Christ's doctrine of the atonement - Smeaton - XIX - Chapter 4 concluded

Required reading
Christ's doctrine of the atonement by George Smeaton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude Chapter 4 by reading Sections XXXIII.

My summary
Today Smeaton discusses John 6:51-57: '51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.  52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?  53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.  54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.  57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.'

Firstly Smeaton explains what the expressions do not mean:
(i) the Lord's Supper;
(ii) the doctine of Jesus;
(iii) the incarnation.

Then Smeaton teaches us what the words do mean: the atoning work of Christ that gives new life.

What grabbed me
Smeaton was very clear that the words of Jesus are figurative: ' But the Lord Jesus next proceeds to speak of the " eating of His flesh " and of the " drinking of His blood." That the language is metaphorical, scarcely needs to be proved. The expressions, the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His blood, are used interchangeably with believing in the previous context (vers. 35, 40, 47), and they must be so accepted here. These figurative terms imply that men are to believe on Him as giving His flesh for the life of the world, and that they are to receive the atonement with the same eagerness with which a hungry man partakes of food.'

If you believe, you have life eternal.

Next week's reading
Commence Chapter 5 by reading Sections XXXIV to XXXVI.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.