We pick up today in John after Jesus had just explained that he is the manna from heaven and we are to eat his flesh and many are not going to understand it. In some ways I feel for them. Can you imagine a guy telling you that you have to eat his flesh? What do you say to that? Thanks I’ve always wanted to join the Donner Party? Yesterday you gave us fish, but if your on the menu today fine, hand over that leg, just let me wash it first.
John 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
This is, almost certainly, not the twelve that said and asked this because you will see him turn to them specifically in verse 67. But the question is interesting because emphasis is on the word hard. This word word hard in the Greek means dry. Yes it can be used figuratively to mean harsh or hard, but it is this word dry that is interesting, because if you don’t have the living water it will be too dry and hard for you to understand.
John 6:61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
The word offend here doesn’t really carry the thought so let’s go to the Greek: G4624, σκανδαλίζω, skandalizō, skan-dal-id’-zo: To “scandalize”; from G4625; to entrap, that is, trip up (figuratively stumble [transitively] or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure): – (make to) offend.
So He is asking: Does this trip you up? So I ask does it trip you up? We of course have the luxury of hindsight and can understand He meant His word, but is there anything that trips you up? Do you have something you read in the bible that makes you say, “oh man this can’t be really from God?” Is there something you read in the old testament that makes you go, “God wouldn’t do that?” Do you read the writings of Paul and say, ”This can’t be right” or “This makes God a bigot?” I know for a fact there are many places where that is the case. What do you do when you come to those places? Do you stop following him? Do you just ignore those spots and hope nobody finds out? Or do you go to Him and ask Him? I will tell you a secret, if you find a place where a saying is hard, just add Water.
John 6:62Whatand if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
Christ came from Heaven. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
They believed the manna that Moses gave because they knew it came from heaven. They don’t understand that Christ is the same, so He is asking if they would believe if they saw him return back to heaven. Would they eat of His flesh then?
John 6:63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you,theyare spirit, andtheyare life.
Here He is trying to explain to them that he isn’t talking about the meat attached to his Spirit.
John 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. (65) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
You can’t fake belief with God. You can pretend if you want and many will, but we are coming to the end of this whole scene that started with him feeding the 5000 and only those that endure to the end will be saved.
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Go back to that Greek word we pulled up earlier. Do you see the word apostasy there? That is the great falling away. Paul tells us about it in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. It is the great falling away before the return of Christ. Does anyone else find it interesting that this verse is 6:66?
John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Will you leave him because of some hard words? Will you stop believing in him because someone dug something up from the ground they say is truth? Do you seek to save your life with the dry words found from the earth? God protects his Word and it is his Word that will endure forever.
John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Will you be a Peter that will step out of the boat and walk upon the sea? Yes, He started to sink, we all do, at times, but if we keep out eyes on him the waters of this world will not overcome us and we keep our eyes on him by staying in His word.
John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
How sure are you? Was Jesus just an apocalyptic Jewish teacher from the 1st century or was He the Son of the Living God, who was crucified and rejected by this world and who is going to return to gather up his flock? That is for you to answer. Nobody can do it for you. Come judgment, it will be just you and the Father. I pray it isnt’ the first time you talk to him because He loves you and He wants to speak to you today and because the body of the Son given the veil is rent and you can come to him.
John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? (71) He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
A lot has and can be said about Judas, but I don’t want to do it here. I will say more when we get to the 14th Chapter and I may even do a post just about him.
The next chapter brings us to the Feast of Tabernacles which is the last of the high Sabbaths that God ordered us to follow and the only one that has yet to be fulfilled.
