JOHN 6:60-71 (NKJV) JESUS OFFENDS, NO ONE ELSE

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"

Hard sayings are all over the Bible. They come in different ways. Some are hard because they are hard to understand, and others are hard because we don’t want to obey what Scripture tells us to do. In this case, the disciples had a hard time understanding, not that they didn’t want to obey. But is that really the case?

I must reiterate that those who could not understand this at this time were not the ones that the Father had given to Jesus. They believed themselves to be disciples but that didn’t mean they were chosen. Or maybe it wasn’t at this time that they were to come to Jesus. As we will see shortly, Peter didn’t seem to be troubled by Jesus words regarding his flesh and blood.

When we come across these “hard sayings” in the Bible, we have a few options. The first is to try to understand them. That means we must study Scripture to see what light is shed on the topic. If we still have problems, we can consult others by way of commentaries or good Bible-based teaching. We may have to put it aside to study later. The thing we don’t want to do is simply ignore it.

If it is a matter of obedience that makes it a hard saying, then we must examine our hearts to understand why we are unwilling to do what Scripture is telling us.

61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?”

If we are offended by Scripture, then it is most likely that we are simply disobedient and don’t like what has been said. We may have some very worldly ideas that offend us. Many who are offended by Jesus are offended because he says he is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). That runs contrary to the world’s view of religion. They believe there are many ways. Others may be offended because Jesus took a hard stance on divorce (Matt 5:31-32) and these want an easy way out of marital commitment. Anytime we feel offended by Scripture, we should be wary of our feelings. We should examine ourselves to determine why and what idols we have in our hearts that are causing us to be offended.

62 “What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?”

It is possible that Jesus is asking these grumblers what it will take for them to believe him. He is the bread that came down from heaven, so will his ascension back to heaven convince them? Probably not. It is only those who believed Jesus came from heaven who will be privileged to see him ascend. Even they went through doubts after his resurrection. One thing is for sure, if we doubt that Jesus ascended and is at God’s right hand, then we have some serious misunderstanding about who Jesus is. He is alive and because he is alive, he helps us through our doubts.

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.”

So far Jesus has said that life is in the Father and has life in himself. He has said the Son gives life and has life within himself (John 5:21, 26). Now Jesus says that the Spirit gives life. If you did not believe in the Trinity, you would be very confused. Only by understanding the Trinity can you make sense of what Jesus has been teaching. God (three in one) is the one who has eternal life, and he gives this to us when we believe in Jesus. We can’t believe until the Holy Spirit removes the veil of unbelief (2 Cor 4:3).

The flesh profits nothing because we can’t believe by doing good works. We can’t do anything to earn eternal life. This is repeated throughout Scripture. Jesus slips it in here in the midst of speaking about eating flesh to let us know that physical works will not save.

We can only understand God’s revelation to us by studying and hearing God’s word. Jesus finished the revelation of God to us (Heb 1:1-2). The Holy Spirit works through his words to bring us into life. We can’t believe in something about which we have no understanding. This is why it is so important for us to share the good news with others. We aren’t saving anyone by what we say, but the Spirit is using the words of Jesus (the whole Bible – Jesus is the Word), which we speak to them.

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.”

It keeps coming back to this. Some of his disciples did not believe. They must have believed something about Jesus or they would not have started following him. I suspect that they believed Jesus to be the one to save them from Roman rule. They believed he would be king. But when it came to eternal life, they still didn’t see that they needed to repent of their sins and believe Jesus would be the only one to save them.

Jesus knew it from the beginning. He knew who was destined for salvation because the Father had given them to him. There are many today who are in the same sinking boat. They believe a lot about Jesus, but God has not yet granted it to them to come to Jesus. Some never will and others may be granted the glorious privilege of coming to Jesus earlier or later in their lives.

66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"

If you should ever think about leaving Jesus, this is an important passage. You must think about why you would leave. These disciples were not true disciples. A disciple is a mathetes the Greek word for a learner or a pupil.[1]These had not learned from Jesus but became offended by his teaching. Jesus asks the same question of you, should you think about leaving him. “Do you want to go away?” Do you know where you would go? Who could teach you better? Who could show you the way to eternal life? Who is life and gives life? Where would you eventually arrive if you went away? Eternal death is where they will go.

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."

Peter has asked the quintessential question. If we don’t go to Jesus, where will we find the words of eternal life? Of course, if you don’t believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the long awaited second Person of the Trinity, you will be left without an answer. You might as well go follow Buddha, Mohamad, Zoroaster, or any of the thirty-three Hindu demigods (Koti).[2] If you do, then you will end up worshiping creatures instead of the Creator. That end will not be the same as the eternal life that Jesus has promised over and over in these first chapters of John.

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.

Now this is really harsh. Jesus chose all twelve disciples. He didn’t do it on a lark but spent the night in prayer before selecting them from among the other disciples (Luke 6:12-13). Yet he knowingly selected one who would betray him. Why would he make himself vulnerable to this one he calls a devil?

The obvious answer is that he knew Scripture. He knew that one would betray him. He knew that he must suffer and die at the hands of the Romans. Going along with God’s decree, he chose Judas, the complete opposite of Nathanael “in whom was no deceit” (John 1:47). Judas was a thief and had no compassion for the poor (John 12:6).

In selecting Judas as one of the Twelve, Jesus showed us a very important truth. Many are given the opportunity to become disciples of Jesus. Yet only those that are given to Jesus by the Father are the ones who will be saved.

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[1]NT:3101, Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006, 2010 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.

[2]Some say that the number of thirty-three demigods actually represents millions.

JOHN 6:51-59 (ESV) BREAD OF LIFE

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

I breezed past Jesus’ first “I am” without comment. But here again, he states, “I am the living bread.” These are the first passages where Jesus uses the words, “I am” to describe himself. The significance of this is often misinterpreted. Jesus is not trying to identify himself as the I AM of Exodus 3:14 as many suggest. The words “I am” are used by many people in the Bible and even the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:19). None of these uses imply anything other than identifying oneself. When Jesus uses the words “I am” in a way that is significantly different in context, then we can see that he does identify himself with Deity. Dr. Gary Manning of Talbot School of Theology suggests there are only three place where Jesus uses “I am” without a predicate to identify with Deity. [1]

In John 6:20, Jesus said, “It is I” using the same Greek words ἐγώ εἰμι, which is the Greek translation of “I Am” in Exodus 3:14. Note, he didn’t say I am … something or give his name. The “I am” stands alone. In context it is when he walked on the water, something totally other than human.

In John 5:58, Jesus said, “before Abraham was, I am (ἐγώ εἰμι).” This is the clearest claim to Deity. In context, he is saying that he is eternal, only something attributed to God.

In John 18:6-8, Jesus used the same “I am (ἐγώ εἰμι)” twice when the soldiers came to capture him in the garden. Each time the soldiers fell down. This shows that Jesus is in control of the situation, his sovereignty.

Another possible time that Jesus identifies with deity is when he spoke to the woman at the well, “Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He’” (NASU). Was he saying I am the Messiah or was he saying he is I Am? The NASU translation adds the word He to the translation as indicated by being in italics because it isn’t in the Greek. The word for word translation is “Jesus I am that speaks unto you.” In context he is speaking of being the Messiah. But he is also saying that he is God and that means the Messiah is God.

Getting back to our current passage, rather than identifying with Deity, Jesus is identifying a significant role. He is the only source of true spiritual nutrition. In opposition to the Roman Catholic viewpoint that the bread and wine is physically transformed into the body and blood of Jesus but retains the appearance of bread and wine, Jesus is not telling us that we must literally eat his body to have eternal life. He is using a metaphor. The meaning is significant. It is Jesus’ attempt to show the people who had eaten with the 5,000 and were still thinking in terms of food that perishes. He is giving them a hint that he is going to give his life so that there will be salvation for those who believe in (eat) him. He has mentioned several times that he will raise people in the last day. However, they still don’t understand.

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

The Jews began to argue which implies that some of them must have understood that Jesus was using a figure of speech. However, the prevailing conclusion was that Jesus was speaking literally. They actually thought Jesus was intending to have them indulge in cannibalism., which they would naturally reject. Yet, like Nicodemus, they ask how he could do this.

53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.  

Since they still don’t understand, Jesus continues to make it even harder for them to believe. He is doing exactly what he did when he spoke in parables (Matt 13:13). What Jesus is saying can only be spiritually understood. Those that are not chosen for the kingdom of God will not understand or will, like the Roman Catholics, distort the meaning.

When Jesus say that his flesh is real food and his blood is real drink, they should have realized that he is continuing his metaphor. He is repeating and saying the same thing in a slightly different way to emphasize that he is not backing down on who he is and who will have eternal life.

Remaining in Jesus and he in us is a great description of what it means to be saved. When we are in Christ, we are joined with him in his being in a way that the world cannot know. We are made alive in Christ, we are raised with Christ, we are seated in heaven in Christ, we experience God’s kindness in Christ (Eph 2:5-7). This is remaining in Christ.

Jesus remaining in us is dwelling in us through faith (Eph 3:17). He will never leave us (Heb 13:5). It is also being one with God through Jesus as Jesus explains in John 17:21-23.  

57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

The Father is living, and he is the God of the living. He is the one who gives life, and he has given this ability to the Son as Jesus had previously stated in John 5:21. He is still showing the Jews that there is only one way to the Father and that is through Jesus.

59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

Teaching in the synagogue shows that Jesus has been accepted as a teacher by enough people to have the standing to teach. This is most likely because of the significant number of disciples he has accumulated. This may be one of the last times he was able to teach in a synagogue.

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[1]https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2015/does-i-am-always-refer-to-god-in-the-gospel-of-john

JOHN 6:41-50 (NASU) BREAD OF LIFE, COME, LISTEN, LEARN, BELIEVE, LIVE

41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."  42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

Grumbling is the predecessor of unbelief leading to death. When I was in the Navy, grumbling was constant. The food wasn’t good, the night watch was boring, the pay was too little, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. It was almost considered that if the troops weren’t grumbling, something was wrong. It is at the heart of unsaved people to grumble and never be satisfied. I’ve seen a stereotype in movies (Fiddler on the Roof) and TV of the old Jewish woman who starts every conversation with, “Oy vey,” then provides a litany of all her troubles. The Exodus was riddled with grumbling that the Lord solidly denounced. It was tied directly to the older generation’s unbelief and resulted in their banishment from the Promised Land and death in the wilderness as they waited for the next generation to grow up. They grumbled because they didn’t believe God would give them water, feed them, and take them into the Promised Land.

What a comparison to what Jesus has done to show these people who he is. He has promised living water, bread of life, and resurrection i.e., eternal life. So what do they do? They grumble. They grumbled against Moses. Now, their descendants are grumbling about One who is greater than Moses.

It is possible for us to grumble when we look at the circumstances instead of the Lord who is in control of the circumstances. They only saw Jesus as a human being with an earthly father and mother. It has been over thirty years since the news of his birth was spread by shepherds (Luke 2:18, 20). Perhaps Mary tried to explain to people at first but finally, could only treasure the truth in heart when she was probably met with skepticism (Luke 2:19). Put in the same faithless shoes of the people, we all echo the grumbling of the crowd for it is all too common for people to question the claim that Jesus came from heaven. This kind of grumbling only leads to eternal death.

43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

I think Jesus is in some way confirming that their grumbling is pointless. They can look at what they consider the facts, and it still doesn’t do any good. The only way they can stop grumbling is if they are the people that the Father draws to Jesus.

Draw is an interesting word as it is used only eight times in the New Testament. If is the Greek word, helkuoo, which means, “To draw, to attract; to drag (in connection with coercion); to haul in; to draw (a sword).”[1] In these various verses, the object is never empowered to do anything. Whether it is a sword (John 18:10), a net (John 21:11), or even a person (Acts 21:30), the object has no say in the matter. In the case of Paul being dragged out of the temple, he certainly didn’t go willingly. We must conclude that people come to Jesus because the Father draws them in some way that while not violating their free will, it still isn’t something that they would have willing done before the Holy Spirit gives them the will to come to Jesus which describes being born again.

Again, Jesus affirms that he will raise us up on the last day. This is assurance of our salvation. If the Father draws us and gives us to Jesus, then we can be assured we will be resurrected to eternal life with Jesus.

45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

This a crucial statement. For anyone who thinks that all they need for salvation is sincere faith, they are mistaken. Faith, even sincere faith is not faith if it doesn’t result in listening to and learning (which implies obeying) from God the Father. Jesus quoted from Isaiah 54:13 which is in a snippet describing the heritage of the servants of the Lord (Is 54:17). Jesus is clarifying that listening to and learning from God are marks of his servants, the ones who come to him.

The application is clear. If we know Jesus then we will be taught by God. We will enjoy reading and studying the Bible and learning from him from what he has given us by the prophets.

46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.

The Jews would no doubt agree with Jesus that no one has seen the Father. All the manifestations of God in the Old Testament were theophany’s – a physical representation of God provided for the express purpose of establishing communication. None of these provided a clear description of the Father. As God told Moses, “You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live” (Ex 33:20 ESV). The second part of the statement that the one who is from God has seen the Father seems to have slipped past them. Perhaps, because they didn’t believe he was from heaven, they didn’t consider that he was speaking about himself. One thing about Jesus’ statement is that it reveals the intimate relationship he has with the Father and that he is perfectly holy as only a holy person can see God. It speaks to his deity.

47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.

Again, Jesus is emphasizing the need to believe to have eternal life. That belief is connected to the bread of life. Jesus keeps on telling us in different ways that we must believe in him. If we don’t, we will have eternal death just like the Jews in the desert who didn’t believe and died. That was a symbol, an example that points to Jesus. Now the stakes are higher. They had physical bread and a physical death. Now we have Jesus and belief in him results in spiritual life and eternal life while disbelief results in spiritual death and eternal destruction.

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[1]NT:1670, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, PC Study Bible formatted Electronic Database. Copyright © 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.