John Calvin Commentary John 6:57

"As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me." — John 6:57 (ASV)

As the living Father hath sent me. Until now, Christ has explained the manner in which we must become partakers of life. He now comes to speak of the principal cause, for the first source of life is in the Father. But he meets an objection, because it might be thought that he took away from God what belonged to him when he made himself the cause of life. Therefore, he presents himself as the Author of life in such a way as to acknowledge that there was another who gave him what he administers to others.

Let us observe that this discourse is also adapted to the understanding of those to whom Christ was speaking, for it is only with respect to his flesh that he compares himself to the Father. For though the Father is the beginning of life, yet the eternal Word himself is life itself. But the eternal Divinity of Christ is not the present subject, for he presents himself as he was manifested to the world, clothed with our flesh.

I also live on account of the Father. This does not apply merely to his Divinity, nor does it apply merely to his human nature by itself, but it is a description of the Son of God manifested in the flesh. Besides, we know that it is not unusual for Christ to ascribe to the Father everything Divine that he had in himself.

It must be observed, however, that he points out here three degrees of life. In the first rank is the living Father, who is the source, but remote and hidden. Next follows the Son, who is presented to us as an open fountain, and through whom life flows to us.

The third is the life that we draw from him. We now perceive that what has been stated amounts to this: God the Father, in whom life dwells, is at a great distance from us, and Christ, placed between us, is the second cause of life, so that what would otherwise be concealed in God may proceed from him to us.