60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.65He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) (John 6:60-70)
Thoughts: It is a hard saying that Jesus is the Bread of Life- and that He is the One who gives eternal life. He speaks of eating His flesh and drinking His blood- which is also a hard saying if you think it is gnawing Jesus' skin or sipping His blood through a straw. Just as when Jesus said he was the Living Water- He wasn't talking of H2O, or when He spoke of being born again He wasn't talking of going back into the womb as an adult- He was speaking of spiritual feeding. He hinted at this in vs. 63- when He said the Spirit gives life and the fleshly things count for nothing.
From this point on many left. Jesus also was very conscious that He would be betrayed (vs. 64, 70). Jesus gave up being a popular hero when he refused to just keep providing physical bread, and refused a crown. Perhaps it was because Jesus refused to be a popular political ruler who would stand against the Roman Empire that people left Him and Judas began to think of betrayal. But the crowd's leaving and Jesus' talk of a betrayer solidified the eleven who remained with Him. Peter's words are also our words. In a skeptical world in which people are leaving Christ left and right in the West over some (often false) criticism of Christ or His followers, there is still no one else who offers life. There is no other religious leader who offers real hope beyond the grave- thus giving meaning to this life.
Prayer: Lord, help me to cling to you, even if I do not fully understand. Help me to believe in order to understand. Help me to believe in order to find eternal life.
From this point on many left. Jesus also was very conscious that He would be betrayed (vs. 64, 70). Jesus gave up being a popular hero when he refused to just keep providing physical bread, and refused a crown. Perhaps it was because Jesus refused to be a popular political ruler who would stand against the Roman Empire that people left Him and Judas began to think of betrayal. But the crowd's leaving and Jesus' talk of a betrayer solidified the eleven who remained with Him. Peter's words are also our words. In a skeptical world in which people are leaving Christ left and right in the West over some (often false) criticism of Christ or His followers, there is still no one else who offers life. There is no other religious leader who offers real hope beyond the grave- thus giving meaning to this life.
Prayer: Lord, help me to cling to you, even if I do not fully understand. Help me to believe in order to understand. Help me to believe in order to find eternal life.
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