July 25, 2022

John 6: 60 (NIV)

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

What God seeks in every person is not sacrifice, but a humble spirit, and a devotion to the Lord that is expressed in obedience.*

I have always thought that the disciples who are quoted in this verse in John were just struggling to understand what Jesus was trying to teach them, but the New English Bible renders their words differently: “This is more than we can stomach.” Jesus’ retort lends credence to this version. He asked, “Does this offend you?” (Verse 61) And from this time, many of his disciples “turned back and no longer followed him.” (Verse 66)

In his book, The Difficult Sayings of Jesus, William Neil lists 34 hard sayings of Jesus. Perhaps Jesus lost some disciples along the way following each one of his difficult sayings but apparently this is the one that separated the men from the boys. It was his “I am the bread of life” speech, which included his pronouncement that “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” John gives us no reason to believe that these grumblers thought Jesus was talking about cannibalism so what was it that they found so offensive?

I think they understood what Jesus meant. As someone has observed, “It was the parts they did understand that were really disturbing.”* They may not have comprehended the full symbolism of his body and blood because they were still hopeful for a revolutionary political liberator, not a crucified and resurrected Messiah; but, even though many of them had just witnessed his miraculous feeding of 5,000 people on the beach, they knew that following Jesus was going to be no picnic! Being his disciple was going to require more from them than they were willing to give. 

It is willingness that Jesus demands from us. Most of us will never be faced with having to give up our lives for our faith; but what are we willing to give up? Picture yourself dropping all your possessions at the landfill. Imagine turning your back on your family and friends, or having them reject you. What if you could no longer participate in the activities you enjoy? Examine how those scenarios make you feel. Jesus wants you to let go of your attachments to this world just in case you are asked to give up your body and blood for him. It’s what he did for you.

 Following Jesus is really all about dying. Postmodern Christianity wants Jesus to do all the dying.*