📖 Passage
John 6:60–71 Read John 6:60–71 (NKJV)
🧠 Context & Background
After declaring Himself the bread of life and teaching that His followers must “eat His flesh and drink His blood” to have eternal life, many disciples find the teaching offensive and difficult to accept. This moment marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry where the crowd begins to thin, revealing the difference between superficial followers and true disciples. The passage also highlights God’s sovereign role in drawing people to Christ and closes with Peter’s confession of faith, even as Judas’ coming betrayal is foreshadowed.
🌿 Key Themes
- Offense of the Gospel — The truth of Christ’s teaching confronts human pride and misunderstanding.
- Sovereign Grace — Faith is a gift; no one comes unless granted by the Father.
- True Discipleship — Following Christ means accepting His word even when it is difficult.
- Confession of Faith — Peter affirms Jesus as the Holy One of God.
- Foreshadowing Betrayal — Judas is identified as the one who will betray Jesus.
📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
John 6:60–63
"This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" - Difficulty in Understanding — Jesus’ words are spiritually discerned, not grasped through fleshly thinking. - Spirit Gives Life — The contrast between the Spirit and the flesh underscores dependence on God’s work. - Life-Giving Words — Jesus’ teaching is not optional advice but the very words of eternal life.
John 6:64–65
"No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." - Divine Initiative — Salvation begins with God’s calling, not human effort. - Foreknowledge of Betrayal — Jesus knows from the start who will not believe and who will betray Him. - Exclusive Grace — Coming to Christ is a supernatural work of God’s grace.
John 6:66
"After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him." - Testing of Commitment — Hard truth reveals who are genuine followers. - Cost of Discipleship — Following Jesus may mean losing comfort, popularity, and personal expectations.
John 6:67–69
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." - Peter’s Confession — Recognizes Jesus as the unique source of salvation. - Faith and Knowledge — True discipleship is rooted in both trust and the recognition of Christ’s identity. - Holy One of God — A messianic title affirming Jesus’ divine mission and holiness.
John 6:70–71
"One of you is a devil." - Sovereign Awareness — Jesus is fully aware of Judas’ coming betrayal. - Purpose in God’s Plan — Even the betrayal will serve the purposes of redemption.
🔍 Trusted Insight
R.C. Sproul notes that the offense taken by many disciples shows that the gospel is not merely about moral improvement but about spiritual transformation that only God can accomplish. Those whom the Father draws will come, and those who come will remain because of God’s preserving grace. Summary: True disciples remain because they have been drawn by the Father and know that Christ alone has the words of eternal life.
🧩 Review Questions
💡 Click a question to open the chatbot and explore the answer. Tap the chat bubble again to close it.
- Why did so many disciples turn away after Jesus’ teaching in this chapter?
- How does verse 65 clarify the nature of saving faith?
- What does Peter’s confession reveal about true discipleship?
- How does the mention of Judas prepare the reader for future events in the Gospel?
🔍 Definitions
- Hard Saying — A teaching difficult to accept because it challenges human assumptions or demands radical commitment.
- Spirit — The Holy Spirit who imparts life and enables understanding of God’s truth.
- Holy One of God — A title recognizing Jesus as God’s consecrated, anointed Messiah.
🙋 Application Questions
- How do you respond when God’s Word confronts your expectations or comfort?
- What keeps you following Jesus when others turn away?
- How does knowing salvation is initiated by the Father strengthen your faith?
🔤 Greek Keywords
- Skleros (Hard) — Harsh, stern, or difficult to accept.
- Pneuma (Spirit) — The life-giving Spirit of God.
- Didōmi (Grant) — To give or bestow; in salvation, God granting the ability to believe.
- Hagios (Holy) — Set apart, sacred, unique to God’s nature.
📚 Cross References
- Isaiah 55:8–9 — God’s ways are higher than man’s ways.
- Matthew 16:16 — Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ.
- Luke 22:3 — Satan enters Judas before his betrayal.
- John 3:6 — The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.
- Acts 4:12 — Salvation is found in no one else but Christ.
Summary: This passage presents a spiritual watershed: many turn away, while the faithful remain. Jesus reveals that faith is a gift of God, not a product of fleshly will, and His true disciples know there is no life outside of Him.