They said therefore to him, "Lord, always give us this bread."
      (2.) But, when they understood that by this  bread of life  Jesus meant  himself,  then they  despised  it. Whether they were the same persons that had prayed for it (; John 6:34), or some others of the company, does not appear; it seems to be some others, for they are called  Jews.  Now it is said (John 6:41),  They murmured at him.  This comes in immediately after that solemn declaration which Christ had made of God's will and his own undertaking concerning man's salvation (; John 6:39-40), which certainly were some of the most weighty and gracious words that ever proceeded out of the mouth of our Lord Jesus, the most faithful, and best worthy of all acceptation. One would think that, like Israel in Egypt, when they heard that God had thus  visited  them, they should have  bowed their heads and worshipped;  but on the contrary, instead of closing with the offer made them, they  murmured,  quarrelled with what Christ said, and, though they did not openly oppose and contradict it, yet they privately whispered among themselves in contempt of it, and instilled into one another's minds prejudices against it. Many that will not professedly contradict the doctrine of Christ (their cavils are so weak and groundless that they are either ashamed to own them or afraid to have them silenced), yet say in their hearts that they  do not like it.  Now, [1.] That which offended them was Christ's asserting his origin to be  from heaven,  John 6:41-42. How is it that he saith,  I came down from heaven?  They had heard of angels coming down  from heaven,  but never of a man, overlooking the proofs he had given them of his being more than a man. [2.] That which they thought justified them herein was that they knew his extraction on earth:  Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?  They took it amiss that he should say that he came down from heaven, when he was  one of them.  They speak slightly of his blessed name,  Jesus: Is not this Jesus.  They take it for granted that Joseph was really his father, though he was onlyreputed  to be so. Note, Mistakes concerning the person of Christ, as if he were a mere man, conceived and born by ordinary generation, occasion the offence that is taken at his doctrine and offices. Those who set him on a level with the other sons of men, whose father and mother we know, no wonder if they derogate from the honour of his satisfaction and the mysteries of his undertaking, and, like the Jews here, murmur at his promise to  raise us up at the last day.