Day 928: Who will you go to? - John 6 vs 60 – 7 vs 1

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61-62 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offence at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

66-67 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68-69 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70-71 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him. Chapter 7 vs 1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews (Judeans) were seeking to kill him. John 6:60 – 7:1 English Standard Version

What did Jesus say that caused so many of His followers to respond “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” In vs 51 of our last reading He had said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” What does He say was a big reason why many of them were offended by these words? (vs 63)

They were responding to His words 'in the flesh'. Their assumptions were based on human logic instead of being taught by God's Spirit. The apostle Paul later reminded Christians at Corinth of this important truth. He wrote to them: “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” He added: “The natural person doesn’t accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he isn’t able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 14)

This explains why Jesus told those who were offended “No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” (vs 65) That statement offended many of them even further and we read that “after this, many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” The word disciple meant 'a learner', and was used of those who were followers of someone they regarded as a teacher worth listening to. This puts Peter's lovely response into context. What does his answer to Jesus in vs 68-69 imply?

He realized that what Jesus was teaching were truths that went beyond just the needs of this world, and were to lead men and women to seek after that which does not fade away and perish. Jesus' words lead to ETERNAL life. His reply showed too that there is a progression of thought and understanding when it comes to Jesus, a progression which eventually leads to realizing who He really is - the Holy One of God.

Two thoughts spring to my mind. Firstly, this explains why many people in the world are still offended today by the Bible. They are relying on their human wisdom to make head or tail of things that really require God's Spirit to make alive to us. Secondly, I'd like to hear such people's answer to what Peter said after Jesus asked “Do you want to go away as well?” Peter replied: “Lord, to whom shall we go?” If people reject Jesus Christ, who will they follow? Is there anyone anywhere, past or present, who can honestly say, as Jesus did, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” ? If someone happens to read this post who has struggled to believe Christ, cry out even today to God that He, by His Spirit, would open your mind and heart to respond as Peter did that day.