So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life . . . .”(John 6:67-68).
My Dear Ones in Christ Jesus,
That’s a pretty strange question coming from our Lord, particularly as it was aimed directly at His disciples! It would seem that He is suggesting that some, if not all of them, might want to find someone else to follow. And as we encounter this passage, we are at once curious as to what prompted the Savior to put such a dreadful thought in their minds.
The larger context of John 6 gives us our answer.
Our Lord had just miraculously fed the five-thousand, and then the very next day He continued to teach the multitude that had been attracted to Him (there was a great Messianic frenzy stirring among them, v. 15). In the course of His instruction, Jesus confronted the shallowness of their faith (v. 26), and their desire to put Him to the test (v. 28). Then He defined His ministry to the world as one of salvation, not earthly kingship (vv. 36-40).
Also among the swelling crowds of people that day were “ the Jews,” that is, the Jewish religious officials, who seemed to always nip at the Lord’s heels. They were (as usual!) deeply offended at what Jesus had been saying, and in particular His astounding claims that God was His “ Father” (v. 40), and that He was the very “ bread that came down from heaven” (v. 41).
Rather than answering their questions (v. 42), Jesus plunged them even deeper into the glory and confounding mystery of His true identity and mission. Not only did He claim to be the Sovereign Dispenser of eternal life (v. 44), and the Lord of the living and the dead (v. 51), but He announced that those seeking this life must “ eat the flesh of the Son of Man” and “ drink His blood” (vv. 53-54).
And then, as if to sound one final and deeply odious truth, Jesus announced to them that “ no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (v. 65).
According to John, that attack upon their personal autonomy in matters of salvation was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back! And note what we discover in verse 66:
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
It was all of this that had prompted Jesus’ strange question to the Twelve.
Many from among the larger circle of “ disciples,” or followers of Jesus, determined that they would no longer be associated with such a Man, and with the audacious claims He boldly made. So they turned away. Once attracted by the miracles and the thrill of traveling along with Him, they were repulsed by His Words!
Then, as if to bring the Twelve to a point of personal decision, Jesus posed the strange, yet convicting, question of verse 67. Would the Twelve be like the crowd? Would they want a Savior who said such things? Would they want to follow One whose claims were that big? Or, like many in the crowd, would they ‘follow’ Him only loosely?
Well, our encouragement for this first Monday in December comes from the Spirit-empowered reply of the Apostle Peter. Speaking on behalf of the Twelve, Peter countered with his own question: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
It must have been a truly remarkable scene! The once massive crowds, measured at over five-thousand men alone (not including women and children) had been reduced to just 12! And, as our Lord indicated in verse 70, even one of them was “ a devil” (Judas). The giddy throngs that once proclaimed their love and loyalty to Jesus had now completely abandoned Him. They had, indeed, eaten of the loaves and fishes and were “ filled” (v. 26), and that was all. But there was no substance to their professed faith in the Savior.
Suddenly, the atmosphere of excitement and adulation turned to complete rejection! And the Twelve disciples themselves were swept up in the swirl of disappointment, and even hatred of the Lord. Yet, the words of Peter serve not only as a confession of faith on his part, and that of the other ten, but are also profoundly instructive and encouraging for us.
There must have been a very sweet peace that rushed into Peter’s heart as he sounded these words. They had already abandoned everything to follow Jesus. There was no other place to go. There was no other Savior to turn to. Even as the world railed against them because of their allegiance to Jesus, they remained with Him. They could do no other!
Standing right before Peter was the Lord of Heaven and Earth, the King of Creation, the Lord of the Living and the Dead! As long as they were with Him, they were ‘at home’ and ‘at peace’! They needed nothing else, and certainly not the world’s approval or recognition! And even if suffering for their Savior was ahead for them, it was of little consequence! They belonged to Jesus. And that’s all that mattered!
Likewise, we also stand with Jesus. And we do so in the midst of a world that has rejected Him and His Word! We too shall suffer with Him. But, there is nowhere else to go! And that’s such a wonderful thing! He is all we need, both in times of prosperity and in painful seasons of adversity! He alone has the “ words of eternal life”! And if we have Him we need nothing more, and we could desire nothing more!
As you follow Jesus today, remember this: Even if we find ourselves standing in a very small company of believers, even if we suffer the same rejection that Jesus did, and even if we lose all we have in this life, we have Him! We are with Him! We don’t need to go anywhere! He is enough! With Him we are already home! And where He is there is peace!
I love you all, and I stand with you as we stand satisfied with Jesus,
Mike