John 6:63

If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? If then you shall see, etc... Christ by mentioning his ascension, by this instance of his power and divinity, would confirm the truth of what he had before asserted; and at the same time correct their gross apprehension of 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 consequently not suffer it to be as they supposed, divided, mangled, and consumed upon earth.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner, 1752)

In The King James Version

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

In Context

62But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: Doth this scandalize you?

64It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. The flesh profiteth nothing... Dead flesh separated from the spirit, in the gross manner they supposed they were to eat his flesh, would profit nothing. Neither doth man's flesh, that is to say, man's natural and carnal apprehension, (which refuses to be subject to the spirit, and words of Christ,) profit any thing. But it would be the height of blasphemy, to say the living flesh of Christ (which we receive in the blessed sacarament, with his spirit, that is, with his soul and divinity) profiteth nothing. For if Christ's flesh had profitedus nothing, he would never have taken flesh for us, nor died in us nothing, he would never have taken flesh for us, nor died in the flesh for us. Are spirit and life... By proposing to you a heavenly sacrament, in which you shall receive, in a wonderful manner, spirit, grace, and life, in its very fountain.

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Cross References

Genesis 2:7And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth: and breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

Psalms 19:7The Lord fulfil all thy petitions: now have I known that the Lord hath saved his anointed. He will hear him from his holy heaven: the salvation of his right hand is in powers. The salvation of his right hand is in powers... That is, in strength. His right hand is strong and mighty to save them that trust in him.

John 6:68Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away?

Romans 2:25Circumcision profiteth indeed, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

Romans 8:2For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath delivered me from the law of sin and of death.

Matthew Henry on John 6:61-71

Christ's Discourse with His Disciples; The Effect of Christ's Discourse; The Character of Judas. 60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 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.… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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