John 6

Chapter Introduction

How would you feed 20,000 people? What would you feed them? How about a Big Mac and fries? Even if you got a volume discount, you’d still spend $5 or more per person, so that would cost you a mere $100,000. We can’t even begin to think of all the problems we would have to overcome. But think of the opportunities it would present!

This week we start in chapter 6. Most bibles title this section as the “feeding the five thousand.” We’ll quickly find out that the 5000 was just the count of men. That’s not saying that only the men ate. That’s just how it was counted. This feeding is really estimated to have been 6,000 to 8,000 people.

This is the only miracle of Jesus that is in all 4 gospel accounts (Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9).

John 6:1-3

At the end of chapter five Jesus noted the trust that the Jews had of Moses. Yet, Moses wrote about Jesus.

I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

NKJV: Deuteronomy 18:18; 1982, Thomas Nelson

In this chapter, Jesus will feed the thousands similar to the manna in the wilderness. It is God’s provision for the people, as Jesus is their spiritual provision. Jesus presents Himself as this one like Moses that God raised up. Yes, a prophet, but so much more.

All four gospel accounts of this feeding of the 5000 you’ll find that John the Baptist had just been beheaded by Herod. John’s disciples buried him and then went and told Jesus about what had happened. Matthew told us that on hearing this, Jesus departed to a deserted place. In Mark we find that the disciples were with Jesus and they were so busy they didn’t have time to eat. Then, finally, in Luke we learn that with John the Baptist gone Herod’s attention was now on Jesus. Herod at first thought Jesus might be a resurrected John, others said He was Elijah. Herod wanted a meeting with Jesus.

Jesus had no interest in meeting with Herod and probably crossed the sea of Galilee to step out of the limelight for a time, maybe let the rumors settle down a little and lay low. The disciples were with him and the great multitude showed up also. They came because Jesus had healed many who were deseased.

The Sea of Galilee is 13 miles by 8 miles wide. It is also called the Sea of Tiberias, Sea of Chinnereth and the Lake of Gennesaret. Tiberias was the largest and most important city in Galilee and it was on the western shore of the sea. It was the regional capital for Herod Antipas.

By traveling to the other side of the lake, Jesus was leaving Herod’s territory.

John 6:4-6

This is the second of the three Passover feasts mentioned by John. If the feast of chapter five was the Feast of Tabernacles as some suggest, then six months had passed between chapter five and six.

Imagine a fellowship dinner when you look up and realize you have 8000 visitors who have come to eat. How would we fare with this test? We certainly have more resources to feed 8,000 people than the disciples did on some mountainside in the Golan Heights. Yet, in reality our resources would fall short also. In fact, I wonder if maybe our resources give us some false security that keeps us from relying on the Lord. John, in looking back on this and writing about it, acknowledged that this was a test. It was to show that there was no human answer to this problem.

Philip was one of the first disciples called. He had to be wondering why Jesus was asking him. We can imagine the befuddled look on his face as he stood before Jesus with thousands around them. Philip was from Bethsaida which was nearby. I’m sure the others were looking at their shoes and glad Jesus hadn’t asked them.

Look at what Jesus asked, where do we buy bread? It’s as if Jesus had the money in His pocket and wondered which store was closes.

Teachers often quizzed their disciples about their understanding of a difficult situation. This certainly qualified as that.

John 6:7

Philip pointed out the obvious problem as he saw it. Two hundred Denari was about 8 months wages (a day’s pay for a common laborer). Even if there was a bakery on the mountaintop, where would they get 8 months of wages to buy food? Judas carried the money for the group. He would have agreed with Philipp and acknowledged they didn’t have that kind of money. (Eight thousand Quarter Pounder meals at McDonalds would cost about $75,000 – more than eight months of a common laborer. And notice, this would only buy enough for them to have a little.

John 6:8-9

Philip was dumbfounded by the question and Andrew seems to want to help. He had seen a young man with five loaves and two fish. They weren’t even large fish, just small ones.

This boy was from a poor family. A family with means wouldn’t be eating barley loaves. Barley was the poor man’s grain. The rest of the world ate wheat. This is a meager meal, it’s a small provision for the least of these.

Think about the heart of this lad. He was willing to share with everyone. This is like a small child hearing mom and dad fret about money and here they come carrying their piggy bank full of pennies in to give them. The child wanted to help. There is understanding of the meagerness of the offering. A heart and attitude like that puts us to shame, does it not?

I’m guessing this lad showed more maturity and love than most of the crowd that day. You know there were grumblers and complainers present. You know there were adults who had more food than this but kept it to themselves. This young man didn’t have much to offer but he gave it. He got to see what Jesus can do. His small gift was multiplied many times over. We can see what Jesus does with his sacrificial love and desire to help others.

John 6:10-11

The people were to sit down in the grass. It was mealtime. They were going to be served by Jesus and the disciples. It was a picnic of sorts. The abundance of grass is consistent with the Passover season.

The count of five thousand was men only. The crowd could have been as large as twenty thousand people.

Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks for them as was customarily done in that day:

‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, who causes to come forth bread from the earth.’

The apostles must have wondered what in the world Jesus was doing. Disappointing twenty thousand people wasn’t going to go well.

We need to notice here that Jesus blessed and distributed to the disciples who he then counted on to complete His work. Remember, they were hungry. They probably thought this distribution wouldn’t take long and they certainly wouldn’t get any. Jesus could have done this in a spectacular way. He could have made a sack lunch appear before every person. They loaves could have fallen like manna from the heavens. Instead, Jesus fed the people by the hands of His servants.

The food was distributed “as much as they wanted.” Everyone got as much as they desired. This wasn’t a meager provision. They were all filled up. Imagine one person at a time reaching in the basket and pulling out a loaf and reaching in another and removing a piece of fish. After a couple people, the disciples had to realize they were witnessing a miracle. This miracle happened one person at a time.

There is no limit to the provision from Christ.

The crowd may not have ever understood a miracle was happening initially. They understood they were being fed and their bellies were full. Verse fourteen indicates they saw it as a sign.

John 6:12-14

With everyone filled, the disciples were to gather the leftovers. When God provided manna to Israel through Moses, the people were to only take what they needed. They were not to gather anything as leftovers or extra. The provision of Jesus is abundant and the left overs to be gathered and valued so nothing was lost. The culture, in general, abhorred waste.

It was Roman custom to always have food leftover. This displayed the adequate provision of the host. Jesus revealed Himself as the ultimate host. The miraculous leftovers were part of the provision, not to be taken for granted or squandered in any way.

The baskets were a specific kind that held 1.25 to 2.5 gallons. With twelve baskets full, we get a sense of the amount leftover.

There is lots of speculation about the 12 baskets of leftovers. Some see this as representative of God’s provision for the 12 tribes of Israel. It is more likely to be that the bread and loaves were distributed by the twelve and the twelve took up the extra. There’s really no reason to read anything into this. We can see that even after feeding this great multitude there was more than enough to bless the servants also.

In verse fourteen the multitude declare Jesus as ‘the Prophet’ who had come into the world. This was putting Jesus on the same level as Moses who presided over them when Manna was delivered. They didn’t read the sign and see Jesus, the Son of God. They saw Jesus, the prophet like Moses. The people weren’t looking for a messiah like this. They did like the idea of someone to lead, guide and provide for them.

The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle in all four gospels.

John 6:15

These folks wanted Jesus as their king. However, they were thinking of this earthly king who provided for them and protected them. Jesus could ease their pain and oppression under Rome and maybe deliver them. We know Jesus was, and is, a King, but not this kind of king. He will rule someday from the throne of David but He controls that timing. No one could force that.

Jesus got away from the multitude, escaping to the mountain alone.

John 6:16-21

At the end of the day, in the evening, the disciples got into the boat and set off across the lake toward Capernaum. It was dark and Jesus had not joined them. This wasn’t really normal to get in a boat at dark but these guys were experienced fisherman used to being on the water. They may have been leaving under the cover of dark to get away from this crowd.

When they were in the middle of the lake a great storm came. These sudden squalls are somewhat normal on the Sea of Galilee. The place where they crossed would be no less than 5 miles across. They were a little more than half way when this storm threatened them. Fishing boats came with oars and they attempted rowing. You couldn’t leave the sail up in a storm. To row in a storm like this, you would literally be fighting for your survival. This wasn’t foreign to the fishermen. The tax collector, zealot and others may have been seasick from all this.

Then, out of the storm they saw Jesus walking on the water. The storm didn’t cause them fear, but the sight of Jesus did. In response to them seeing Him and being afraid, Jesus said, “It is I.” This could easily have been translated “I AM”. It is the ‘ego eimi’ that John writes of many times indicating Jesus is the I AM of the burning bush.

Matthew said they thought He was a ghost and he wrote of how Peter called to Jesus and stepped out of the boat and briefly walked on the water.

Mark does something interesting in Mark 6:45-52. Mark tells the story the same as John adding that Jesus was walking on the water and would have passed them by. After calling Him into the boat the storm was calmed and they were amazed and marveled. Mark added:

And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

NKJV; Mark 6:51-52; 1982, Thomas Nelson

Luke doesn’t write of the walking on water.

In the context of John’s discussion of Jesus as the New Passover, new manna and one greater than Moses, Jesus’ miracle on the sea may have reminded his first readers of Israel’s crossing the sea in the days of Moses.

Keener, C. S. (1993).

The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament

(Jn 6:16–21). InterVarsity Press.

Jesus was far more than a modern-day Moses coming to lead His people. Moses stood before the I AM. The Lord parted the waters for him to pass through. Jesus is the I AM and He walked on the water.

When we are faithful, we expect and look for Jesus to move in our lives. We shouldn’t be surprised by Him. The impossible thing Jesus was doing brought fear to them. We can look for Jesus in the midst of the storm?

Upon entering the boat, they were immediately at their destination. This indicates another miracle that is often passed over.

John 6:22-25

The crowd had waited around looking for Jesus. He hadn’t left with the disciples. Other boats arrived to bring even more people to find Jesus. They didn’t know where Jesus went. They decided to find the disciples to see if Jesus was with them. News had traveled fast and others were seeking Jesus out because they heard of the signs.

Those seeking Jesus were seeking bread and deliverance from Rome. They were trying to make Jesus their Moses. They had missed the point. Jesus had not come to save people from Rome but to save them from eternal separation from God because of their sin.

John 6:26

The multitude found Jesus and His disciples in Capernaum. Jesus brings correction about their intention. He offered them something far greater than bread and politics.

His words begin with an, “Amen, amen!” This should have gotten their attention and it should grab ours. They had seen the signs but it was like they hadn’t read them. He wasn’t their modern-day Moses, He was the One Moses wrote about.

Jesus charged them with coming to Him to have their belly filled and not out of genuine faith. They hadn’t read the signs that said this man was God, they simply came because they got stuff from Him.

The Greek word (semeia) is used 77 times in the New Testament and most often translated to signs. John uses the word more than any other, a total of seventeen times. A sign was a distinguishing mark.

The surf shop with its T-shirts, sunglasses and suntan lotion certain is a sign that a beach is nearby. No one hangs around the store feeling as though they had arrived, enjoying the smell of the suntan lotion and wearing a souvenir T-shirt. The beach was the greater truth.

John 6:27

The multitude were spending their life and efforts chasing the wrong food. Their focus was the food that perishes, that fed the belly and pleased the flesh. Jesus offered a food that endured and provided everlasting life. Jesus would give this to those of genuine faith, because the Father had set His seal upon Him.

Seals had been used for ages at that time and have always been used. A seal is a mark of authority, identity, approval or authenticity. A seal was ring or necklace that was used to press an image into a hot wax or wet clay. It was used to identify property, safeguard against fraud, ratify documents and more. It was their way of protecting from identity theft.

God had sealed Jesus. The signs and wonders were the mark of the father to indicate this was the authentic Son of God. The works were part of the testimony of the witness of chapter 5. The works were accompanied by John the Baptist who called Jesus the Lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world. This was the witness of a man to men. There was also the witness of the Father and the scriptures.

The God of the universe stood before them offering eternal things and they wanted to settle for s paltry plate of food. It must break the heart of God that His creation would seek only to fill their stomach with His blessings when something greater is right before them.

John 6:28-29

The people were asking what was required of them. They misunderstood Jesus greater food as keeping the law or performing religious duty to earn their way to God.

Man wants to be part of the equation, to do a work, earn their way. Jesus gave them the work of a belief, which should be no work at all. However, we make it a great struggle.

John 6:30-31

How incredible! They wanted Jesus to bring down manna from heaven for them to prove Himself. The Rabbis taught that the coming Messiah would bring them this manna. They quote Psalm 78:24 as they continue to focus on their own understanding. They site this text to Him for Him to fulfill.

Had rained down manna on them to eat,

And given them of the bread of heaven.

Men ate angels’ food;

He sent them food to the full.

NKJV; Psalm 78:24; 1982, Thomas Nelson

The people now wanted to know what miracle He would show them.

They thought of Jesus in terms of they did some religious work and He did miracles for them in response. This was such a shallow view of the Lord, but one that has lasted for a few thousand years and remains prevalent today.

These are the same people who just shared in the 5 loaves and 2 fish. They wanted a miracle so they could believe. The patience Jesus shows these people speaks of His love for them and us.

We sin-fallen humans are never satisfied!

John 6:32-33

Jesus corrected their understanding of manna and the provider. He leads off his statement with an, “Amen, amen!” to highlight the importance of His statement. Manna was thought of as bread from heaven or even angel’s food. It is the Father who provides the true bread from heaven. The bread in the wilderness was a supernatural provision for the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land. It was the provision from God but had to be eaten every day.

However, the ultimate provision from God is a lasting bread, one that doesn’t just sustain physical life but provides eternal life, once for all time.

Jesus is giving them a bible study on Psalm 78:24.

Manna was temporary, Jesus is forever.
Manna was for Israel; Jesus is for everyone.
Manna was a question, “What’s this?” Jesus is the answer, I AM the bread of life.
Manna had to be collected daily by each person. We all come to Jesus for ourself, once.

If Moses delivered the nation from bondage in Egypt, surely this Moses-like prophet would deliver them from Rome. However, they were thinking too small, too much in the flesh. Jesus would deliver them from the bondage of sin and death into the everlasting kingdom.

John 6:34-40

The people were agreeing with Jesus, it was the Lord who provided their bread. But they are still thinking in the physical.

Jesus further explained Himself to them very explicitly. There are seven definitive ‘I AM’ statements that identify Jesus as God the Son. Jesus is the bread of life.

As people created by God, there is an inherent hunger and thirst for God, a deep longing for restored fellowship with the One who created us and that for which we were created. Jesus is the bread that satisfies that eternal hunger once and for all. He is the drink that quenches the thirst for righteousness. To believe in Him is to thirst no more (think of the women at the well).

There was no work. They were simply to come to Jesus and believe. Even the ‘coming’ was a divine appointment set up by God. The Lord brought the people to Himself to see Him and believe. But they would not.

Verse thirty-seven is weighty and should be considered. This is one of those verses that strike a balance of election and personal responsibility. The saint that comes to Jesus is proof that they were given to Jesus by the Father. The evidence to the contrary is they don't come. Those that come to Jesus will be in the possession of Jesus. None coming would be cast away. Yet, those coming, could walk away.

Spurgeon was asked to reconcile this sovereign election by God and personal responsibility of man, as if the two can't possible exist together. He responded, “There is no need to reconcile friends.”

This is good news for us. We don't have to worry that Jesus will lose track of us. We don't have to fret about our security or future with Jesus. This is eternal security in Jesus. If we believe in Him, we have eternal life and He will resurrect us.

Some argue this is one of those statements supporting a "once saved, always saved" doctrine. The problem with once saved, always saved is that sinful men see it as a license to live life on their terms. Those soundly saved don’t need this doctrine because they have the promise that the Lord would lose none. Living a sanctified life is a life that doesn't test the boundaries of security.

Those who desire to test the boundary of security are those who hold fast to this doctrine. They want the bread and water, the signs and wonders and the care of Jesus. But they run in the world slowing down only long enough to do their religious works and wait for Jesus to provide them with another sign.

John 6:41-42

In the context of this verse, the Jews seem to be those present at the synagogue in Capernaum. At this point, that audience may have had representatives of the Pharisees, Sadducees and the scribes, or at least more than normal.

The radical statements Jesus made weren't way out of bounds from their beliefs. They complained about him. They couldn’t understand how this man could go around saying things like that. They recognized that he was claiming to be God. This was blasphemous to them.

Their complaints echo that of their forefathers in the wilderness after the Exodus.

I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”

NKJV; Exodus 16:12; 1982, Thomas Nelson

The bread of heaven came down that they might know that he was the Lord. Jesus had identified Himself as a spiritual bread, a provision from heave to bring everlasting life.

The justification for rejecting Jesus’ claim came down to their knowledge of His earthly origin. They knew where He came from. He had grown up down the street. Which is their way to claim He didn't come from heaven. They knew His father and mother.

John 6:43-46

To murmur is to make grumbling complaint under your breath. It points right back to their forefathers in the wilderness. These folks were sitting in the synagogue because they professed to have a relationship with the Father. The argument Jesus brings is that they don’t recognize Jesus as messiah because they don’t know the Father. God the Father and God the Son are one in the same, yet distinct in person. To say they loved the Father but rejected the Son was inconsistent.

Those people believed in both human choice and God’s sovereignty. Those in relationship with the Father believe He will raise them up on that day. To reject the Son, sent by the Father, is to reveal you don’t know the Father and won’t be raised up on the last day.

Jesus further provides evidence to His claim by quoting Isaiah 54:13.

All your children shall be taught by the Lord,

And great shall be the peace of your children.

NKJV: Isaiah 54:13; 1982, Thomas Nelson

The context of this verse is from a section detailing God’s perpetual covenant of peace. Though they had suffered, been oppressed and afflicted, a day was coming when the Lord would bring them the peace they crave, the salvation they longed for and the future hope. A few verses later the Lord indicates that their judgment came by His hand but by that same hand would come peace.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the Lord.

NKJV: Isaiah 54:17; 1982, Thomas Nelson

The God of their understanding was different from the God that Jesus spoke of and represented. They were resting in their understanding of who God was. Yet God stood before them and they didn't recognize Him. Jesus strengthened the relationship and tie to the Father.

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

NKJV; 1 Corinthians 10:1-5; 1982, Thomas Nelson

It appears John added verse 46 as a kind of parenthetical insertion to add clarity to the idea of being taught by God. Jesus was sent by the Father, the show them the Father revealed through the Son. This idea is expressed several times in scripture. Matthew recorded Jesus saying it similarly:

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

NKJV; Matthew 11:27; 1982, Thomas Nelson

Jesus looked at these people and said, “I saw God. No one has seen the Father like I have.” They needed to deal with that, doing so would lead them to the Father and Him as the Son.

John 6:47-51

We see another duplicated amen behind the opening of this verse. It is the marker for an important truth. Once again, we see that belief in Jesus brings eternal life. He then further reinforced the metaphor of being the bread of life.

A common method of Jewish teaching in the synagogue would be to provide a contrast. Jesus contrasts Himself to the manna of the wilderness.

Manna in wilderness sustained physical life for a time. All those fathers who ate it have died.
Jesus, this metaphor of the living bread of heaven, came down. Those who eat of that bread will live forever. This bread he is giving is his flesh. His body will be given for the life of the world.

These folks looked at Jesus, with all His claims and decided He couldn’t be anyone special. They knew Him and His family. They knew His humanity. This flesh they knew of He confirmed would be given for the life of the world.

The Word of God became flesh. His physical death was the price for the world’s spiritual life.

Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

NKJV; Isaiah 55:2; 1982, Thomas Nelson

To those seeking manna from God, He presented himself as the bread of life. Manna meant, what is it? Manna was a question. Here Jesus gives the answer. It is Jesus.

All those sacrifices offered at the temple were temporary in their covering of sins. Jesus is the lamb of God, our Passover. The sacrifice of His flesh provides the believer with eternal life.

John 6:52

Again, we see those Jesus spoke to fail to perceive the spiritual behind the metaphors. There were some cults at that time that practiced cannibalism, but most were abhorred with the idea. They continue to prove their spiritual blindness. Their handling of Jesus words show their empty religion. They did not know the Father.

These Jews quarreled among themselves. This is interesting that they didn’t argue with Jesus or but among themselves. The things of God are spiritually.

Romans later misinterpreted these words of Christian language of eating the body and blood. They rumored that Christians were practicing cannibalism.

John 6:53-58

Jesus provides another “Amen, amen” to get our attention and mark this as important. Jesus further presses the metaphor of eating the flesh of the Son and drinking the blood. If a person didn’t do this, they would have no life. Those that did eat and drink had eternal life and Jesus would raise them up at the last day.

At the wedding, Jesus made new wine in the old jars for purification.
He told Nicodemas that you had to be 'born again'.
He told the woman at the well that she simply needed to ask for living water.
At the temple, He presented Himself as the new temple.
Here, He told these men that His flesh was food indeed and His blood drink indeed.

Eating of His flesh and drinking His blood:

Offers eternal life
Will be raised on last day
Abides in the Lord
Is abided in by the Lord
Will live because of Jesus

There is great debate with many opinions and arguments whether this is John’s version of presenting the Lord’s supper. However, it seems as though John specifically stays away from that idea. After all, he is talking to unbelievers. The sacrament of the Lord’s supper is for believers.

We can say though that the sinner must deal with Jesus and what He is speaking about. Like the Passover Lamp was to be completely consumed, you couldn’t eat the bread and fish, experience the healing but dismiss this thought without consideration and still claim to love God. His flesh is quite literally to be sacrificed on our behalf. The scriptures tell us that the life is in the blood. Our eternal life is found in the blood of Jesus.

They must completely consume Him, take Him into their life. This gives new meaning to "You are what you eat". This is to take Christ into your life and be ruled by Him from the inside out. Jesus was speaking symbolically here. He didn't intend for anyone to literally eat his flesh and blood. These were radical statements to shake these men to the core, to knock them off this religious foundation they had taken root on.

John used one word for ‘eat’ up to this point – meaning to devour or consume. Then in verse 54 he switched words to another. It means ‘chomp’ and is only used once outside of John (In the last days they were chomping and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the Ark).

One source likens this second word to a constant nibbling, munching to sustain life. Their forefathers ate manna and died, but whoever takes in Christ will live forever. It is to accept his promise and pledge on your behalf and to repeat his promise, vowing to be his for eternity.

The bread from heaven was spiritual life. It was, and is, only available from Jesus.

John 6:59

Inside the synagogue were the leaders of the synagogue, probably other religious representatives as well as elders and other Jews. I think we can safely imagine a great multitude waiting outside as Jesus taught and challenged their thinking.

All His words would be used against Him. They used them to accuse Him of blasphemy, cannibalism, of being equal to God and the resurrection. They failed to look to the context and heart of His words. They assigned their own meaning from their own dark heart. They missed the sign, the message, the hope and offering. Hopefully these were seeds planted for future growth when one day they would see the reality of who Jesus is.

John 6:60-63

The hard words, no doubt, had a purifying affect on the crowd. They struggled with this saying. However, this is talking specifically about the disciples, those who presumably believe. The word “hard” meant it required great mental effort to comprehend. The question was asked. Who can understand? The disciples grumbled among themselves. They are like the multitude who drank the water and ate manna and then complained.

The question hangs before us. Does this offend you?

The word offend is ‘skandelizeei’ – meaning to appall someone, cause stumbling or fall.

If this appalled them, how much more would they be appalled when the Son of Man ascended to the Father? If they couldn’t comprehend the cross, how would they grasp the resurrection?

The flesh and blood of Jesus brought a spiritual change to those who believe. In this case, the disciples, but in the wider sense, all who would believe. The words Jesus speaks are the Spirit that gives life to them. Human flesh accomplishes nothing.

John 6:64-66

The words of Jesus are truth and spirit and they are life. For sinful man life is bread and water, it's hunting and seeking, searching and never finding lasting contentment. In Jesus we can find lasting contentment because He deals with our spirit. This was, and still is, offensive to some people. They don't want to think or discuss spiritual things. They don't want to talk of eternity. To acknowledge Almighty God is to begin to understand our sinfulness. We can't remain on the throne of our life. We like being king and ruling our way.

Many walked away. The truth escaped them. They left and no longer followed Jesus. The believed but not to that level. They liked the bread and miracles. But they didn’t believe to the point of embracing the hard things. It is the Father who places the believers in the hands of Jesus. It was only by Jesus they could come to the Father. Some of these followers never willfully submitted themselves to Him with a broken and contrite heart. They never came to understand that they were sin sick and in need of a remedy.

The departure of these disciples is apostasy. In these hard things, the committed grow closer and stronger while those wrongly motivated and weak whither and depart.

John 6:67-71

In contrast to those that went away, we see the twelve. In the face of these hard things, they are asked if they want to go also. What a moment. What a question. Imagine the brief silence as these men searched their own hearts. Peter, as the spokesman answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Peter acknowledges that there are no real alternatives. There is nowhere to run, even if you don’t like the hard things. In addition to having no alternatives, there was also the belief that Jesus was their Messiah and the Son of the living God.

Even among the twelve who didn’t go away, John wrote the words of Jesus as the display the existence of a devil among them. John lets us know that Jesus was speaking about Judas who would betray Him.

***

No one leaves on vacation and follows their heart in hopes of arriving at a specific destination. We know to get to a specific place we need specific directions. Yet, many give not thought to their eternal destiny. They follow their heart. Believe in a God of their own understanding.

The words of Jesus were difficult, but they were truth and life. They were the words of a loving Father as provision for His children. Even those chosen by God have to make a decision to follow. The evidence of God’s election is the exercise of the free to repent and trust in Him.

John