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“Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.’ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” (John 6.60-66).

A hard saying is one that is harsh and abrasive to the soul; it violates some beliefs that are not wont to be easily given up. Jesus was not always the mild mannered teacher that many portray Him as. The truth sometimes hurts, at least, hurts our feelings just as it did these disciples. Lest it be overlooked, please note that those who were offended were disciples or learners; they were not just passersby who were enticed for the moment; they were followers who had walked with Him, some perhaps for a significant period of time. Yet, they were offended by His doctrine and began to murmur among themselves. It was consistent with the character of Jesus to confront the matter head on, and that is just what He did.

“Does this offend you?” He asked. And then it was as if He said, “If you think that saying is hard, just wait until you find out what’s coming next!” The truth about His Sonship was a truth that some did not wish to accept; they could take the fact that He could be their king, a healer, a provider, a teacher surpassed by none, and all the other things that He was to them; but, they simply could not take the fact that He lawfully possessed the right to be their LORD. It was here that they drew the line. If one reads the text carefully it is obvious that some of those who learned of Him did not entrust their souls to Him; to put it in biblical terms, they did not believe! They were disciples, but they were not believers!

Among other things, these events show that faith is more than knowledge; it extends to the very innermost part of man and touches his system of values and emotions; faith forces an internal change of allegiances and priorities. Likewise, faith moves men to act in harmony with the doctrines to which they subscribe. Faith, just as the Hebrews writer said, is a necessary ingredient to pleasing God. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11.6).

To be a disciple is not enough. It is good to learn about Jesus and it is good to study the Bible, but these things alone are not enough. One of the saddest verses in the Bible closes today’s focus text; here it is: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” These “almost-believers” will have an eternity to mourn lost opportunity and hard sayings!

Questions:

1. Jesus offended some people? Did He apologize for offending them? If He did not apologize, why didn’t He?

2. What even harder thing would some of them witness?

3. According to Jesus, what or how much does the flesh prosper? Is this an absolute, or does it have a context that modifies our understanding of the phrase?

4. Concerning those who were offended by His teaching, what did Jesus do to try to keep them from leaving? Was He successful in keeping them from leaving? What practical lessons can teachers and preachers learn from these facts?

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

The Second Sin