Jesus, the Messiah who has the words of eternal life
John 6:60-71 [1]
Rejection by Many Followers
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
Confession by Peter
67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
Message
See v60.
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
What they found hard to accept was the sacrificial model of His Messiahship. That is, there was a cost to follow the Messiah. This was very different from what they expected from the Messiah. They did not expect the love and sacrifice but the power and domination model of the Messiahship.
See v61-63.
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Jesus is the living bread which came down from heaven (John 6:51a). ‘Where He was before’ is ‘heaven’. What if Jesus ascends to heaven? Jesus said this bread was His flesh (John 6:51b). However, this bread is not His physical body but His sacrifice (to get us right with God). Eating this bread means believing in His sacrifice.
See v64.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
Many of His disciples left (66) and Judas Iscariot, one of twelve was going to betray Him (70-71).
See v65.
65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
Jesus said this in John 6:44.
See v66.
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
This ‘love and sacrifice’ model of His Messiahship might offend them. When they realised the cost to follow Jesus, they left Him.
See v67.
67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
Jesus didn’t beg them to stay. Instead, He challenged and asked them whether they also wanted to leave Him.
See v68-69.
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
When Peter confessed His faith in Jesus saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16),
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
(Matthew 16:17–19 (NKJV))
Jesus said it was God’s revelation that let Peter know the truth. So, his faith was like the solid rock, the right foundation to build the house that can withstand the rain, the floods and the winds (Matthew 7:24-25).
See v70.
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
Jesus knew all men (John 2:24). Jesus knew one of the twelve was a devil. Jesus did not rely simply on every believing (John 2:23-24, James 2:19). Jesus was not deceived simply by the membership one held.
See v71.
71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
References
- The New King James Version. 1982, Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
