How does John 6:62 affirm Jesus' divine authority and pre-existence? Setting the scene After feeding the five thousand, Jesus calls Himself “the bread of life.” Many listeners stumble over His claim that they must “eat” His flesh. Sensing their offense, He asks: “ Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?” (John 6:62) “Ascend to where He was before” — a window into eternity - Jesus speaks of an actual, future ascension (fulfilled in Acts 1:9–11), not a mere metaphor. - His question presumes He already occupied that heavenly realm—“where He was before.” - The statement is framed as a challenge: if His hearers stumble at His teaching now, how will they respond when they witness His triumphant return to the Father? Clear evidence of pre-existence - Pre-existence is not conjecture but the plain sense of the words “He was before.” - John’s Gospel repeatedly presents this truth: - “In the beginning was the Word…” (John 1:1–2,14). - “No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.” (John 3:13). - “Before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8:58). - “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.” (John 17:5). - Paul echoes the theme: - “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17). - “Existing in the form of God… He emptied Himself… and God highly exalted Him.” (Philippians 2:6–11). Undeniable divine authority - Ascension is the public validation of Jesus’ heavenly right to rule. - Daniel’s vision illuminates the title “Son of Man”: - “One like a son of man… was given authority, glory, and sovereign power.” (Daniel 7:13–14). - Jesus alludes to this prophecy when He speaks of ascending; He is the very figure Daniel saw. - The Father entrusts all judgment to the Son (John 5:22–27). Ascension confirms that transfer of authority. - Post-ascension preaching underscores it: - “Exalted to the right hand of God… He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” (Acts 2:33). - “God… appointed Him heir of all things… He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1–3). Harmony across Scripture - Pre-existence: Micah 5:2; Proverbs 8:22–31. - Ascension and enthronement: Psalm 110:1; Luke 24:51; Ephesians 1:20–22. - Promised return in the same authority: Matthew 26:64; Revelation 1:7. Takeaways for today - We worship Jesus as the eternal Son, not a mere teacher who began in Bethlehem. - Because His authority is rooted in heaven, His words carry absolute, non-negotiable weight. - His finished ascension guarantees the success of His ongoing work in and through His people. - Confidence in His pre-existence strengthens our hope: the One who came from glory has returned there and will come again to receive us to Himself (John 14:2-3). |
    |