Dear Explorer,
Read John 6:41-59
Why were the Jews grumbling?
They couldn't understand why He said He was from heaven, when they knew His earthly parents.
In John 6:44 there is an important theological statement. No man can come to God unless God calls him. I certainly believe that this is true. We are not capable of seeking God unless He placed that desire within us. But Scripture supports that He has placed that call within every one of us. I believe if you are reading this – then God has “called” you to come to Him.
Then He states that if they were truly following God, they would recognize Him as being from God. Jesus states that His body is the living bread. What did He mean by “whoever eats this bread….”?
The purpose of bread is to nourish the body. The purpose of Jesus is to “nourish” the soul. He's certainly not talking about the physical – that would be cannibalism! But He is saying something that is essential. To follow Jesus – you must invite Him into your core.
Pizza is nice to look at and to smell – but its purpose is to be taken into the body and let it impact every cell in the body with its nutrition. You will notice that I emphasize that we must not only believe in Jesus – but we must also invite Him into our control center. I believe that's what Jesus is talking about.
Jesus also reminds them that God sent manna from Heaven to feed the Israelites for many years in the wilderness. The Jews were very proud of that miracle. Jesus says, even though that was a wonderful miracle, it didn't provide eternal life. It just maintained physical life. That manna was a foreshadowing of the Messiah, who would provide them with eternal life. Jesus is the Bread of life that gives us eternal life.
According to this Scripture, who is eligible to receive the Bread of Life? What verse supports your answer?
Everyone, whoever, anyone who chooses to believe according to John 6:51.
What is Jesus referring to when He says, “This bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world”?
His death on the cross.
Read John 6:60-71
You need to know that eating human flesh was repulsive to Jesus' listeners then, just like it repulses you and me. Even the disciples had trouble with it. And some left at that point. Why do you think Jesus deliberately “grossed out” the Jews and some of His disciples?
I think He spoke this way for the same reason that He spoke in parables. They had already chosen to reject God's way, and He spoke in a way that they could not possibly understand because they refused to listen. You see, He knew their heart and their decision to not follow Him before they arrived that day. So, He wasn't worried about them leaving. If they left, there would be room for even more people to hear – that really wanted to listen.
What else did Jesus know about the apostles that they didn't know yet?
Does this surprise you? Jesus already knew that Judas would betray Him – yet He treated him the same.
Remember, Jesus taught that if there were weeds in the wheat – you need to love them and treat them equally until the harvest when they would be removed. Jesus practiced what He preached!
The disciples that turned back were part of the larger crowd of disciples, not the 12 apostles.
What does Jesus ask the 12?
Using your own words, what did Simon Peter reply?