THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 6 - Verse 51

Verse 51. The bread that I will give is my flesh. That is, his body would be offered as a sacrifice for sin, agreeably to his declaration when he instituted the Supper: "This is my body which is broken for you," 1 Co 11:24.

Life of the world. That sinners might, by his atoning sacrifice, be recovered from spiritual death, and be brought to eternal life. The use of the word world here shows that the sacrifice of Christ was full, free, ample, and designed for all men, as it is said in 1 Jo 2:2, "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." In this verse Jesus introduces the subject of his death and atonement. It may be remarked that in the language which he used the transition from bread to his flesh would appear more easy than it does in our language. The same word which in Hebrew means bread, in the Syriac and Arabic means also flesh.

{m} "my flesh" He 10:5,10,20

{n} "the life of the world" Joh 3:16