48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and died. 50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which has come down out of heaven: if any one shall have eaten of this bread he shall live for ever; but the bread withal which I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore contended among themselves, saying, How can he give us this flesh to eat? 53 Jesus therefore said to them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Unless ye shall have eaten the flesh of the Son of man, and drunk his blood, ye have no life in yourselves. 54 He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal, and I will raise him up at the last day: 55 for my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. 56 He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me and I in him. 57 As the living Father has sent me and I live on account of the Father, he also who eats me shall live also on account of me. 58 This is the bread which has come down out of heaven. Not as the fathers ate and died: he that eats this bread shall live for ever.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 6:48-58
Commentary on John 6:47-51
(Read John 6:47-51)
The advantage of the manna was small, it only referred to this life; but the living Bread is so excellent, that the man who feedeth on it shall never die. This bread is Christ's human nature, which he took to present to the Father, as a sacrifice for the sins of the world; to purchase all things pertaining to life and godliness, for sinners of every nation, who repent and believe in him.
Commentary on John 6:52-59
(Read John 6:52-59)
The flesh and blood of the Son of man, denote the Redeemer in the nature of man; Christ and him crucified, and the redemption wrought out by him, with all the precious benefits of redemption; pardon of sin, acceptance with God, the way to the throne of grace, the promises of the covenant, and eternal life. These are called the flesh and blood of Christ, because they are purchased by the breaking his body, and the shedding of his blood. Also, because they are meat and drink to our souls. Eating this flesh and drinking this blood mean believing in Christ. We partake of Christ and his benefits by faith. The soul that rightly knows its state and wants, finds whatever can calm the conscience, and promote true holiness, in the redeemer, God manifest in the flesh. Meditating upon the cross of Christ gives life to our repentance, love, and gratitude. We live by him, as our bodies live by our food. We live by him, as the members by the head, the branches by the root: because he lives we shall live also.