The Book of John - 41

Introduction - We are finishing up in the sixth chapter of the book of John. We come to the last section in this passage in verses 60-71. Here we will find one of the most marvelous declarations of faith by the disciples and also one of the saddest statements concerning those who walked away from the Lord.

In this section we see:

The Discourse with the Disciples. vs. 60-71

John 6:60–71 “60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 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. 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

A. The seperation because of hard sayings.

1.There is a seperation of those who believe and those who do not. vs. 60, 64

2. There is a seperation of those who are disciples and those who are not. vs 60, 64

“The word “disciples” as used in John included more than the Twelve, as the context shows (60, 66, 67). There were an appreciable, number of the professed believers who found this utterance difficult to understand.” (Tenney)

The Lord asks these, “Does this offend you?”

The word used here is skandalizo — it is where we get the word ‘scandal’ —- something that would cause someone to stumble.

The Lord spoke in Matthew 11:6 “6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

It is unfortunate that people are offended by Christ.

“The cross or the blood of Christ is offensive and repulsive just as some people feel it is. It represents the awful shame of sin and the death of Jesus Christ, God’s very own Son; therefore, it is bound to be repulsive. But it also represents salvation and deliverance from sin and its awful guilt. Therefore, the cross is also the most attractive symbol in all the world.” Leadership Ministries Worldwide, The Gospel according to John, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2004), 152.

To some the gospel is the savour of life unto life. To those who reject Christ, it is the savour of death unto death. (2 Corinthians 2:16)

When the Lord Jesus Christ came back to his home town recorded for us in Matthew 13, He spoke many things and the Bible tells us that they were astonished at what He said

Matthew 13:53–56 “53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?”

Then the Bible tells us in verse 57:

Matthew 13:57 “57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.” (Skandalizo)

Just two chapters later we find this words in Matthew 15:12:

Matthew 15:12 “12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?”

The disciples were worried when the Lord stated in Matthew 15:11 “11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”

They were offended by these words. The Pharisees and Scribes attempted to indite the disciples for not washing their hands which they admit was the “traditions of the elders…” (Matthew 15:2) And the Lord tells them they transgress the law by their traditions.

The Lord states, Matthew 15:7–9 “7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

Peter acting as an instrument for the Satan is an offence to the Lord when He attempted to get the Lord to avert the cross in Matthew 16:23 “23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

Later in the book of Matthew before the cross of Calvary the Lord preparing His disciples for what was about to take place stated,

Matthew 26:31 “31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.”

And surely they did stumble.

Perhaps some of the offence on that occasion when the Lord was taken and crucified is what the two expressed on the road to Emmaus when they stated in Luke 24:20–21 “20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.”

Psalm 119:165 tells us, “165 Great peace have they which love thy law: And nothing shall offend them.”

The Lord asks them in verse 61, “Does this offend you?”

Then the Lord asks further in verse 62, “What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?”

Albert Barnes said it this way, “They had taken offence because he said he came down from heaven. Instead of explaining that away, he proceeds to state another doctrine quite as offensive to them - that he would reascend to heaven.”

Because they saw the Lord as simply a man this was offensive. Further, the fact that He spoke of drinking His blood and eating His flesh was offensive.

The fact is we must either accept what the Lord has given to us in the Word of God, or deny what the Lord has given to us in the Word of God.

In other words, if we do not wholly accept Him, we are liable to stumble at something He has recorded for us.

Consider for instance what we find in:

Matthew 5:43–48 “43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Listen my friend that is easy to read, but hard to live. I can tell you as long as your not surrounded by enemies that isn’t offensive. But perhaps you read those words and are surrounded by enemies.

We read this of the Lord— who certainly knows our infirmities,

Psalm 22:12–16 “12 Many bulls have compassed me: Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, As a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted in the midst of my bowels. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet.”

Now I can tell you of folks who have been offended at the Word of God and have left even this church house.

The sayings were hard to receive.

If they accepted He descended from heaven and would ascend back to heaven they were in accepting who He claimed to be, the Son of God.

The Lord further clarifies what He had been speaking of all along, notice what He states in verse 63.

John 6:63 “63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Men were offended that Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh.

Men were offended that Jesus claimed to ascend back to heaven.

Men were offended that Jesus told them the flesh profiteth nothing.

One expositor said this, “The flesh cannot quicken and make a man alive. The flesh cannot profit a man. Men do not like to accept or think about the zero value of the flesh. They do everything they can to keep its youth, attractiveness, and stamina. They use cosmetics, clothing, and activities to appear young, attractive, and physically capable. But before too long, before they ever imagine, the flesh proves unprofitable; it ages, deteriorates, and surrenders to the process of decay. The seed of corruption within wins, and man dies. The flesh proves its zero value; it profits nothing, not eternally.”Leadership Ministries Worldwide, The Gospel according to John, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2004), 152.

The problem was not with the words Jesus was using, the root of the problem was unbelief.

Merrill C Tenney put it this way, “His device may have been similar to that used by Matthew concerning the parables: “Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand” (Matt. 13:13). If they were unready to hear, He was not eager to press upon them truth which they would only reject or pervert. (Tenney)

John 6:64–65 “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.”

Secondly though I want you to see:

B. The self searching because of the hard sayings.

My friend, it is a good thing to be challenged by the Word of God.

I come to this book understanding it is His Word.

And because of my faith in Christ and His Word, I can be challenged by His Word— and not be offended.

Some of the saddest words in this record are found in John 6:66 “66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

I would ask the question —Why would you want to go back?

When Paul was confronting those who were presenting a false Gospel to those in Galatia He was also astounded and in effect asked the question why would you go back.

He states, in Galatians 1:6 “6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:”

In chapter 4, Paul states the absurdity of it, Galatians 4:9 “9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?”

From this point moving forward, there is an eve

But notice the self searching words the Lord delivers in verse 67.

John 6:67 “67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?”

“No extant translation can do justice to the poignant, heart-searching question which He addressed to them: “You do not want to withdraw too, do you?” (Tenney)

What an passionate question the Lord asks. Our God is not void of feeling. And in fact, we see a glimpse in this record of depth of emotion of the God-man.

Here is such an example.

This is the question for you and I as well—- Will you go away also?