When the Jews heard all that Jesus was saying, they complained against Him because He had declared that He was “the bread which came down from heaven” (6:41). Jesus’ statement made Him equal with God, which the Jews could not accept, but instead of attempting to defend His deity, Jesus spoke to them saying,
…he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of
life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not
die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of
this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh,
which I shall give for the life of the world (John 6:47-51).
Still failing to comprehend what Jesus was saying, the Jews asked, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” (6:52) The Jews had misunderstood Jesus’ analogy. He was not speaking of literal food, but spiritual food. Food and drink sustain a person’s physical life, just as Jesus’ body and blood would sustain eternal life to all who would repent and believe. Jesus gave His body and blood on the cross so that the sinner could be given life through Him. Trying to explain His teaching to them one last time Jesus declares,
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and
drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks
My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My
flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh
and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent
Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of
Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven–not as your fathers ate
the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever (John
6:53-58).
After Jesus spoke these words in the synagogue at Capernaum (6:59), His own disciples (not the 12) complained that what He had said was a “hard saying; who can understand it?” (6:60) When Jesus perceived that His own disciples had complained about His declaration of being the bread of life He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe” (6:61-64). Jesus knew that some were only following Him because of His supernatural works (6:64b), but instead of being frustrated by this Jesus knew that not all people would believe in Him (6:65). As a result of Jesus’ hard sayings, “many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (6:66).
Turning to His own disciples, Jesus asks them if they also want to abandon Him (6:67). Simon Peter quickly responds saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (6:68-69). Although Peter’s statement was heartfelt, Jesus knew that not all of His twelve disciples believed in Him. In response to Peter’s words Jesus asks, “‘Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve” (6:70-71). This is a very sad statement considering that Judas, who would eventually betray Him, observed and participated in Jesus’ ministry, but his heart was never genuine. All of us must also closely examine our hearts to make sure we are following Jesus because of who He is, not just because of the benefits He may bring.
Dear God, I desire to be a genuine follower of You – not just so I can claim the benefits of being Your child, but to also receive You as the One who has provided eternal life.
