 3:5; Mark 6:6).
V. EXPLAINED BY A DARK SAYING (ver. 65).
1. A rebuke to their self-sufficiency. They deemedthemselves competent to
pronounce judgment on Christ, to gauge His utterances, to estimate the value
of His teaching, and to determine His position in God's kingdom. Christ
assures them they could do none of these things without Divine assistance.
2. A declarationof their irreligion. They were yet in their uurenewed
condition, and therefore incapable of receiving the truth.Learn —
1. The sin of stumbling at Christ's words.

5. 2. To wait for further light on religious difficulties.
3. The danger of literalism.
4. The propriety of self-examination as to whether one truly believes.
5. The possibility of repeating the sin of Judas.
6. The need of daily prayer for Divine grace.
(T. Whitelaw, D. D.)
Hard sayings
W. H. Van Doren, D. D.
I. Forthe SELF-RIGHTEOUS to feelhe deserves eternalpunishment.
II. For the LAODICEAN increasedin goods to feel that he is a beggar.
III. For the WISE AND PRUDENT to believe he is a fool.
IV. For the MAN OF PLEASURE to believe that he is selling his soul for
ashes.
V. For THE CARNAL MIND to know that he must owe his salvationto the
blood of a crucified Galilean.
(W. H. Van Doren, D. D.)
Doth this
A certain test
W. H. Van Doren, D. D.
I. OF WHAT IS GOOD? Thatwhich the unrenewed hate to do.
II. OF WHAT IS TRUE? That which the unrenewedhate to hear.

6. III. OF WHAT IS HEAVENLY? That which the unrenewed hate to become.
(W. H. Van Doren, D. D.)
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing
Christianity a vital force
H. W. Beecher.
Christianity is a latent spiritual power, designedand adapted to translate men
from a lowerand physical life into a higher and spiritual life. If this be so —
I. WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN LIFE?
1. It is the life of the human soul, derived not from natural laws, or the
incitements of society, nor from any human causes, but distinctively a life
derived from God; not an occasionalexcitement, but the indwelling of a
Divine influence.
2. Under such influence is developeda personalexperience differing from any
that could otherwise be developed, which awakens in us a likeness to Christ's
nature and habits in —
(1)Purity;
(2)Love;
(3)Activity.
II. SOME GOOD REASONSWHY ONE SHOULD ENTER IN THIS LIFE.
Mosthave some conceptionof a character. With one it is wealth, with another
learning, with others art, eloquence, home life. But these are not you. There is
a living, controlling being behind all achievements:characteris the fashioning
of that. I urge you, therefore, to acceptthe Christian ideal — the man in
Christ Jesus — because —
1. The Divine power, as a living influence on your souls, is the only
reconstructive force adequate to your needs. Those ideals which men form,

7. exterior to themselves, have no transforming power upon their dispositions.
What man needs is a perfectcontrol of his animal nature, his selfishness,
pride, sensuality.
2. This developing power reveals the only harmonizing elements around which
all of a man's nature canreorganize itself. Love is the only point of
crystallization.
(1)Crownpride and there are many faculties which say, "I will not bow down
to pride."
(2)Crownvanity, and many parts of the soulwill say, "I am higher than
thou."
(3)Crownreason, and many feelings will rebel.
(4)Crownbeauty, and there is not one faculty that under stress oftrial will
cry, "O Beauty, save me!"
(5)Crownconscience, and many faculties indeed will follow; but conscience is
a despot.
(6)But crownlove, and all will acknowledgehis supremacy.
3. It is only in a characterfashionedon the model of Christ that we can find
relief from things seeminglyor really antagonistic.
(1)Aspiration and content.
(2)Conscienceandpeace.
(3)Hope and fear.
4. The Divine powerin the soul harmonizes man with his fellow-men.
5. This Divine power gives to the whole economyof life and flow of events a
reconciliationwhich nothing else can. Christ is not working for results that
appear in this life alone, but for those that shall appear in the life hereafter.
You do not care what befalls you, so long as you have the certainty that the
end of it shall be right. This redeems death from being a catastrophe, and
exalts it into a victory.Conclusion:If this view be correct —

8. 1. There is a very greatdifference betweenreasoning upon Christianity and
testing Christianity. No man is competent to determine questions in regard to
it until he has put his whole soul into the attitude of Christ. There are
multitudes asking for arguments; Christ says, "The words that I speak unto
you," etc.
2. Is there not reasonto fear that many persons who believe themselves to be
safe come far short of true Christian life? No man is a Christian, whateverhis
morality, etc., until Christ's Spirit dwells in him.
3. No man can come into this position by his own power. But open your heart
and the Spirit will come in with His vivific power.
(H. W. Beecher.)
The influence of the Spirit
B. Beddome, M. A.
I. EXPLAIN THE PASSAGE. When it is said, "It is the spirit that
quickeneth" —
1. It is not to be understood of the Holy Spirit exclusively, for the same work is
ascribedto the Fatherand the Son.
2. The spirit does not quicken universally. "The wind bloweth where it
listeth;" we read of those who were "full of the Holy Ghost," and of others
which were "sensual, not having the Spirit."
3. Yet the Holy Spirit quickens all who are quickened (Ezekiel37:7; Romans
8:12).
4. He quickens men in their severalstations:ministers to preach with
clearness andfervour; private Christians to hear, receive, and do.
5. Though the Spirit cando this immediately, yet He generally does it by the
use of means, and principally by the Word.
II. THE SUBJECTSOF HIS INFLUENCE He quickens —

9. 1. Our attention, as in the case ofLydia.
2. Our judgment (Isaiah 4:4). He leads us to distinguish betweengoodand
evil, to discernthe reality of grace.
3. The will, to choose, embrace andcleave to that which is good.
4. The conscience, stirring it up to the faithful and vigorous discharge ofduty.
5. The memory, to receive and retain Divine truths, to recollectGod's dealings
with us and our conduct towards Him.
6. The gifts of ministers and private Christians, that they may be ready in
prayer, preaching, and conference, andalso those graces whichHe has
implanted — fear, love, faith, zeal, etc.
7. The dead bodies of the saints (Romans 8:11).
III. THE ENDS FOR WHICH HE QUICKENS.
1. To consideration, without which we should be utterly thoughtless about our
spiritual concerns (Jeremiah23:20).
2. To useful inquiries.
3. To fervent and importunate prayer.
4. To holiness of heart and newness of life.
5. To all acts of evangelicalobedience.
IV. IMPROVEMENT.
1. Learn the proper Deity of the Spirit. He that doeth the works of Deity must
have the perfections of Deity.
2. See why God's words and ordinances have no greaterefficacy. The most
persuasive address is not sufficient without the influence of the Spirit.
3. Let us earnestlypray for His quickenings.
4. Let us join in the use of means.

10. 5. Grieve not the Spirit.
(B. Beddome, M. A.)
The necessityofthe Holy Spirit
C. H. Spurgeon.
Howeverlearned, godly, and eloquent a minister may be, he is nothing
without the Holy Spirit. The bell in the steeple may be well hung, fairly
fashioned, and of soundestmetal, but it is dumb until the ringer makes it
speak;and in like manner the preacherhas no voice of quickening for the
dead in sin, of comfort for living saints until the Divine Spirit gives him a
gracious pull, and bids him speak with power. Hence the need of prayer from
both preacherand hearers.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The Spirit a Quickener
J. S. Kennard, D. D.
I. IN THE PHYSICAL CREATION. He brooded over dark chaos and
quickened it into life, order, beauty, and fruitfulness. This vitalizing power
has never left His realm.
II. IN THE MORAL WORLD. "The inspiration of the Almighty giveth
understanding." He implants instincts and affinities that respond to the touch
of God.
III. IN THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. He inspired poets to sing, prophets to teach,
judges to rule, and warriors to fight.
IV. IN THE REVELATION OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH. Eye and ear are
inadequate vehicles.

11. 1. He was the efficient Agent in the Incarnation, and from that hour until now
if Christ is born in a soul, the hope of glory, it is by the same Spirit.
2. Like a dove He descendedon Jesus at His baptism, fitting Him for all His
future work.
3. In bringing Him from the dead (Romans 8:11), and in the impartation of
Pentecostalpowerthe same fact is corroborated.
4. The personal and localChrist departed, for it was expedient for Him to give
way for the Spirit. The dull eyes of the disciples were opened, and they were
transformed into heroes of faith.
5. Your bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost, therefore your dust will be re-
animated by Deity. Conclusion:The highestneed of the Church is the
overjoying powerof the Holy Ghost.
(J. S. Kennard, D. D.)
The Spirit and Life
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. THE LIFE OF THE SOUL IS DERIVED FROM A SPIRITUAL SOURCE.
1. The Scriptures teachthat the Holy Spirit is the Communicator of life —
(1)Physical(Genesis 1:2; Psalm33:6).
(2)Intellectual (Proverbs 8:12, 14;Job 32:8).
(3)Spiritual (Acts 2:36-38).
2. The spirit of the new man inspires him to attend to the things that are
appropriate to his life, and so he grows in grace (Romans 8:5).
3. A careful considerationofthe ordinances of Christianity, anal their
underlying truths, are conducive to spiritual results.

12. (1)Baptism, the symbol of death to sin, separationfrom the world, and the
commencementof a new life.
(2)The Lord's Supper, the memorial of the sublimest self-sacrifice.
(3)The Scriptures, which contain the will of God and eternal life.
II. LIFE FROM THE FLESH IS IMPOSSIBLE (Galatians 5:17).
1. Howeverimperceptible the path of a soul under the control of the
unregenerate sensesis a downward one (Romans 8:8).
2. The fleshly spirit divided Jewishsocietyinto hypocritical formalists and icy
sceptics;and the same spirit has continued to work in priestly corruptions and
theoreticaland practical infidelity within and without the Church.
III. THE POWER OF CHRIST'S WORDS IS SPIRITUAL.
1. They are spiritual in their nature.
2. They are life-giving. Fleshand Spirit.
(1)Fleshhere means the outward and sensuous, whichappeals to the eye, ear,
etc. There was much of this in the old Jewishfaith; but whenever they rested
in it, it profited them nothing.
(2)Spirit does not mean the Holy Spirit, but the inward part of religion which
the soulunderstands and lives upon.
I. THE UNPROFITABLE FLESH. The external observances ofreligionin
themselves.
1. The "real Presence."If Christ were really eatencarnally, then He could
only profit carnally like other food. Does graceoperate through the stomach?
On the contrary, the realreception consists in belief in the Incarnation, trust
in the death, realizationof the spiritual indwelling of Christ.
2. Baptism. The putting awayof the filth of the flesh is nought, the answerof a
goodconsciencetowards Godis the vitality of baptism.

13. 3. Apostolicalsuccession. The mere fleshly connectionbetweenbishop and
bishop, establishedby successivelaying on of hands, supposing it could be
proved, is valueless:the apostles'successors are those who preach apostolic
doctrine, display apostolic piety, and do apostolic work.
4. The value of ornate worship must be determined by what in it is sensuous
and what spiritual.
5. The same applies to architecture and symbolism: do they gratify a carnal
taste or minister to spiritual life?
6. Eloquence oftenexcites the same emotions as the theatre is as sounding
brass, and only profits as the vehicle of a truth that moves the inmost soul.
7. Revivalistic movements frequently engender a mere carnalenthusiasm,
and, unless their excitements stir the spirits of a man towards God and
holiness, they are basedupon a lie.
8. Prayerand ordinances of any kind as mere matters of form and habit profit
nothing. Their powerlies wholly in their spirituality.
II. THE QUICKENING SPIRIT.
1. It is the spiritual nature which quickens a man. He who has not received
this from the Holy Ghost is dead in trespassesand sins.
2. This quickens all ordinances and makes them vitalizing means of grace.
3. So with spiritual acts and moral duties.
4. This spiritual nature has for its Author the Divine Fatherand is the actual
operationof the Holy Spirit.
5. The mark by which it is discoveredis faith.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Spirit and life
Bp. M. Simpson.

14. I. THE WORDS OF CHRIST PERTAIN TO AND REVEAL THE
SPIRITUAL AND ETERNAL.
1. Spirit and life are closelyrelatedto eachother. The Spirit originates, the life
perpetuates.
2. Words strictly speaking cannotbe Spirit; they representor manifest; as
Christ said, "I am the Door." The words of man express his thoughts and
revealhis inmost being, How easyto detectthe style of Johnson, Macaulay, or
Carlyle. The words of Christ reveal His Spirit of wisdom and love.
3. Valuable as are the works of literature, etc., Christ's words do not pertain
to them. They are of a prior and higher realm. They do not teachscience,but
they give light and life to men that he may pursue the most profound
investigations. Hence under the shadow of the Cross alone flourish literary
and scientific institutions of the highestcharacter.
II. THE WORDS OF CHRIST ARE ACCOMPANIED BY AN UNSEEN
SPIRITUAL POWER, which is indissolubly joined to them, and thus they
become spirit and life. How the spiritual canbe joined to the material we can't
explain. Where are the cords which bind this earth to yonder sun? What is it
that gives the minute seedthe powerto develop? Life. But what is life? The
chemist says a grain of wheat is so much carbon, etc. I ask him to make one,
and he takes the various substances in their due proportions, and the result
looks like a grain of wheat. It has the same colour, weight, form. But plant it
— it will not grow. But the grain that God made, though kept in Egypt's
catacombs forthree thousand years, will, because it has life. So with the words
of Christ. They are like other words, but God has joined with them a spirit
and life which affectthe heart of man.
III. THE POWER OF THIS WORD IS SEEN IN THE MATERIAL
UNIVERSE.
1. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made." The greatworlds are
God's conceptions materialized that finite minds may catcha glimpse of His
almightiness and wisdom. Think of all this as the product of a word and who
can estimate its power?

15. 2. More than this, "He upholdeth all things by the word of His power."
3. Greatas is the creationand preservationof worlds there is something
higher in life. The one is passive the other active. In Christ was life and He
breathed into man a living soul. His Word perpetuates natural life, and how
numberless are its forms and varieties!What endless gradations in the
characterof that life from the worm to the man, from life for a moment to life
everlasting.
IV. The text, however, refers to SPIRITUAL LIFE AND DECLARES THAT
THE WORDS OF CHRIST ORIGINATE AND PERPETUATE THAT LIFE.
1. Were there no such declarationwe might infer it. Unless needed to awaken
man's sensibilities, why did Godstoop to Mount Sinai and Christ to the
manger and the cross?
2. Everywhere religion is spokenof as life. Ezekiel's mystic river and valley of
dry bones.
3. The words of greatmen have frequently given to nations increasing
influences: Homer, Aristotle, etc., for Greece;Bacon, Shakespeare, etc.,for
England. But if God speaks, how powerful must His words effectthe hearts
and lives of men! Even fancied Divine words, as of the oracle to Alexander or
of the imaginings of Joanof Arc inspired almost irresistible power.
4. During His earthly abode, Jesus showedhow truly His words were spirit
and life. He healed the sick and raised the dead with a word. And how simple
were His words, apparently without any effort. How quietly he calmed the
winds and multiplied the bread. And His words reachedspirit as well as
matter. "Whether is it easierto saythy sins be forgiven thee," etc.
5. The same poweraccompanies His words as spokenby His servants. They
have revolutionized the world, Idolatry disappeared before the Bible. The
Cross was exaltedabove the eagle. Greatreforms have always beenpreceded
and accompaniedby the study of God's Word.
(Bp. M. Simpson.)

16. Christ's greatideas
H. M. Scudder, D. D.
Christ came into the world to introduce three greatideas, into which all His
teachings could be classified.
I. The first was simple in form and sublime in sentiment; He came into the
world to teachTHAT GOD IS OUR FATHER, and urged that idea
continually. Over all things was a sustaining power, and this over the most
precious of all truths in regard to the being of God. The only prayer Christ
ever taught began, "Our Fatherwhich art in heaven."
II. THE IDEAL OF A TRUE MAN. No one else ever did that or had ever
attempted it — even in outline. He could tell us what a true man was because
He was Himself a True Man. Eighteencenturies have criticised that life only
to render it more radiant and excellent.
III. THE PERFECTIBILITYOF SINFUL MAN. No one had so clearlyshown
that man was a sinful being, or been more outspokenin regard to the awful
consequencesofwrong doing, and yet He affirms that fallen humanity can be
lifted up and made holy. Sin was an obstacle to eternal life, but Jesus Christ
had pledged Himself to remove it. He promises ,that if we will come to Him
our sins shall be forgiven; that they shall be flung far from remembrance into
the backwarddepths of space. His words will live and never change.
(H. M. Scudder, D. D.)
The honesty of Jesus
NewmanSmyth, D. D.
1. Christ's teaching was honestyitself compared with that of the scribes;and
now no book has a ring so decidedly clearand genuine as the New Testament.
2. Yet honesty is not the whole of the significantquality of Christ's life and
words. A man may be quite honestbut greatlymistaken. It is a greatthing to
have a candid mind not obscured by prejudice or broken by passion.

17. 3. But this is not enough. The position of a mirror in the light, and its angle
towards the objectto be seenin it is as important as its clearness. We cannot
hope to gain true representations if we persistin holding ourselves at a wrong
personalangle towards truths. But Jesus always keptHimself in a relation so
true to men that in His thoughts and judgments, all objects are representedin
their simple reality. His words are not only clearand honest, they correspond
to the truth of things.
I. Let me DESCRIBETHIS CHARACTERISTIC.
1. In the conversationsofJesus. He quietly brushes aside Jewishnotions and
personaldeceptions and touches with saving powerthe real lives of the people.
They might for years have concealedtheir real self, but when Jesus came they
became real. It was so with Nicodemus, the woman of Samaria, the publican,
the Pharisee, the disciples.
2. In the teachings ofJesus.(1)Theywent to the moral core of their being, and
insisted on their becoming true men at heart.(2)His doctrine of God has the
same practical relation to human life. The doctrine of Jesus means real
righteousness, justice, love, in God as in man. He did not come to teach a
comprehensive system of philosophy, a subtle science ofnature, or some
perfect scheme of divinity. He representedGod on earth, and realized in His
life and death the whole eternaldisposition of God towards man.
II. Some pertinent APPLICATIONS OF THIS TRUTH. Two facts are forcing
themselves on our notice.
1. EcclesiasticalChristianity and dogmatic Christianity have less influence to-
day than ever they had.
2. Neverhas a realChristianity of real life been more honoured or loved.
3. It requires therefore no prophet to predict that the church of the future will
not be altogetherthe church of the past. It will not be a church of vested
ecclesiasticalpretensionor formal and one sided orthodoxism, but a gospelof
the Sonof Godin the hearts of men, preachedthrough the conduct of life.

18. 4. If we have any doubt as to what this real gospelis we may find it in the New
Testament, if we read it with a willing mind; but to practice it means
something much harder than coming to church, singing hymns or discussing
doctrines. It is Christ loved, chosen, and obeyedas Saviour and Lord.
(NewmanSmyth, D. D.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
It is the spirit that quickeneth - It is the spiritual sense only of my words that
is to be attended to, and through which life is to be attained, 2 Corinthians
3:6. Such only as eatand drink what I have mentioned, in a spiritual sense,
are to expecteternal life.
The flesh profiteth nothing - If ye could even eatmy flesh and drink my blood,
this would not avail for your salvation. These words contain a caution that the
hearers should not understand his words in the strict literal sense, as if his
body were really Bread, and as if his flesh and blood were really to be eaten
and drank.
The words that I speak - Or, I have spoken. Instead of λαλω, I speak, I read
λελαληκα, I have spoken, onthe authority of BCDKLT, thirteen others;the
Syriac, all the Arabic, all the Persic, Coptic, Ethiopic, Gothic, Slavonic,
Vulgate, all the Itala; Origen, Eusebius, Athanasius, Basil, Cyril, Chrysostom,
Tertullian, Ambrosias, Augustin, Gaudentius, and Vigilius Taps. This is an
important reading, and plainly shows that our Lord's words here do not refer
to any new point of doctrine which he was then inculcating, but to what he
had spokenconcerning his being the living bread, and concerning the eating
of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, in the preceding verses.

19. Are spirit, and they are life - As my words are to be spiritually understood, so
the life they promise is of a spiritual nature: see BishopPearce.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on John 6:63". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/john-
6.html. 1832.
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Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
It is the Spirit that quickeneth - These words have been understood in
different ways. The word “Spirit,” here, evidently does not refer to the Holy
Spirit, for he adds, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit.” He
refers here, probably, to the doctrine which he had been teaching in
opposition to their notions and desires. “Mydoctrine is spiritual; it is fitted to
quicken and nourish the soul. It is from heaven. Your doctrine or your views
are earthly, and may be calledflesh, or fleshly, as pertaining only to the
support of the body. You place a greatvalue on the doctrine that Moses fed
the body; yet that did not permanently profit, for your fathers are dead. You
seek also foodfrom me, but your views and desires are gross and earthly.”
Quickeneth- Gives life. See the notes at John 5:21.
The flesh - Your carnalviews and desires, and the literal understanding of my
doctrine. By this Jesus shows them that he did not intend that his words
should be takenliterally.
Profiteth nothing - Would not avail to the real needs of man. The bread that
Moses gave,the food which you seek, wouldnot be of real value to man‘s
highest wants.

20. They are spirit - They are spiritual. They are not to be understood literally, as
if you were really to eat my flesh, but they are to be understood as denoting
the need of that provision for the soul which God has made by my coming into
the world.
Are life - Are fitted to produce or give life to the soul dead in sins.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon John 6:63". "Barnes'Notes onthe New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/john-6.html.
1870.
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Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
have spokenunto you are spirit and are life.
This was Jesus'wayof saying, "Look, with regardto what I said about eating
my flesh and drinking my blood, you must not take that literally, but
spiritually. `The flesh profiteth nothing ...' Of course, eating my literal flesh
would be to no profit; but my words are spirit and are life. It is my teaching
which you must assimilate."
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography

21. Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on John 6:63". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/john-6.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
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John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
It is the Spirit that quickeneth,.... It is the spirit of man that quickens him; or
which being breathed into him, he becomes a living soul; for the body, without
the spirit, is dead; it is a lifeless lump: and it is the Spirit of God that quickens
dead sinners, by entering into them as the spirit of life, and causing them to
live: and it is spiritual eating, or eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of
Christ in a spiritual sense, whichquickens, refreshes, and comforts the minds
of believers; it is that by, and on which they live, and by which their spiritual
strength is renewed:unless, by spirit, is meant the divine nature of Christ, by
which he was quickenedand raisedfrom the dead, and ascendedup into
heaven, and was declaredto be the Son of God with power:
the flesh profiteth nothing; the human nature of Christ, though profitable, as
in union with the Son of God, to be given for the life of his people, and to be an
offering, and a sacrifice for their sins, yet not as alone, or as abstractedfrom
the divine nature; nor would his flesh and blood, corporeallyeaten, could, or
should it be done, be of any avail to eternal life; nor is any other flesh, literally
understood, profitable of itself for life; for man lives not by bread, or meat, or
flesh alone, but by the word and blessing of God upon it, and along with it;
nor flesh, in a figurative sense, as creature acts and performances, self-
righteousness, obedienceto the ceremoniallaw, carnaldescent, and birth
privileges:
the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life; the
doctrines which Christ had then been delivering concerning himself, his flesh
and blood, being spiritually understood, are the means of quickening souls.
The Gospel, and the truths of it, which are the wholesome words of our Lord
Jesus Christ, are the means of conveying the Spirit of God, as a spirit of
illumination and sanctification, into the hearts of men, and of quickening

22. sinners dead in trespassesandsins: the Gospelis the Spirit that giveth life,
and is the savour of life unto life, when it comes not in word only, or in the
bare ministry of it, but with the energy of the Holy Ghost, and the power of
divine grace.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on John 6:63". "The New John Gill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/john-
6.html. 1999.
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Geneva Study Bible
14 It is the x spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that
I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.
(14) The flesh of Christ therefore quickens us, because he that is man is God:
and this mystery is only comprehendedby faith, which is the gift of God,
found only in the elect.
(x) Spirit, that is, that powerwhich flows from the Godheadcauses the flesh of
Christ (which is otherwise nothing but flesh) both to live in itself and to give
life to us.

23. Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon John 6:63". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/john-6.html. 1599-
1645.
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
the flesh profiteth nothing — Much of His discourse was about “flesh”;but
flesh as such, mere flesh, could profit nothing, much less impart that life
which the Holy Spirit alone communicates to the soul.
the words that I speak … are spirit and … life — The whole burden of the
discourse is “spirit,” not mere flesh, and “life” in its highest, not its lowest
sense, and the words I have employed are to be interpreted solelyin that
sense.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography

24. Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John
6:63". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/john-6.html. 1871-8.
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People's New Testament
It is the spirit that quickeneth. We may paraphrase this verse thus: I shall
ascendto heaven so that my body cannot be literally eaten; the flesh literally
profits nothing. It is the spirit that makes alive. The spirits of men must feed
upon me by faith, that they may be made alive. My words are spirit and life.
He who feeds upon them will be made alive.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on John 6:63". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/john-6.html.
1891.
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Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
That quickeneth (το ζωοποιουν — to zōopoioun). Articular present active
participle of ζωοποιεω — zōopoieō for which see John 5:21. Forthe contrast
betweenπνευμα — pneuma (spirit) and σαρχ — sarx (flesh) see note on John
3:6.

25. The words (τα ρηματα — ta rēmata). Those in this discourse (I have just
spoken, λελαληκα — lelalēka), forthey are the words of God (John 3:34; John
8:47; John 17:8). No wonderthey “are spirit and are life” (πνευμα εστιν και
ζωη εστιν — pneuma estin kaizōē estin). The breath of God and the life of
God is in these words of Jesus. Neverman spoke like Jesus (John 7:46). There
is life in his words today.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on John 6:63". "Robertson'sWord Pictures of
the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/john-6.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
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Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
It is the Spirit — The spiritual meaning of these words, by which God giveth
life.
The flesh — The bare, carnal, literal meaning, profiteth nothing.
The words which I have spoken, they are spirit — Are to be taken in a
spiritual sense and, when they are so understood, they are life - That is, a
means of spiritual life to the hearers.

26. Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on John 6:63". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/john-6.html. 1765.
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The Fourfold Gospel
It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
have spokenunto you are spirit, are are life1.
The words that I have spokenunto you are spirit, are are life. Jesus here tells
them plainly that his words relate to the spiritual realm, and to life in that
realm. It is his Spirit in our spirit which gives eternallife. His flesh in our
flesh would profit nothing, even were a priest able, by his blessing, to perform
the miracle of transubstantiation. The life-principle of Jesus layin his divinity,
and his divinity lay in his Spirit, and not in his flesh. We would not come in
contactwith his divinity by eating that which representedhis humanity.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files

27. were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon John 6:63". "The
Fourfold Gospel". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/john-
6.html. Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
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Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
It is the Spirit that quickeneth, it is spiritual food which gives true and real
life; the flesh--that is, what relates to the body--is, of little value.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon John 6:63". "Abbott's
Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/john-6.html. 1878.
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Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
63.It is the Spirit that quickeneth. By these words Christ shows the reason
why the Jews did not profit by his doctrine to be, that, being spiritual and
quickening, it does not find ears well prepared. But as this passage has been
variously expounded, it will be of importance first to ascertainthe natural
meaning of the words; from which it will be easyto perceive Christ’s
intention. When he affirms thatthe flesh profiteth nothing, Chrysostom
improperly, in my opinion, refers it to the Jews, who were carnalI readily

28. acknowledge thatin heavenly mysteries the whole power of the human mind
is utterly unavailing; but the words of Christ do not bear that meaning, if they
be not violently tortured. Equally forcedwould be that opinion, as applied to
the apposite clause;namely, it is the illumination of the Spirit that quickeneth.
Nor do I approve of the views of those who say, that the flesh of Christ
profiteth, so far as he was crucified, but that, when it is eaten, it is of no
advantage to us; for, on the contrary, we must eatit, that, having been
crucified, it may profit
Augustine thinks that we ought to supply the word only, or by itself, as if it
had been said, “The flesh alone, and by itself, profiteth not, ” (173)because it
must be accompaniedby the Spirit This meaning accords wellwith the scope
of the discourse, forChrist refers simply to the manner of eating. He does not,
therefore, exclude every kind of usefulness, as if none could be obtained from
his flesh; but he declares that, if it be separatedfromthe Spirit, it will then be
useless. Forwhence hasthe flesh power to quicken, but because it is spiritual?
Accordingly, whoeverconfines his whole attention to the earthly nature ofthe
flesh, will find in it nothing but what is dead; but they who shall raise their
eyes to the powerof the Spirit, which is diffused over the flesh, will learn from
the actualeffectand from the experience of faith, that it is not without reason
that it is calledquickening
We now understand in what manner the flesh is truly food, and yet it profiteth
not It is food, because by it life is procured for us, because in it God is
reconciledto us, because in it we have all the parts of salvationaccomplished.
It profiteth not, if it be estimated by its origin and nature; for the seedof
Abraham, which is in itself subject to death, does not bestow life, but receives
from the Spirit its power to feed us; and, therefore, on our part also, that we
may be truly nourished by it, we must bring the spiritual mouth of faith.
As to the sentence breaking off in so abrupt a manner, it is probable that this
was done because Christsaw that it was necessaryto act in this manner
towards unbelievers. By this clause, therefore, he suddenly closedthe sermon,
because they did not deserve that he should speak to them any longer. Yet he
did not overlook those who are godly and teachable;for they have here, in a
few words, what may abundantly satisfythem.

29. The words which I speak to you. This is an allusion to the preceding
statement, for he now employs the word Spirit in a different sense. But as he
had spokenof the secretpowerof the Spirit, he elegantlyapplies this to his
doctrine, because it is spiritual; for the word Spirit must be explained to mean
spiritual Now the word is calledspiritual, because it calls us upwards to seek
Christ in his heavenly glory, through the guidance of the Spirit, by faith, and
not by our carnalperception; for we know that of all that was said, nothing
can be comprehended but by faith. And it is also worthy of observation, that
he connects life withthe Spirit He calls his word life, from its effect, as if he
had calledit quickening; but shows that it will not be quickening to any but
those who receive it spiritually, for others will rather draw death from it. To
the godly, this commendation bestowedon the Gospelis most delightful,
because they are certain that it is appointed for their eternal salvation;but at
the same time, they are reminded to labor to prove that they are genuine
disciples.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on John 6:63". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/john-6.html. 1840-
57.
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Ver. 63. The first proposition is a generalprinciple, from which they should
have started and which would quite naturally exclude the mistake which they
commit. Chrysostom, Luther, Reuss give to the word flesh here the sense of
grosslyliteral interpretation and to the word spirit that of figurative
interpretation. But the opposite of the spirit in this sense wouldbe the letter,

30. rather than the flesh; and the word flesh cannotbe takenhere all at once in a
different sense from that which it has had throughout the whole preceding
discourse. "The Spirit alone gives life," Jesus means to say; "as to the
material substance, whetherthat of the manna, or that of my own body, it is
powerless to communicate it." Does this saying exclude the substantial
communication of the Lord"s body, in the Lord"s Supper? No, undoubtedly,
since the Lord, as He communicates Himself to believers, through faith, in the
sacrament, is life-giving Spirit, and the flesh and blood no longerbelong to the
substance of His glorified body (1 Corinthians 15:50).
From this generalprinciple Jesus infers the true sense ofHis words. If He said
simply: My words are spirit, one might understand these words with
Augustine in the sense:My words are to be understood spiritually. But the
secondpredicate:and life, does not allow this explanation. The meaning is
therefore:"My words are the incarnation and communication of the Spirit; it
is the Spirit who dwells in them and acts through them; and for this reason
they communicate life" (according to the first clause ofthe verse). From this
spiritual and life-giving nature of His words results the manner in which they
are to be interpreted.
The Alexandrian reading: "the words which I have spoken," is adopted as
unquestionable by Tischendorf, Westcott, Weiss, Keil, etc., on the evidence of
the most ancientMjj. And one seems to be setting oneselfobstinatelyagainst
the evidence in preferring to it the receivedreading: "the words which I speak
(in general)," which has in its favor only the St. Gall MS. and nine others of
nearly the same time (9th century). My conviction is, nevertheless, thatthis is
indeed the true reading. The first reading would restrictthe application of
these words to the sayings which Jesus has just uttered on this same day, while
the pronoun ἐγώ, I, by making the nature of the sayings depend on the
characterof Him who utters them, gives to this affirmation a permanent
application: "The words which a being such as I am, spiritual and living,
utters, are necessarilyspirit and life." Weiss does not appear to me to have
succeededin accounting for this pronoun ἐγώ, when he adopts the
Alexandrian reading.

31. Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Godet, Frédéric Louis. "Commentary on John 6:63". "Frédéric Louis Godet -
Commentary on SelectedBooks".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsc/john-6.html.
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James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
WORDS OF LIFE
‘The words that I have spokenunto you are spirit, and are life.’
John 6:63 (R.V.)
In John’s Gospelthe prooemium, standing where it does, effects a great
purpose. A greatlife is not sufficiently recounted by anecdotes anddates. How
can we link its facts together, and present to ourselves and others an organic
whole? John, in the prooemium of his Gospel, presents us with that which
proves itself the right key by fitting all the wards of the lock, by supplying a
principle which harmonises all the facts. The prooemium does this for all in
our Lord’s earthly life.
I. The personality of Christ.—The acceptance ofviews of the PersonofChrist
as workedout upon principles different from the Divine Societyknownas the
Church ultimately, leads to a moral impasse of a destructive nature. An
example of this is now before our eyes. A book, whose very name is startling,
has lately been published in France. Its title is The Irreligion of the Future,
and it is in the highest degree laudatory of irreligion. For all its hostility to
religion, it sinks at times to a melancholy sentimentalism and despair,
masquerading in the garb of resignation—all, however, with apparently not
very unsatisfactoryissues, until we come to a difficulty which is supposed by
many to underlie the whole purpose of the work. There are two chapters of

32. which the headings are, ‘Religion and Irreligion in Women,’ ‘Religionand
Irreligion in connectionwith the Fecundity and Future of Races.’‘It is sad,’
says the writer, ‘to find that one out of the three or four greatpeoples which,
even takenby itself, counts as something in what chances there are of human
happiness, sets to work in gaietyof heart to annihilate itself. In connection
with the chapterof “Religionand Irreligion in Women,” the author turns,
with the triumphant modesty of the successfulmissionary, to the spiritual
history of a lady. She was married to a husband whom she loved, as he loved
her, truly and deeply. She had, indeed, married partly from a desire to win
him to Christ. One day her husband askedher if she might not think it a
congenialtask to readthe Bible through carefully in an impartial spirit. She
acceptedthe idea, starting with the extreme postulate that every word of the
Bible was dictated by God; that it was an instrument vibrating through and
through with a Divine and deathless music. She went on upon her course not
without many doubts and misgivings. When the first part of her task was
over, she turned to the pages ofthe New Testamentwith a throb of
expectation. She came with especialdelight to the Gospelaccording to John,
which she had studied carefully in past years. Alas! she no longerfound the
Man without a stain, the Lamb of God. She detected“blemishes,
contradictions, credulities, superstitions, moral imperfections.” She cried with
an exceeding great, bitter cry, “My belief has faded away—my God has
deceivedme!”’ May God forgive her! One naturally asks, Was this lady
capable of judging the matter? Did she know anything of the language in
which the original was written by John? Had she access to the sources from
which she might have learned much? Had any one ever pointed out to her in
that Gospeltruths not yet developed, seenonly in the far away like the golden
trees of the distant hills? Evidently she must have heard from her husband the
triumphant cry of Strauss in a company where Darwin’s name was
mentioned. ‘Darwin!—the man who drove the miraculous out of the
universe!’ But did he? Did he drive out anything but a shallow interpretation
of the miraculous? Did she understand what Jesus said to the Jews?—‘My
Father worketheven until now, and I work,’the miracle of continual creation.
Was she evertaught to find in another Book by John a thought derived from a
natural fact as yet unknown to the sons of men? ‘He that hateth is in the
darkness, and walkethin the darkness, andknowethnot whither he goeth,

33. because the darkness hath blinded his eyes’—the unused eyes atrophied. Had
she everconsideredthe appealto womanhood—‘The woman, when she is in
travail hath sorrow becauseher hour is come;but when she is delivered of the
child she remembereth no more the anguish for the joy that a man is born into
the world’? Is there no underlying glory there? ‘The woman,’not this or that
woman, but all the sex that has not unsexed itself. The world, as it is even now,
with its lachrymae rerum, its inseparable sorrows, but also its inseparable
joys—a healthy and serene conviction that the child is after all a little prince,
with his own little place in a greatassemblywhere he may play a not unhappy
part. And so the Virgin-born surveyed a birth of births, and deaths, and their
issues, with that steadyunshrinking Virgin eye, which is also the eye of God.
As our knowledge ofJohn deepens, our knowledge ofhis interpretation
deepens.
II. The only morality strong enough to support the life of a Christian
nation.—The same latent possibility in religion to do for races and nations in
the lastemergencies thatwhich irreligion can never do is manifested again
and again. Think how it was in the late great WestIndian earthquake. I
happen to have seenan accountof it quite lately, tracedby a hand of genius
and vitalised by a heart of love—one in the long processionofChristian
women, unveiled as well as veiled, unvowed as well as vowed, among whom
strength and training bow down before decrepitude and decay, before the
ghastly wound and the pestilential flesh. The writer to whom I refer brings us
with her to the hospital, where the wounded and dying were taken, after a
description of the earthquake which has all the appearance ofa steadiereye
and a less shakenobservationthan I have ever seenelsewhere.But I canonly
refer to some sentences directly bearing upon our present subject: ‘One of the
most remarkable features was the courage and real patience displayed by all
the wounded. The faith of the negroes was unfaltering, and their religion
stoodto them like a rock. Even the little children clung to it. Soonafter the
dawn of the first day, I was struck by finding upon the ground scattered
leaves of a Common Prayer Book. Some one had carried it at the time of the
disaster, and afterwards it had been divided into hundreds of pieces and
passedfrom hand to hand.’ Here, again, an earthquake in lands inhabited by

34. higher races than the negroes, is often followedby atheistic crime as
commonly as by the fire that follows its footsteps.
I have endeavouredso far to illustrate the peculiar support offered by John in
the prooemium of his Gospel, (1) to the true Personalityof our Lord, and (2)
to its evidence to the only morality strong enough to support the moral life of
a Christian nation. Now I add a reference to the words of Christ.
III. The words of Christ.—In other lands a reverence, noteasyto distinguish
from continued worship, is offered to the Granth, the sacredbook of the
Sikhs, at Amritsar. Day after day a successionof readers goes onreciting from
this sacredvolume in measured tones, or in dispersing with a goldenwhisk the
flies from the stand on which it is placed. Aged ecclesiasticsofrank sit on one
side, solemn choirs upon the other. Not far outside is a lakelet, calledthe Pool
of Immortality, there is a greatgolden gate;certain doors of ivory and silver.
The Granth is carriedin at three o’clock in the morning, and remains in the
temple until elevenat night. Day and night the chamber is heavy with the
scentof jasmine and marigolds. ‘That which becomethold and waxethaged is
nigh unto vanishing away.’ It is not only of meats that it is written, ‘Wherein
they that occupiedthemselves were not profited.’
One of the noted passagesin Hooker’s EcclesiasticalPolityused to be that in
which he spoke with reverential wisdom of the reading of the Lessons in our
churches. ‘Sermons,’says the Churchman, with his statelywisdom, ‘are not
the only means. Many long centuries before these our days wise men doubted
not to write that by him who but readetha Lessonin the solemn assemblyas a
part of Divine Service, the very office of preacheris so far first executed. With
their patience, therefore, be it spoken, the Apostles preached as well when
they wrote as when they spoke the Gospels of Christ; and our usual public
reading of the Word of God for the people’s instruction is preaching.’ Yes! for
our Word of God is ‘quick and powerful, and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart.’ For centuries the Apocalypse was not read in our
churches. One chapter and the Epistle for Trinity Sunday, part of another for
St. Michaeland All Angels, a verse transported by a happy thought from the
Sarum Liturgy to our Burial Service. When parts of the Apocalypse are read
by a man who has made them his own, have you not seenworld-worn eyes

35. become wetwith tears and like the softeyes of a little child? Carry awaythe
greatprinciples—That the prophecy of the Apocalypse is not prediction
(except as regards the downfall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the
Kingdom of Christ); that the multitudinous objects projectedbefore our eyes
as illustrations are symbols, not pictorial; that the dates and mystic numbers
are not miscellaneouslycollectedfrom anticipatedchapters in history. A
comparisonof the first chapter of Revelationwith the Gospels will lead us to a
perception of the Spirit and life of Christ’s words. The Fourth Gospelcontains
no narrative of the Transfiguration, but let us keepMatthew’s accountbefore
us, let us compare it with the opening vision of Christ in the beginning of the
Revelation, we shall not hesitate to conclude that John’s spirit is looking back
to the Holy Mount: ‘Jesus was transfiguredbefore them, and His face did
shine as the sun. And, behold! a bright cloud. And a voice out of the cloud,
saying, This is my beloved Son. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on
their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them and said,
Arise, and be not afraid.’ If he who said in his simple and stately way, ‘I,
John,’ was the son of Zebedee, he could not fail to have been thinking of the
Transfiguration. ‘It is I—be not afraid’ reminds us also of another fear with
sweetencouragement. But in the passage the Transfigurationseems
transfigured and the glory glorified.
Archbishop Alexander.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon John 6:63". Church Pulpit Commentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/john-6.html. 1876.

36. return to 'Jump List'
John Trapp Complete Commentary
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Ver. 63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth] Had those carnalCapernaites but
stayed out our Saviour’s sermon, they might have been satisfiedfor the sense
of his words, that they so stumbled at, and had not patience to hear him here
expounding himself. Quoniam Christiani (Pontificii) manducant Deum, quem
adorant, sit anima mea cum philosoplis, said Averroes;who, had he consulted
with sound divines, might have known more.
It is the Spirit that quickeneth] i.e. The Godhead united to the hmnan nature
conveyeth life to the believer. That being the fountain, this the conduit; and
union being the ground of communion. Wickedmen want the spirit and life of
Christ, who though he took every man’s flesh, yet that of itself profiteth them
nothing. A communione naturae ad communicationem gratiae non valet
argumentum.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography

37. Trapp, John. "Commentary on John 6:63". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/john-6.html.
1865-1868.
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
John 6:63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth,— As a key to his former discourse,
our Lord added, "As in the human frame, it is the indwelling spirit which
quickens every part of it; and the flesh, how exactlysoeverorganizedand
adorned, if separate from that, profits nothing, but is an insensible and
inactive corpse;so also the words which I speak unto you, are spirit; that is to
say, they are to be taken in a spiritual sense;and ifyou receive them in faith,
my Spirit shall accompanythem, and then you will find that they are life
toyour souls. Whereas, to take them in a literal sense, wouldbe most
unprofitable and monstrous. It is indeed strange that you should think of
them in this sense;but I know there are some of you who believe not, and
would shelter your infidelity under these mean and disingenuous cavils."
We will here, as promised on John 6:30 considerour Saviour's discourse in
reference to thesignwhich the Jews askedofhim. The day after our Lord had
first miraculously fed the great multitude, while he was teaching them in
expressions borrowedfrom that miracle, and urging them to believe on him,
they said, What sign shewestthou, &c. thus intimating, that it would be soon
enough to receive him as the Messiah, whenhe assumedthe kingdom in the
manner which they imagined was fixed by Daniel's prediction. See Daniel
7:13-14 and on Matthew 12:38.—thatwithout this no miracles of another sort
could prove his claim; and they particularly insinuated, that his having given
one meal to a multitude by miracle, was nothing extraordinary, but far
inferior to that of Moses, who fed many more for a longer time with manna
from heaven. His discourse on this occasionis much larger, and more
complex, than any ofthe answers whichhe gave to the same demand at other
times. There are many reasons forthis; they expressedtheir contempt of the
miracle of the loaves, as wellas askedfor a sign. He spake figuratively in
allusion to that miracle, on purpose to inculcate its fitness for proving, that he

38. was able to bestow eternallife. Severalparticular difficulties were moved in
the course ofhis sermon; so that his answerto the demand of a sign is
interspersedwith a variety of other subjects. Many things, however, which he
said, tended directly to shew them that they were mistaken in the nature of the
sign which they expected, and to lead them into right apprehensions of the
manner and purpose of the Messiah's coming. Thus, though he came not
down in the manner which they imagined Danielhad foretold, he assures
them severaltimes, that he actually came down from heaven, John 6:32-33;
John 6:35; John 6:38; John 6:58.Particularly, when they insinuated that this
could not be, because he was descendedof earthly parents, he affirms very
expressly, that, notwithstanding this, he did come down from heaven, and
intimates that, accordingto the ancient prophets, the Messiahoughtnot to
come from heaven in such a manner as they expected, which would have made
the Jews flock to him eagerly, without the need of any extraordinary means.
See John 6:41-51. Our Lord uses such expressions as may at the same time
imply, that they exaggeratedthe miracle of the manna most extravagantly. In
order to lead them to rectify their mistake, he further informs them plainly,
that the salvation and life which he would bestow, were very different from
the temporal deliverance and prosperity which they expectedunder the
Messiah. Whence they might easilycollect, that the manner of the Messiah's
appearance wouldlikewise differ from their notion, which suited only a
temporal king. He constantly represents what he promises, as salvation and
life, which would be completed and consummated for the faithful at the last
day, in consequenceoftheir being raised againfrom their graves;and
therefore, obviously, as wholly spiritual and eternal. He seems evenanxiously
to keepthis in view; (see John 6:39-40;John 6:44; John 6:47; John 6:50-51;
John 6:54; John 6:58.) nay, he tells them expressly, that far from being such a
triumphant Messiahas they lookedfor, he was to die, and that the blessings
which he promised would result from his death. The meat that I will give is
my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world, John 6:51. He assures them
likewise, thathe would ascendagaininto heaven, What and if ye shall see the
Son of man ascendup where he was before? John6:62. This is equivalent to
the mention of his resurrection on similar occasions:it is an intimation that he
would be proved the Messiahby an appearance as remarkable as the sign
which they demanded; and it is an intimation of the true nature of his

39. kingdom, and the manner of his entering of it. Finally, to this intimation, he
subjoins the cautionin the present 63rd verse, It is the Spirit, &c. which
certainly implies a warning that his present discourse was designedly
figurative, and therefore ought not to be grosslyinterpreted: but it may
likewise imply a hint, that these mistakes aboutthe Messiah, andparticularly
their expectationof what their called a sign from heaven, proceededfrom
their understanding the figurative expressions ofthe ancient prophesies in too
strict and literal a sense, and that his accountof himself and his kingdom was
really agreeable to the spirit and truemeaning of them. Thus the substance of
our Lord'sdiscourse onthis occasion, is the same with that of his answerto the
demand of a sign at all other times, though the form be different; and it had
the directesttendency to shew them that they were mistaken; and to warn
them againstsuspending their faith on a sign, the expectationofwhich had no
foundation exceptin their own imaginations;and againstrejecting him, in
opposition to the strongestevidence, merely because this fancied signattended
him not.
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Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon John 6:63". Thomas Coke Commentaryon
the Holy Bible. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/john-
6.html. 1801-1803.
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Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
To convince the Jews that our Saviour did not mean a carnal and fleshly
eating of his body, he tells them, That such an eating would profit nothing;
but it is a spiritual eating of him by faith, that bringeth that quickening life of
which he had spoken. It is the spirit, or divine nature, that quickeneth; the

40. flesh, or human nature, alone, separatedfrom his godhead, profiteth nothing,
and cangive no life.
Learn hence, That it is the godheadof Christ united to the human nature,
which adds all virtue, efficacy, and merit, to the obedience and sufferings of
the human nature. It is the spirit, or divine nature of Christ, that quickeneth;
the flesh, or human nature alone, profiteth nothing; and therefore the carnal
eating of his flesh would do no good.
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Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on John 6:63". Expository Notes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/john-6.html. 1700-1703.
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Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
63.]πνεῦμα, σάρξ, do not mean the spiritual and carnalsense of the foregoing
discourse, as many Commentators explain them: for our Lord is speaking, not
of teaching merely, but of vivifying: He is explaining the life-giving principle
of which He had been before speaking. ‘Such eating of My flesh as you
imagine and find hard to listen to, could profit you nothing,—for it will have
ascendedup, &c.; and besides, generally, it is only the Spirit that can vivify
the spirit of man: the flesh (in whatever wayused) canprofit nothing towards
this.’ He does not say‘My Fleshprofiteth nothing,’ but ‘the flesh.’ To make
Him say this, as the Swiss anti-sacramentalists do, is to make Him contradict
His own words in John 6:51.
τὰ ῥήμ. ἃ ἐγὼ λελάληκα—viz. the words μου τὴν σάρκα and μου τὸ αἷμα,
above. They are πνεῦμα and ζωή:—spirit, not flesh only:—living food, not

41. carnaland perishable. This meaning has been missed by almost all
Commentators:Stier upholds it, iv. 281 (2nd edn.): and it seems to me beyond
question the right one. The common interpretation is, ‘the words which I have
spoken,’i.e. ‘My discourses,’are πνεῦμα, ‘to be taken in a spiritual sense,’(?
this sense ofπνεῦμα,) ‘and are life.’ But this is any thing but precise, even
after the forcing of πνεῦμα.
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Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on John 6:63". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/john-6.html. 1863-1878.
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Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
John 6:63. τὸ πνεῦμα, the spirit) It is not the Godhead alone of Christ, nor the
Holy Spirit alone, which is meant, but universally the Spirit, in
contradistinction to the flesh. That, which is spirit, is life-giving.— ἡ σάρξ, the
flesh) His speechis not in this passageconcerning the corrupt flesh,
concerning which no one doubts, but that it profits nothing: nor yet does Jesus
take awayfrom His own flesh the power of giving life; otherwise He would set
aside His whole discourse, just delivered, which for certain refers to His flesh,
John 6:51; John 6:53-56, as also the whole mystery of the incarnation: but the
sense is, mere flesh profiteth nothing, namely, such as the Jews were
supposing that flesh to be, of which Jesus was speaking. Comp. 2 Corinthians
5:16, “Thoughwe have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know
we Him no more.” He speaks supposing a condition, and that supposed
condition an impossible one, if He were mere flesh; as also He speaks
[supposing a contingencyimpossible to arise], John 6:38, as to His own will, “I

42. came not to do Mine ownwill, but,” etc. Comp. note on ch. John 5:31; John
5:19; John 5:22. The flesh is the vehicle of all Divine life-giving virtue, in the
case ofChrist and of believers;and Christ, after He was put to death in the
flesh, and quickened in the Spirit, especiallyput forth His efficacious power;1
Peter3:18, “Christ suffered for sins—that He might bring us to God, being
put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit;” John 12:24, “Excepta
corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit;” John 16:7, “If I go not away, the Comforterwill
not come;but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.”— οὐκ ὠφελεῖ οὐδέν,
profiteth nothing) for quickening. Where the life is not from God, there no
real profit is derived.— τὰ ῥήματα)‫,םירבדה‬ the words, and the things
comprehended in them. The correlatives are, the words and to believe: John
6:64, “Some ofyou—believe not.”— λελαληκα, I have spoken)He does not
say, I speak, but I have spoken[Engl. Vers. loses this, “I speak”]. Foralready
they were disaffectedtowards [turned awayfrom] Him, John 6:60-61 .—
πνεῦμα, spirit) although they [the words] speak ofthe flesh.— καί, and) and so
therefore.
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Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on John 6:63". Johann Albrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/john-6.html. 1897.
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Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
As it is not the bread or flesh that a man eateth for the sustenance ofhis
animal or natural life, that doth the main work, but the soulof a man within
him, which putteth forth its virtues and powers in causing the digestion,

43. concoction, andalteration of it, without which it nourisheth not the body; so
the flesh of Christ eaten carnally canbe of no profit for the nourishment of
the soul: nor can the flesh of Christ consideredalone, or by any virtue in it,
profit; it only profiteth by virtue of the Divine nature, which being personally
united to the human nature, addeth all the virtue and merit to the sufferings
and actions of the human nature; so as the human nature of Christ hath all its
quickening virtue from the Divine nature. It is not therefore the carnal eating
of my flesh that I intended, that is a very gross conceptionof yours; nor can
any such thing as that do you good:but the words that I speak to you, they are
spiritual, and such by the belief of which you may obtain a spiritual and
eternal life; for by believing those words, and obeying them, you shall come to
believe in me, which is that eating my flesh and drinking my blood which I
intended, not any corporealor carnaleating.
Copyright Statement
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Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon John 6:63". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/john-6.html. 1685.
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Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
It is the Spirit that quickeneth; it was the spiritual, not the literal meaning of
his words, which would profit them. The literal eating of his flesh would not
benefit them. It was only the spiritual meaning, understood, believed, and
obeyed, that would be the means of spiritual life to their souls.
They are spirit-they are life; they containspiritual food and life; for by
receiving them, you receive me. The words of Christ have a spiritual meaning,

44. and it is the right apprehensionand cordial receptionof this meaning which is
life-giving to the soul. Men naturally do not receive this meaning, because
such is their wickednessthat they have not spiritual discernment. Hence the
propriety of praying, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous
things out of thy law; quicken thou me according to thy word." Psalms
119:18;Psalms 119:25;1 Corinthians 2:14.
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Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on John 6:63". "Family Bible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/john-6.html.
American Tract Society. 1851.
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Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
63. τὸ ζωοποιοῦν]Thatmaketh to live or giveth life. ‘Quickeneth’obscures the
connexion with ζωή ἐστιν.
ἡ σάρξ. Notἡ σάρξ μου, which would contradict John 6:51. The statementis
quite general, affirming the superiority of what is unseen and eternal to what
is seenand temporal (2 Corinthians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Corinthians
15:45), but with a reference to Himself. ‘My flesh’ in John 6:51 means ‘My
human nature sacrificedin death,’ to be spiritually appropriated by every
Christian, and best appropriated in the Eucharist. ‘The flesh’ here means the
flesh without the spirit; that which can only be appropriated physically, like
the manna. In this sense evenChrist’s flesh ‘profiteth nothing.’ “The flesh was
a vessel,” says S. Augustine; “considerwhatit held, not what it was.” Comp.
John 3:6. Perhaps there is a reference to their carnal ideas about the Messiah.

45. τὰ ῥήματα. See onJohn 3:34. The authoritative ἐγώ, so frequent throughout
this discourse (John6:35; John 6:40-41;John 6:44; John 6:48; John 6:51;
John 6:54), appears again:I, in contrastto mere human teachers. Λελάληκα,
have spoken, in the discourse just concluded.
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Bibliography
"Commentary on John 6:63". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools and
Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/john-6.html.
1896.
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Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
63. The spirit that quickeneth—It is the inspired Power, the impregnating
Spirit, in his words, by which their souls ought to be quickenedand rise into a
living faith.
The flesh—The carnality which the sensualperverts would put into his words.
Profiteth nothing—Being akin to their vain expectationto be fed in the body
by the Messiah’s constantmiracle.
The words… are spirit—And should be interpreted in the highest sense ofthe
Spirit, not by the low demands of appetite.
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46. Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on John 6:63". "Whedon's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/john-6.html.
1874-1909.
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PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
“It is the Spirit who makes alive, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I
have spokento you are spirit and are life”.’
This now brought Him to the essence ofthe matter. “It is the Spirit who
makes alive. The flesh is of no benefit’. Jesus in the flesh alone cando nothing
for them, and when He has spokenof flesh He has not been talking about
literally eating physical flesh, but about flesh being offered in sacrifice from
which they must spiritually benefit (something wellillustrated in the Old
Testamentsacrifices). Whatthey need is a work of the Spirit through His
words, life from Himself through the Spirit, a life that survives death so that
the one who receives it never dies. Nothing else counts for anything. That
alone is true life.
And it was because He would die and rise againthat He could give them that
life. They must not look at His earthly life, but at what He will be able to give
them through His death and resurrection. That was why they need not worry
about death, either His or theirs. ForHis words ‘are Spirit and are life’. Let
them listen and the Spirit would work in their hearts, and they would then
receive a life that never dies or ceases. Thatis why He had come. Through the
Spirit at work, both through His ministry and directly in men’s hearts, and as
a result of His coming sacrifice onthe cross and His subsequent resurrection,
they may partake of such benefits of His death. Then they would enjoy the
promised ‘life of the age to come’and know that they would be raisedup at
the lastday.

47. Copyright Statement
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Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on John 6:63". "PeterPett's Commentary on the
Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/john-6.html. 2013.
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Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
Some of Jesus" disciples turned from Him because they preferred the
material realm to the spiritual realm, for which Jesus had an obvious
preference. He warned them that the Spirit gives reallife (cf. Genesis 1:2;
Ezekiel37:14;John 3:6) whereas the flesh provides nothing of comparable
importance. The words that Jesus had spokento them dealt with spiritual
realities and resulted in spiritual life. Furthermore they were words that came
from God"s Spirit. Therefore they were extremely important.
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Bibliography
Constable, Thomas. DD. "Commentaryon John 6:63". "ExpositoryNotes of
Dr. Thomas Constable".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/john-6.html. 2012.

48. return to 'Jump List'
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
John 6:63. It is the spirit that makethto live; the flesh profiteth nothing. Jesus
has spokenof ‘giving life,’ of the ‘eating of His flesh,’ as the means of gaining
eternal life. In all this He has not the flesh but the spirit in view,—not the
material receptionof the flesh by the flesh but the appropriation of His spirit
by the spirit of man. Such spiritual union of the believer with Him alone
‘maketh to live’ the flesh in itself is profitless for such an end.
The words that live spokenunto you, they are spirit, and they are life. The
word ‘I’ is emphatic, as it repeatedly has been in this discourse. The emphasis
which Jesus here and elsewhere lays upon His sayings is very remarkable. He
is the Word, the expressionof the Father’s nature and will; His sayings are to
man the expressionofHimself. The words or sayings just spokento these
disciples are spirit and are life. This is their essentialnature. They may be
carnalised, wronglyunderstood, wilfully perverted; but whereverthey find an
entrance they manifest their true nature. They bring into the receptive heart
not the flesh but the spirit of the Son of man, and thus the man, in the true
sense eating the flesh of the Son of man, has life. His words receivedby faith
bring Himself. Thus He can in two verses almostconsecutive (chap. John
15:4; John 15:7) say, ‘Abide in me, and I in you,’ and ‘If ye abide in me, and
my words abide in you.’
Copyright Statement
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Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on John 6:63". "Schaff's PopularCommentary
on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/john-6.html. 1879-90.

49. return to 'Jump List'
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
If then you shall see, &c. Christ, by mentioning his ascension, by this instance
of his powerand divinity, would confirm the truth of what he had before
asserted;at the same time, correct their gross apprehensionof eating his flesh
and drinking his blood, in a vulgar and carnal manner, by letting them know
he should take his whole body living with him to heaven; and consequentlynot
suffer it to be, as they supposed, divided, mangled, and consumed upon earth.
(Challoner) --- The sense of these words, according to the common exposition,
is this: you murmur at my words, as hard and harsh, and you refuse now to
believe them: when I shall ascendinto heaven, from whence I came into the
world, and when my ascension, andthe doctrine that I have taught you, shall
be confirmed by a multitude of miracles, then shall you and many others
believe. (Witham)
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Bibliography
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentaryon John 6:63". "George Haydock's
Catholic Bible Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/john-6.html. 1859.
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E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
the spirit. App-101.
quickeneth = giveth life. Greek. zoopoieo. See note on John 5:21.
the flesh. See note on John 1:13.

50. nothing. Greek. ouk ouden. A double negative. words. Greek. rhema. See note
on Mark 9:32.
speak = have spoken, and do speak.
spirit. See App-101.
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Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on John 6:63". "E.W. Bullinger's
Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/john-6.html. 1909-1922.
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. Much of His
discourse had been about "flesh;" but flesh as such, mere flesh, and all
religious notions which originate in the flesh, could profit nothing, much less
impart that life which the Holy Spirit atone communicates to the soul. The
words that I speak unto you - rather, 'have spoken'[for lelaleeka (Greek
#2980)is the preferable reading].
They are spirit, and they are life - the whole burden of this discourse was
"spirit," not mere flesh, and "life" in its highest, not its lowersense;and the
words I employed were to be interpreted solely in that sense.
Copyright Statement

51. These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John
6:63". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -
Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/john-
6.html. 1871-8.
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The Bible Study New Testament
What gives life is God's Spirit. The fact that they were Abraham's
descendants meant nothing. His actualflesh and blood in them would also
mean nothing. If they had stoodat the Cross and let the blood drop on them,
it would still have meant nothing. Because menand women "eat" Jesus by
faith. His words are Spirit and life. The power of God's actin Jesus to setmen
free operates through faith in the Sonof God.
Copyright Statement
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Bibliography
Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on John 6:63". "The Bible Study New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ice/john-6.html.
College Press, Joplin, MO. 1974.
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Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(63) It is the spirit that quickeneth.—The word“quickeneth,” though it has
almost passedfrom everyday use, will probably hold its place in theological
use, and convey for the most part the true meaning. If it is retained here, it

52. must, however, be noted that it is a compound of the word rendered “life” at
the close ofthe verse. “It is the spirit that giveth life . . . the words . . . are
spirit and are life.” These words are immediately connectedwith the thought
of the Ascension, whichwas to precede the gift of the Spirit. (Comp. John
7:39; John 16:7 et seq.). We are to find in them, therefore, a deepermeaning
than the ordinary one that His teaching is to be, not carnally, but spiritually
under-stood. They think of a physical eating of His flesh, and this offends
them; but what if they, who have thought of bread descending from heaven,
see His body ascending into heaven? They will know then that He cannot have
meant this. And the Descentofthe Spirit will follow the Ascensionof the Son,
and men full of the Holy Spirit will have brought to their remembrance all
these words (John 14:26), and they will then know what the true feeding on
Him is, and these very words which He has spokenwill carry their lessons to
the inmost being, and be realised, not simply in a spiritual sense, but as spirit
and as life.
Copyright Statement
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Bibliography
Ellicott, Charles John. "Commentary on John 6:63". "Ellicott's Commentary
for EnglishReaders".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ebc/john-6.html. 1905.
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Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

53. the spirit
Genesis 2:7; Romans 8:2; 1 Corinthians 15:45;2 Corinthians 3:6; Galatians
5:25; 1 Peter3:18
the flesh
Romans 2:25; 3:1,2; 1 Corinthians 11:27-29;Galatians 5:6; 6:15; 1 Timothy
4:8; Hebrews 13:9; 1 Peter3:21
the words
68; 12:49,50;Deuteronomy 32:47;Psalms 19:7-10;119:50,93,130;Romans
10:8-10,17;1 Corinthians 2:9-14;2 Corinthians 3:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 2:13;
Hebrews 4:12; James 1:18; 1 Peter1:23
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Bibliography
Torrey, R. A. "Commentary on John 6:63". "The Treasury of Scripture
Knowledge". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tsk/john-6.html.
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Commentary by J.C.Philpoton selecttexts of the Bible
John 6:63
"It is the Spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing—the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." — John 6:63
It is through the word that the soul in the first instance is cleansed. It is by the
word that the soulis begottenagainunto eternal life. It Isaiah, also, by the
word applied to the heart that the blessedSpirit from time to time keeps alive
communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. Is it not so in vital experience? Some

54. passageofScripture drops into the soul, some promise comes warm into the
heart, and as it comes it makes way for itself. It enters the heart, breaks down
the feelings, melts the soul, and draws forth living faith to flow unto and
centeralone in the "altogetherlovely One."
There are many times and seasonswhenthe word of God is to us a dead
letter; we see and feel no sweetnessin it. But there are other times, through
mercy, when the word of God is made sweetand precious to us; when we can
say, with the prophet of old, "Your words were found, and I did eatthem; and
your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" ( Jeremiah15:16).
It was so in the case ofDavid. He says, they are "more to be desired than gold,
yes, than much fine gold; sweeteralso than honey and the honeycomb" (
Psalm19:10). When this is felt, the sure effectis to bring the soul into
communion with the Lord Jesus, who is the true word of God, and makes use
of the written word to draw us near unto himself.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Philpot, JosephCharles. "Commentary on John 6:63". Commentary by
J.C.Philpoton selecttexts of the Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jcp/john-6.html.
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Ver. 63. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth. nothing: the
words that I have spokenunto you are spirit and are life."
If it is establishedthat in ver. 62 Christ obviates the offence which the Jews
took at His apparently assigning too much to Himself, even that wdiich
absolutely transcendedthe sphere of man, and at His seeming to displace the

55. boundaries betweenheaven and earth by His reference to His divinity, to be
hereafterproved by the ascension, we shall expecthere also a reference to the
Divine nature concealedbehind His appearance as the Son of man. A
transition to a new thought would have been more distinctly designated;and
if there be one here, the words receive a rhapsodical, fragmentary character,
and the exposition enters into the slippery regionof guess-work.—"The flesh"
cannot possibly be the flesh of Christ. The whole impression of the preceding
discourse, where Christ has so emphatically made life and salvation
dependent on the eating of His flesh, would be destroyed, if He here at once
denied all value to His flesh. If He had meant mere flesh in contrastwith that
which was penetrated by the Divine nature, He must at all events have said
this more distinctly, since all depended on this point, and it was not this which
causedthe offence, but that Christ representedHis flesh as bearing the Divine
nature, or as deified.
Everywhere else, when there is an antithesis of flesh and spirit, the spirit is the
Divine principle, and flesh the lowercorporeity, especiallyweak, sinful, and
materialistic human nature. So in Isaiah31:3, and in John 3:6, "That which is
born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
Romans 8:5 : οἱ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ὄντες τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς φρονοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ κατὰ
πνεῦμα τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. Ver. 8: οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ
δύνανται. Ver. 9: ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ἀλλὰ ἐν πνεύματι, εἴπερ πνεῦμα
θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν.
The Spirit is here representedby Christ; q.d., the Spirit, as the resurrection
and ascensionwill show, dwells in Me. That which Christ here ascribes to the
Spirit, He elsewhere ascribesto Himself, as just before, and in John 5:21, ὁ
υἱὸς οὓς θέλει ζῳοποιεῖ. It is a fundamental thought in the Gospel, that life
proceeds only from Christ. If therefore quickening poweris here ascribedto
the Spirit, this can be regarded as the case only in so far as He dwells in
Christ, and passes from Him to His believing ones, who thus become θείας
κοινωνοὶ φύσεως, 2 Peter1:4, are receivedinto the sphere of the Spirit, which
is the Divine Spirit, and removed from the sphere of the flesh, to which all that
is human apart from Christ is miserably banished. Christ has His name from
the Spirit, being calledthe Anointed, as pervaded by the Spirit; and from the
Spirit He has His origin: τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου, says

56. the angelto Mary. To possessthe Spirit without measure is designatedby the
Baptist, in John 3:34, as the high prerogative of Christ. As Bleek remarks on
Hebrews 9:14, "The πνεῦμα which is here spokenof, cannot be other than the
πνεῦμα ἅγιον, the Spirit of God, who is at the same time the Spirit of Christ,
which already during His walk on earth dwelt in all His fulness in Him, was to
Him at every moment His animating principle, and did not allow Him to be
subject to the dominion of death. It is the same which in Romans 1:4 is
designatedas πνεῦμα ἁγιωσύνης, by virtue of which Jesus is the Son of God,
in opposition to the σάρξ, by virtue of which He is the Sonof David." And
Philippi on Romans 1:4, " πνεῦμα ἁγιωσύνης is here nothing else than the
higher, heavenly, Divine nature of Christ, by which or in which He is the Son
of God." This higher Divine nature of Christ is designatedby πνεῦμα also in 1
Peter3:18 : θανατωθεὶς μὲν σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς δὲ πνεύματι. In 2 Corinthians
3:17 Christ is calledτὸ πνεῦμα, in harmony with πνεῦμά ὁ θεός in John 4:24,
and with Isaiah31:3, where the Divine essence, in opposition to that which is
earthly and material, is designatedby Spirit: "Now the Egyptians are men,
and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit."
To the Spirit representedby Christ, and incarnate in Him, is opposedthe
flesh, or humanity destitute of the Spirit. In what respectit profiteth nothing,
is to be learnt from the first clause, viz., for the attainment of life. We have
here the same thought which our Lord expressesin ver. 53 , "Exceptye eat
the flesh of the Son of man, ye have no life in you,"—withthis difference, that
here this thought is suggestedatthe same time by the reference to the fact,
that the Son of man is Spirit, but all others are flesh, of which it is the
necessaryconsequence, thatthe quickening powercan proceedonly from
Him. By this view only is brought into a clearlight the manifest connectionof
this declarationwith John 3:6, and Romans 8:5; Romans 8:8-9. Luther:
"Christ calls all that flesh which is born of the flesh,—all the children of
Adam, who come of the flesh, with the exception of the unique body of Christ,
which was born not of the flesh, but of the Holy Ghost, as we confess in the
Creed: I believe in Christ, who was conceivednotof the flesh, but of the Holy
Ghost. The Holy Ghosthas begottenHim, and penetratedHis flesh with
spirit."

57. That the life-giving Spirit dwells in Him, Christ proves preliminarily, until the
greatproof has been given by His resurrection and ascension, by the
characterof His words, spokenhere and previously ( λελάληκα, not λαλῶ, is
the bestauthenticated and correctreading: Christ is speaking to His disciples,
who had long been instructed by Him), which breathe out life and spirit as the
breath of His personality. If He speaks suchwords as never man spake, John
7:46, and if His words have a life-giving and spiritualizing effect. He must
indeed be spirit. Luther: "These words are really spirit, and lead a man into
another world and state of being, and give him another heart and mind, so far
above and beyond all reason, that the reasoncannotcomprehend it, although
it would gladly do so."
According to a very old interpretation, by spirit is here designateda spiritual,
and by flesh a literal apprehension. Even Tertullian says, "de resurrectione
carnis per spiritum hic intelligi sensumspiritualem, per carnem autem
carnalem." On the other hand, as Lampe justly remarks, there is no proof
that a spiritual sense is designatedin the Scriptures by spirit alone. It is,
however, still more decisive, that this expositionis based on the entirely
unfounded assumption of a carnal misunderstanding of the words of Jesus.
On the same foundation also rests the view of Kahnis: "The actwhich will
terminate My earthly presence, andrender My earthly body a heavenly one,
will end the misunderstanding.
Ye shall eat My body, but not as outward flesh, but as bearing My spirit, not
My earthly, but My heavenly body as glorified in spirit." The secondincorrect
basis of this view is the opinion, that Christ, in ver. 51 sq., spoke ofa purely
future oral enjoyment of His glorified body and blood. The Jews understood
Christ quite correctlyto make a requisition which was to be realized at once.
END OF STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
john 6:63

58. Questionfrom gregfon 2/8/2003:
Hi Father John: Severalweeks ago youhad a posting on John 6:63, wellsome
time back I, as well, was challengedby a Protestantfriend of mine to explain
John 6:63 to him. And at first I said it probably meant that the Eucharist
would be food for the soul and not for the body. But after much prayer and
study I became more and more convinced that the following interpretation is
more likely. I made a write-up about it so that I don't have to reinvent the
wheelevery time someone asks me about it. I'd like to share it with you. It is
as follows:Greg F.
Understanding John 6:63
Just after Jesus had finished his lengthy teaching on the Eucharist (John 6:22-
59), many of his disciples began to murmur about it saying, "This is a hard
saying, who can listen to it?" Then our Lord quipped back with the peculiar
words, "Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of
man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is
of no avail. The words that I have spokento you are spirit and life. But there
are some of you who do not believe . . . This is why I told you that no one can
come to me unless it is grantedhim by the Father." (John 6:60-65 [RSV]).
Many of our Protestantbrothers and sisters use this verse to discount the
literal understanding of the Eucharist - saying that our Lord was only
speaking figuratively. The problem with this reasoning is that nowhere in the
New Testamentdoes Jesus (orany of the NT writers) use the word "spirit"
(pneuma) to allude to anything figurative. It is always used to describe
something very real: whether the Holy Spirit himself, or an eternalreality.
But Protestants also go onto say that since the "flesh" is "of no avail," then
eating the "Flesh" ofChrist would be a waste - as it would be of benefit to no
one. However that is not the sense ofthe word as it is used here; it needs to be
read in the context of the chapter. Why would Jesus suddenly say that his
flesh was worth nothing, when just a few sentences earlierhe emphatically
said that it was (see:John 6: 50, 53, 54, 55, 57, etc.)? He obviously had
something else in mind.

59. But how then is John 6:63 to be interpreted? Well the best way to getto the
bottom of it is by searching through the other writings of the New Testament
in order to geta better understanding of how that type of language is used
elsewhere by the inspired writers. And not reading too far into the Letters of
St. Paul we can get the sense of it very quickly.
In essencea loose paraphrase ofwhat our Lord was saying to his disciples in
John 6:60-65 could be summarized thus: "Why does this teaching scandalize
you? Don’t you realize who I AM, and Whose Fleshand Blood we’re talking
about here? . . . Look, if you think that with only your carnal, human
understanding you canfigure this thing out, then forgetit. This is a teaching
of the Holy Spirit. And what the Spirit teaches, the Spirit must interpret.
Open your minds and hearts to the Spirit so that he canopen your eyes to this
truth. Only when you are alive in the Spirit will you begin to understand.
Only then, will you see with the eyes of faith; however, it is obvious that some
of you never will."
The following quotations provide the basis for the above interpretation. They
obviously address different issues, but the language used, is still very much the
same:
“[St. Paulwrites,] …the foolishness ofGod is wiserthan men, and the
weakness ofGod is strongerthan men. For consideryour own call, brethren;
that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not
many noble. But the foolishthings of the world has God chosento put to
shame the 'wise,'and the weak of the world God has chosento put to shame
the strong . . . lest any flesh should pride itself before him. From him you are
in Christ Jesus, who has become for us God-given wisdom. . . And I,
brethren, when I came to you, did not come with pretentious words or
wisdom, announcing unto you the witness of Christ. For I determined not to
know anything among you, exceptJesus Christ and him crucified. And I was
with you in weakness andin fear and in much trembling. And my speechand
my preaching were not in the persuasive words of wisdom, but in the
demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might rest, not on
the wisdomof men, but on the powerof God. Wisdom, however, we speak
among those who are mature, yet not a wisdom of this world nor of the rulers

60. of this world, who are passing away. But we speak the wisdom of God,
mysterious, hidden, which God foreordained before the world unto our glory,
a wisdom which none of the rulers of this world has known;for had they
known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is
written, 'Eye has not seenor earheard, nor has it entered into the heart of
man, what things God has prepared for those who love him.' But to us God
has revealedthem through the Spirit. For the Spirit searchesallthings, even
the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of man [except]
the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, the things of God no one knows
but the Spirit of God. Now we have receivednot the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit that is from God, that we may know the things that have been given
us by God. These things we also speak, notin words taught by human wisdom,
but in the learning of the Spirit, combining spiritual with spiritual. But the
sensualman does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God, for it is
foolishness to him and he cannot understand, because it is [to be] examined
spiritually. But the spiritual man judges all things, and he himself is judged by
no man. For 'who has known the mind of the Lord, that he might instruct
him?' But we have the mind of Christ. And I, brethren, could not [at the time]
speak to you as to spiritual men but as carnal, as to little ones in Christ.” (1
Corinthians 1:26 through 3:1 [Confraternity Version])
“Forthose who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the
flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit settheir minds on the things
of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the
Spirit is life and peace. Forthe mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it
does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot; and those who are in the flesh
cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact
the Spirit of God dwells in you.” (Romans 8:5-9 [RSV])
"And Jesus answeredhim, "Blessedare you, Simon Bar-Jona!Forflesh and
blood has not revealedthis to you, but my Father who is in heaven."
** Note: the words “carnal”, and“flesh” are just different translations of the
same Greek word "sarch."
Answer by Fr. John Echert on 3/2/2003:

61. Thsanks, Greg. I will draw upon your comments and texts for some of my
own responses to this matter.
Father Echert
John 6:63
by Grant | May 10, 2017 |John | 0 comments
ReadIntroduction to John
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I
speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
63 It is the Spirit who gives life;
A woodeninterpretation of the bread of life discourse will not give life. Since
Jesus would ascendto heaven, there would be no opportunity to eatof His
flesh. His “flesh” would not profit in that situation.
It is only the Holy Spirit who can give eternallife. He gives that life only to the
true believer. The Holy Spirit gives eternallife to those who believe. The
human being unaided by the Holy Spirit cannot discern spiritual things.
the flesh profits nothing [double negative].
“Flesh” here may refer to Jesus’statementin the bread of life discourse of
eating His flesh. If so, then the idea here is that eating His physical flesh has
no value. It is the giving of His life in death that has value.
The natural man cannotcomprehend divine truth. He is bounded by human
viewpoint. He needs the Holy Spirit to enable Him to understand divine truth.
Man is completely unable to believe in Christ if he starts with himself (1 Co
2:14).

62. The words that I speak to you
Jesus’words are spirit and life. He gave “words” as propositions to be
believed. Life is found in His words. The essenceofJesus’words are spirit and
life. The objective words of Jesus revealwho He is.
are spirit,
The words of Jesus are the product of the life-giving Holy Spirit. Only the
Spirit can impart eternallife (1 Pe 1:23).
and they are life.
Contrary to what the crowd thought of Jesus’ words being harsh, His words
were spirit and life. His words not only tell of life but they bring life. The Holy
Spirit is the one who gives eternallife. He works personallyin individuals.
PRINCIPLE:
People cannotreceive spiritual life from dead human sources.
APPLICATION:
Regenerationcannotcome from natural generation. The spiritually dead
cannot produce spiritual life. Only the Holy Spirit, a divine agent, can impart
spiritual or eternal life. A person receives spiritual life when the Holy Spirit
imparts Christ’s life. Spiritual life cannot come from unadulterated volition.
Either we acceptor rejectJesus’words as true.
Jesus establishedthe link betweenHis glorificationin death and resurrection
and the coming ministry of the Holy Spirit.
https://versebyversecommentary.com/john/john-663/
John 6:63, 65, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The
words that I have spokento you are spirit and life. But there are some of you

63. who do not believe…This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless
it is granted him by the Father.”
Short Thoughts:
Unless the Spirit ignites and directs the word of the cross, it will not give life.
Which means we despairof our ability to bring life in self and others and hope
fully in the Lord’s sovereigngrace to give life to ANYONE that He chooses.
Long Thoughts:
A few things to consider. First, that eternallife comes only by the working of
the Spirit of God. The Spirit gives life, the flesh is no help at all.
And the Spirit gives life, it would seem, through the word that Jesus is
speaking. Christ’s words are “spirit” (ie, spiritual) and “life” (ie, eternal life
imparting), and as such cannotbe apprehended by someone functioning solely
out of “the flesh.” Just as a radio antenna cannot pick up a television signal,
and a recordplayer cannotplay a CD, so too the flesh cannot receive words of
“spirit and life.” Different “machinery” is neededin order to receive the
content. Only by the working of the Spirit canChrist’s word about eating His
flesh and drinking His blood be receivedas the wisdom and powerand love of
God, as an invitation to eatby faith what is truly goodfood, as an invitation to
be satisfiedwith all that Godis for us in the crucified and risen Son. Only the
Spirit can grant this reception.
And in light of this—indeed, because of this—Jesus says thatno one can come
to Him unless it is granted by the Father. Well, “come to Him,” entails
receiving His words as “the words of eternal life” (v.68), and this happens only
by the working of the Spirit….and Jesus says that this will take place only if it
has been granted by the Father. So, we see God’s sovereigntyin salvation
unfolded in Trinitarian language.
The Son—who is the image and revelation of the Father—speaksthe words of
eternal life (concerning Himself as the crucified and risen one in whom alone
the Fatheris known)

64. The Father—who sends the Son in the first place—grants some to receive His
words and believe in the Name of the Son.
The Spirit works receptivity in all those to whom the Father has granted
eternal life so that they receive Christ’s words—andChrist Himself—as
eternal life.
Awesome……andwhat are these words? What are these words that give
eternal life? What are these words of the Son that only the Spirit by the
granting of the Father canenable us to receive? It is the word that we must
eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man as our true food and true
drink….it is the word that the suffering servantof Isaiah53 IS the life-giving,
soul-satisfying feastof Isaiah 55…itis the word that, if we are to know the
One True God, then we must receive Him as the one and in the one who gives
His flesh and blood on the cross in our place, we must embrace Him at the
deepestplace of our being as the one who bears awaythe sins of the world,
who is lifted up as the embodiment of our curse, who is slain in our place, who
lays down His life that we might live……we must embrace GOD as the one we
meet in the crucified Christ and the crucified Christ as GOD—onlyin this do
we know the One True God, that is to say, only in this do we have eternal life
(John 17:3)……..All of this is really just the Johannine way of saying that
“God, who said let light shine out of darkness, has shone into our hearts to
give the light of the knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”
(2 Cor. 4:6)! Hallowedbe His Name https://www.fullofeyes.com/project/john-
663-65/
The words that I have spokento you are spirit and are life.
–John6:63
As Christians, we are to view God’s Word as medicine, not poison. Imagine
that you are suffering from a fever of 103 degrees and you have a sore throat
that will not stop. Finally, you are so miserable you go to the doctor for some
relief. He says, “I have just the thing you need. I will give you some purple

65. pills, and if you will take one of those purple pills every day, you will feel
better.” You take one of those purple pills, and almost instantly you begin to
feel better. Then the next morning you get up, and you forget to take your
purple pill. It is not a part of your regular routine. That is understandable. As
the day progresses, youbegin to feel worse and worse. The fever and sore
throat return. The next morning, you getup, and you know you need that
purple pill, but you are running late to work or school, and you cannot be late.
So you do not take time to take the pill. Again, the fever and the sore throat
rage on. How many days would you go until you decided, “This is a priority
for me to take this purple pill”?
I know that is a simple analogy, but it is the same way with God’s Word. God
gave us His Word to bring healing into our lives, to remove the discomfort in
our lives that comes from disobeying Him. Yet many of us have the same
attitude toward the Bible that we do toward broccoli:“I know it is goodfor
me, but it makes me gag.” And we continue to suffer the results of not having
that regular intake from the Word of God.
Can I give you a practical solution? I used to have a practice of reading from
my only Bible, the one that I preach from, the one I have had for 35-plus
years. But here is what I found: When I would read various passages, I had so
many words underlined already, I had read it so often, that the words almost
came by rote to me. I would look at the notes I had made in my margins. I
would begin thinking about people I had shared these verses with, sermons I
had preachedin the past, and then I would start taking a stroll down memory
lane instead of allowing the Bible to speak to me. So what I have started doing
is this: Once every year, I geta fresh copy of God’s Word. I use a different
translation or a paraphrase so that I can sit down without any markings,
without any familiarity, and let the Bible speak anew to me.
If you have gottenaway from reading the Bible, I suggestyoudo the same
thing. If you use the New American Standard Bible, why not get a copy of the
New Living Translation? There is something greatabout reading the Bible in
today’s language. Maybe you use the New International Version and you want
to switch to the New American Standard Bible. The point is there ought to be
a time every day when you read the Bible. You do not analyze it; you do not

66. study the Greek words;you just allow it to speak to you so that you can hear
the voice of God. Treat the Bible like medicine, not poison.
***
Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Truth That Transforms” by Dr. Robert
Jeffress, 2018.
John 6:63 - What is the meaning of this passage?
John 6:63 - It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the
words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
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BestAnswer: It is your spirit that is important that will be with you forever.
Your earthly body does you no good. The words is the Bible and that you
should live a goodChristian life by the Bible.
shane o · 1 decade ago

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To me, it means that you, the flesh, or anything worldly, does not profit from
anything that is done. Instead, the spirit, which can also representmankind as
a whole, profits from doings.
You can take this and apply it, or you can do some analyzing of your own.
There is no wrong way to read and interpret the Bible.

68. Gatz · 1 decade ago
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If you speak in the flesh (self) it is just words, but if the Holy Spirit gives you
words they are life
sego lily · 1 decade ago
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As human beings, we are a trinity : spirit, souland body. By the body we
relate to the world outside; by the soul to human thoughts and feelings, and by
the spirit we relate to God and the spiritual world.
A Christian is one whose spirit has been joined to the Holy Spirit, He who
comes in to indwell and gives life. That is, he becomes born againin his
innermost being (his spirit) through receiving the Spirit of Christ.
The Lord Jesus gotall his teaching - even his very words - from his
communion with the Father. He did not speak his own words, but he spoke
what the Fatherhad given him to speak by the Spirit:
Joh 14:10 Believestthou not that I am in the Father, and the Fatherin me?
the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself..
Therefore, those words were not the words of man, coming from his own
imaginings of his soulor carnalnature (ie. self-pleasing), but they came from
the purest source, from God himself. They were life-giving words which, if a
person were to follow them, would give him life.

70. Words from a person's own mind cannotgive life, but words from God are
not only pure, but they are powerful, to give life, to transform and to bestow
immeasurable benefit.
https://answers.yahoo.com/
John 6:63 – God’s Word Is Life
It is the spirit that vivifies; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to
you, they are spirit, and they are life.
– John 6:63
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Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
From this verse, we can see that God’s words are the foundation of our life.
Without the supply of God’s words, no matter how goodthe material life we
enjoy is, it is of no benefit to our life. However, we are often toiling for the
flesh, and think it is our proper pursuit. Some people even spend their lives
pursuing fleshly enjoyment. In fact, material enjoyment only brings us
spiritual emptiness and distress besides momentary pleasure, for material
things cannot be man’s life. As createdbeings, we should listen to and obey
God’s words, for God’s words are life. They are the guarantee that ensures
our survival, and they are the way of life that we should seek. Justas God

71. says, “The way of life is not something that canbe possessedby just anyone,
nor is it easilyobtainable by all. That is because life can only come from God,
which is to say, only God Himself possessesthe substance oflife, there is no
way of life without GodHimself, and so only God is the source oflife, and the
ever-flowing wellspring of living water of life. From when He createdthe
world, God has done much work involving the vitality of life, has done much
work that brings life to man, and has paid a greatprice so that man might
gain life, for God Himself is eternallife, and God Himself is the way by which
man is resurrected. … God’s life force can prevail over any power; moreover,
it exceeds any power. His life is eternal, His power extraordinary, and His life
force not easilyoverwhelmedby any createdbeing or enemy force. The life
force of God exists, and shines its brilliant radiance, regardless oftime or
place. God’s life remains foreverunchanged throughout the upheavals of
heaven and earth. All things pass away, but God’s life still remains, for God is
the source ofthe existence ofall things, and the root of their existence. Man’s
life originates from God, the existence of the heaven is because ofGod, and
the existence ofthe earth stems from the powerof God’s life. No object
possessedof vitality can transcend the sovereigntyof God, and no thing with
vigor can break awayfrom the ambit of God’s authority. In this way,
regardless ofwho they are, everyone must submit under the dominion of God,
everyone must live under God’s command, and no one can escapefrom His
control.” https://www.rainbowtoken.com/john-6-63-God-s-word-is-life.html
Christ's paradoxicalwords in John 6:63-64
When you think of our Lutheran theology, you think paradox. It’s in the
straightforwardreading of Scriptures that results in this paradox we find in
this theologyof the cross. A passagelike John6:63-64 is no different. Themes
like the hidden will/revealedwill distinction and paradox of monergismand
objective grace being for all/you exist there.

72. Let us first examine John 6:63. Christ statedthat the Spirit gives life while the
flesh profits nothing. We see here salvation is fully of God. Not one allowance
is given for anything in us to will to believe or to be renewedto new life in
Christ. Salvation is entirely the work of God. The Spirit converts us by giving
us life. That life that He gives us is not something we canself-generate. Nor
can we offer anything, howeversmall, of ourselves to will towards conversion.
Nothing means nothing, not a little of something. John 6:63 flat out proved
monergism.
Now human reasonwould assume since salvationis all of God and not all are
saved, it must mean God’s saving grace is given only to the electand not all.
But that is not what Christ said in the next passage.He saidthat His words
are spirit and life in them. In other words, there is saving powerin His words.
Yet, despite that, not all believe. Not all receive GodIncarnate who had come
for them.
Why? The whore of human reasonwould be tempted to say it is because man
has some measure of freewill to decide for or againstGod. But Scriptures
refute that. Christ said the Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. We
did not choose Him but He chose us (John 15:16). God made us alive when we
were dead in sins as the grace ofGod by which we are savedthrough faith as a
gift of God, not of ourselves (Ephesians 2:1-8). None canconfess Jesus without
the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). Rebirth is not from human decision
(John 1:13).
The other temptation would be to saythat God only desires to save some and
not all. But John 6:64 ruled that out. His divine word, with the power to save,
was resisted. Christ desired to save many in Jerusalemyet was spurned, and
He wept for it (Matthew 23:37). The Holy Spirit can be resisted(Acts 7:51).
God does desire to save all (1 Timothy 2:1-6, 2 Peter3:9, John 3:16).
So why are not all savedif God’s saving grace is given to all and if God’s
grace alone converts us, not of anything in us? Scriptures do not say. Do note
what John 6:64 did say. It said that Jesus had known from the beginning
which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

73. Jesus was God. He had this powerof knowledge ofwhat will happen and in
regards to who will be savedand won’t. We don’t have this knowledge.It is
hidden to God. It is God’s inscrutable will which we dare not try to peer into.
We are not essentiallytold why some come and some do not, when God wants
to save all and comes to all yet grace alone saves us, not of any willpowerthat
we can muster in us.
We see then in the passagethat God’s revealedwill is for them to be saved.
Christ’s word is indeed spirit and indeed life given for even those who resist
and rejectit. He desired to save them, and they refusedto believe.
We are left with a paradox that goes againsthuman reasonthat desires to
force these passages to fit togetherlike a puzzle or some Dutch flowery
system. But Scriptures do not let us if we read them as these passagesare
meant to be read.
So why are we given such a paradox in Scriptures?
The truth is that such paradox is for our assurance. We would not know if
Christ died for us and given to us objectively by His word through means of
grace for us unless if it is objectively for all He died and objectivelyoffered
and workedin all. We canbe assuredof Christ died for us personally in a real
true way only if He indeed died for all. Faith alone looks to this objective fact
of what’s given for all means that it is true for us personally. Faith alone
receives that objective fact and the benefits that this redemptive work of
Christ applied to us. We can be certain of that and look outside ourselves for
assurance onthis objective truth and fact given to us in Word and Sacrament.
No need to look inwards nor at one's own faith. And definitely, no need to look
to fruits of faith for assurance.
The fact God’s grace alone for us, not of ourselves, also give us assurance that
as long as in Christ, the same Godwho converts us, is able to keepus. Again,

74. we do not look to our own selves for assurance norto keepourselves. It is in
Christ crucified for us that we are saved and in God’s hand. Look outside
ourselves to Christ alone given to us in Word and Sacrament, not back at
ourselves for assurance.He presentedthese means of grace to us as indeed His
revealedsaving will to us. That is where we canbe sure that we are elect,
when we are in Christ. That is where what is hidden to God becomes revealed
to God. It is God Incarnate given to us.
For us and to us we have His forgiveness that He won for us at the cross and
which we received(1 Corinthians 15:1-4) in baptism (Acts 2:38, 22:16). And
we continue to look to what Christ did to nourish us in the one true faith as
His body and blood comes to us in the Eucharistfor us to partake of receiving
the life that is in Christ’s blood (1 Corinthians 10:16). By grace alone through
faith alone in Christ alone. Here we stand.
Postedby Thuyen Tran at 6:10 PM
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Labels: New Testament, Theology
2 comments:
jwskud7/17/15, 11:45 AM

75. Excellentarticle on the "crux theologorum!" I've savedthis link along with
http://www.stpaulslutheranchurch.net/cruxtheologorum.html as my 2
favorites on this issue. Thanks for sharing.
Reply
Larry7/20/15, 11:06 PM
ReginPrenter in his greatLuthran Spiritus Creatormakes the point that for
Luther regarding Zwingli (and by extensionCalvin) that the doctrine of
ubiquity was not a philosophicalcounter speculationbut very narrowly
revelation driven by the two natures in the one person Christ. There can then
never be such separationof the two like Zwingli and later Calvin. If there
were we then have on one hand the divine in majesty, eventhe son, and now
God nude, and on the other hand the man Christ who is then to be imitated
implying a power in the human nature. For Christ's humiliation lay in the fact
of him coming down to our level of impotence, and not to show us the example
exemplar human. In such Luther saw the poison, on one hand Godnude and
on the other human nature that can. God so being nude and in majesty this
way the thing then in the sacramentwould be us having to find a way up to
God (Luther's whole point with the enthusiasts was they inverted salvationto
us to Godand heaven not Goddescending to us and God as the spirit works
inward then outward, latent Platonismand Gnosticism). This meant for
Luther that in reality there would be no wayto this God in majestyhaving so
divided Christ. This in turn opens the door for reasons speculationand the
"successful" speculatorwho thinks he has found the way up to God (here
Christ in the sacramentso divided) is rewarded for it by having done so
correctly. Modern Lutherans make a huge mistake contra Luther that
Calvinist are monergistic when they are not. Their synergism is not will works
but reasonspeculation). In this case ofZwingli and Calvins supper and

76. sacramentone receives the blessing of the sacramentthe forgiveness ofsins
via the
He work of speculationvia the reason. Which now we see is clearlymerited
since Christ did not come all the way down. It matters not whether you make
a real presence as deity in oppositionto Christ as both in one person or not,
the speculative work is the same. It also matters not whether you put this
Calvinistic real presence in heaven as Calvin tended or bring it to earth as
some other Calvinist do you still have a nude Godto ascendtoo by speculation
in order to merit the blessing. We note well how Calvin said we must elevate
our minds and soul to that heavenly place... There is the designatedwork to
begin the ascent. Westhphalhad Calvin nailed but few paid attention!
Thus, bob gets savedand receives the blessing because he hears to do this and
speculateda way to God in majesty, the son nude and merits the blessing, no
less than the forgiveness ofsins. Tom, Calvin would callnot elect, is damned
because he does not find the speculative way up.
The keyto seeing calvins deceptionis in the direction of salvationand
understanding it in light of gods descending by uniting with the impotent
human nature. To divide calvin's way is to create the nude majesty we cannot
approachand then the human nature of Christ becomes the perfect example
of how to. The keyverses for Luther are "in Him dwells the fullness of the
Godhead" and "he who has seenMe has seen the Father" all at once. In
essencecalvins and zwinglis LS doctrines split up the first verse to then seek
the nakedmajesty of God with salvationwhen all is said and done is us to
Him.
A goodquestion to flesh out Calvins cryptic synergismmight be do bob and
Tom have to get to God or vice versa, if the later how then does God do this!
Once we realize this what must be put in my mouth is the incarnation as there

77. is no other way to forgiveness ofsins but this man-God Christ coming to me,
my mouth.
This puts the final death knell in Calvins doctrines, it is utterly indefensible
once we realize Luther read everything from the perspective of the incarnate
God, even limited ubiquity to that revelation alone.
https://g2witt.blogspot.com/2015/07/christs-paradoxical-words-in-john-663-
64.html
Spirit Gives Life—John 6: 63
After their sin in the Gardenof Eden, Adam and Eve died a slow physical
death but also suffered immediate spiritual death. But, if we believe, God
breathes new life back into us…
Life
Jesus taught His disciples,
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have
spokento you are spirit and are life.”
John 36:6
We often speak ofthe creationbeing the work of God…but easilyforgetthat
all three Persons ofthe Trinity (see Genesis 1:2, John 1: 3, & Genesis 1:26)
were involved in the creationprocess!And that the Holy Spirits’ role was to
bring life!
PhysicalLife
From the very beginning of the creationprocess, the Holy Spirit was involved:

78. “In the beginning God createdthe heavens and the earth. The earth was
formless and void, and darkness was overthe surface of the deep, and the
Spirit of Godwas moving over the surface of the waters.”
Genesis 2-1:1
So the Holy Spirit was involved in the organizationof life on earth and in the
whole of creation. But, I think, especiallyin bringing of life into men and
women. During the creationof Adam by God, we read:
“Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
Genesis 7:2
God breathed the breath of life into Adam. So then Adam’s ‘body’ came to
life (just like all the other animals) but also Adam became a spiritual creature
in the image of God (see Genesis 1:27). Therefore, Adam was brought to life
both physically and spiritually. Look what Job says,
"The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
Job 4:33 , see also Psalm33:6
And Spiritual Life
And I believe it is the work of the Holy Spirit of God who accomplished
Adam’s spiritual creation!Why? Look what Jesus did and saidto His
disciples after the His resurrection!:
“And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive
the Holy Spirit.”
John 22:02

79. Jesus breathedon His disciples and gave them the Holy Spirit! And to be
clear, this was BEFORE Pentecost!Those who are spriritually dead to God
because ofsin are made alive by the Holy Spirit of God—just like Adam.
Becauseoftheir faith in who He was, Jesus gave His disciples the Holy Spirit
as the sealof their salvation(see Ephesians 4: 30). And the disciples were the
first to recieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the seal, the proof, of your
salvationand the evidence of your future eternal life with God!
The disciples became spiritually alive, because—justlike in the Garden of
Eden—Jesus breathedinto them the Holy Spirit of life! The Apostle Paul told
the believers in Rome,
“Forthe law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has setyou free from the law
of sin and of death.”
Romans 2:8
How dead are you? Spiritually dead, buried, and rotted away—youare dust.
But no one is beyond the salvation of God!
How Dead?
In a vision, the Prophet Ezekiel, was brought to a valley of full of bones and
the bones were ‘very dry’—not only NO physical life in them, but no spiritual
life in them either…they were ‘very dry.’ And God instructs Ezekielto
prophesy (preach) over the bones—andlook what God says!:
“Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter
you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back
on you, coveryou with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive;
and you will know that I am the LORD.'”
Ezekiel37:5-6
God’s breath…the Holy Spirit…working to knit the bones and flesh of dead
men back togetherand bring them to life! From dust to life! Just like Adam!
And jus like us!
How Alive!

80. Completely alive—both physically and spiritually! When you believe, God
breathes His Holy Spirit into you! God instructed Ezekiel:
“Therefore prophesyand say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I
will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My
people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I
am the LORD, when I have openedyour graves and causedyou to come up
out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will
come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I,
the LORD, have spokenand done it,” declares the LORD.'””
Ezekiel 41-21:73
Up from the grave Jesus arose…andwe who believe are to follow Him out of
our graves becauseGodbreathed His Holy Spirit into us and promised us
eternal life in Him:
“”ForGodso loved the world, that He gave His only begottenSon, that
whoeverbelieves in Him shall not perish, but have eternallife.”
John 61:3
Lesson
In the Garden, Adam was brought to life, both physically and spiritually, by
the breath of God. And Eve equally shared in that totality of life when she was
created. Because oftheir sin, Adam and Eve, startedto die physically
(through the aging process)but also died spiritually right away.
In exactreverse order of the Garden, when we are saved, faith in God’s
salvationthrough Jesus brings spiritual life to us IMMEDIATELY; and later
eternal life to our physical bodies in paradise!It is just the opposite of Adam’s
fall—all wrought by God’s salvationthrough Jesus and the gift of breathing
His Holy Spirit into us—as promised (see Joel2: 29)!
But this depends upon us believing in Jesus—itdepends upon us having
receivedthe breath of life from God…His Holy Spirit. Again, the Apostle Paul
tells the church at Rome:

81. “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God
dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not
belong to Him.”
Romans 9:8
So then, make sure you have the Spirit!
Believer
The Holy Spirit is promised to those that believe in and on Jesus Christ as
their salvationfrom death through sin againstGod. The Apostle John taught:
“He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does
not have the life.”
1 John 21:5
And it is Spirit who gives life (see todays verse, John 6: 63 above!)! Moreover,
this spiritual resurrectionis immediate; and this spiritual resurrection, this
new life, has eternalimplications! This same Apostle John wrote:
“Blessedand holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over
these the seconddeath has no power, but they will be priests of God and of
Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”
Revelation 6:02
Up From the Grave
To be raisedfrom the grave, to be raised from the dust, is to be given life
again…eternallife…bothphysically AND spiritually. This is the first
resurrectionAFTER the first physical death. But IF we believe, we have no
part in the secondeternaldeath in the lake of fire (see Revelation21:8).
So then, we are to guard our physical selves from sin because we are a temple
for God’s Holy Spirit:
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in
you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”

82. 1 Corinthians 91:6
And we must guard our spiritual selves from sin as well:
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealedfor the day of
redemption.”
Ephesians 01:36haiasIoslaees,03:4
And,
“Do not quench the Spirit…”
1 Thessalonians 91:5
God has breathed life into you…His Holy Spirit—don’t continue in sin, and
disobedience, lack offaith (unbelief).
Unbeliever
‘If’ is still the operative word. If you believe on Jesus there is no
condemnation; and if you believe in Jesus you have the Holy Spirit; if you
have Jesus, you have life! But if you do not have Jesus then you have
death…eventualand unavoidable physical death AND eternal spiritual
death…period:
“But for the cowardlyand unbelieving and abominable and murderers and
immoral persons and sorcerersand idolaters and all liars, their part will be in
the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the seconddeath.””
Revelation 8:12
Up From Your Grave
But you can be restored to a close life with God through salvation offeredto
you in Jesus. It is God’s gift to you:
“Forby grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God…”

83. Ephesians 8:2
God’s grace is His gift to you! And so too is your fullness of faith which God
gifts to you to enable you to believe by convictionof the Holy Spirit (see John
16: 8). But this requires repentance and belief in Jesus for the forgiveness of
your sins. The Apostle James saidit succinctly:
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you
sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 8:4
Only Jesus cleanses yourhands and purifies your hearts (see Psalm51 and
Isaiah53). So you need to understand why you need to believe and what to
believe:
“…that if you confess withyour mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your
heart that God raisedHim from the dead, you will be saved…for”
WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE
SAVED.””
Romans 31&9:01
And then you need to ask yourself, “why don’t I believe”?
https://www.openmyeyes.me/spirit-gives-life-john-6-63/