What is the meaning of John 6:60? On hearing it The crowd had just listened to Jesus declare, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). • These words followed the miraculous feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14) and His claim, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). • The phrase highlights immediate response—no time for cooling off or further explanation. • Similar swift reactions appear when Jesus calms the storm and the disciples “were terrified” (Mark 4:41), showing that divine revelation often jolts human expectations. many of His disciples • Not just casual listeners, but those already identifying as followers—people who had walked with Him, witnessed miracles, and benefited from His teaching (John 6:2). • Their number contrasts with the Twelve (John 6:67) and reminds us of the mixed multitude that left Egypt with Israel (Exodus 12:38) who later grumbled (Numbers 11:4-6). • Scripture distinguishes between outward affiliation and genuine faith; see the parable of the soils where only one soil produces lasting fruit (Matthew 13:18-23). said • Verbalized doubt signals brewing unbelief; speech reveals the heart (Matthew 12:34). • Their speaking out parallels Israel’s murmuring in the wilderness (Exodus 16:2-3) and the Pharisees’ grumbling over Jesus eating with sinners (Luke 15:2). • Jesus allows the complaint to surface, then addresses it directly (John 6:61), underscoring His patience and desire to expose hidden unbelief. “This is a difficult teaching • “Difficult” points to hardness, not obscurity; they understood what He claimed but found it objectionable. • The call to “eat” His flesh offended Jewish sensibilities regarding blood (Leviticus 17:10-14). • The difficulty lay in surrendering self-reliance and embracing a Messiah who would give His body for sin (Isaiah 53:5-6). • Compare the rich young ruler who found Jesus’ call too hard and “went away sorrowful” (Matthew 19:22). Who can accept it?” • The rhetorical question implies they themselves would not. Acceptance requires faith given by the Father (John 6:44). • It echoes Nicodemus’ earlier bewilderment—“How can this be?” (John 3:9)—yet unlike Nicodemus, many retreat instead of pressing in. • Scripture shows true disciples saying, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68), while counterfeit disciples back away (1 John 2:19). summary John 6:60 captures the moment when outward followers stumble over Jesus’ call to total reliance on His sacrificial body and blood. Their immediate, vocal rejection exposes a heart unwilling to submit, illustrating the divide between curiosity and committed belief. The passage warns that even after witnessing miracles, only those drawn by the Father will embrace Christ’s hard—but life-giving—truth. |
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