1. 1. John 6:60-69 To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Copyrighted material that appears in this article is included under the provisions of the Fair Use Clause of the National Copyright Act, which allows limited reproduction of copyrighted materials fo educational and religious use when no financial charge is made for viewing. Catholic Lectionary. (2009). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
2. 2. 60 Then many of his disciples who were listening said, This saying is hard; who can accept it? 61 Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, Does this shock you? 62 What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe. Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. 65 And he said, For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father. 66 As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.
3. 3. 67 Jesus then said to the Twelve, Do you also want to leave? 68 Simon Peter answered him, Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.
4. 4. This reading follows the reading wherein Jesus instructs his listeners to eat of His body and drink His blood (v. 54). The reading clearly shows that Jesus was not speaking nor is understood in a symbolic or metaphoric ways. If Jesus had been understood in those terms, people would not have found His words a "hard teaching. If Jesus had been understood in symbolic terms, people would not have drawn back and no longer accompanied him (v.66). Keeping in mind that Jesus is God and knows the hearts of men why didnt He say I am only speaking in figurative language then no one would have left Him. He meant to be understood in a literal sense. Some will say the entire Bible and all its writings are literal with the exception of John 6, now does that make sense? No, of course not.
5. 5. Many disciples left because Jesus rejected their desire to make Him a political king; His demand for personal faith; His teaching about atonement; His stressing that salvation comes through the grace and mercy of God; All proved to be difficult for many people to believe because His teachings were opposed to the world values they were taught since birth. The materialistic or the secular world cannot solve spiritual matters with human logic, faith is required. To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. (St. Thomas Aquinas). Those who defected, who left, might have seen what Jesus was headed for, disaster, or death, and they were getting out in time to avoid any association with Him.
6. 6. Those who drifted away would have remained with Jesus as long as His career was on the upswing, but at the first shadow of the Cross they left. The defectors had come to Jesus to get something from Him, a miracle, the witnessing of a great healings etc. but when it came their time to suffer for Him or giving to Him, they abandoned Him. At first their Christianity bloomed and flowered but then they came to expect Gods blessings rather than to give thanks for them. They understood blessings as common place events, not in need of Gods intervention, so their flower of faith lacked faithful nutrition, it wilted and then died.
7. 7. The third group, the group who remained was a determined group represented by St. Peter. There were many things they did not understand but they had faith. Christianity isnt a philosophical teaching to be accepted or rejected. Christianity is a loyalty which finds its foundation in love which is built on the firm soil of faith. There are two models of Christianity. The first model of Christianity is Peter who is willing to take the risk of opening himself up to Jesus, who is revealing to all Christians the words of eternal life. The second model of Christianity are like Judas. They are nominal Christians, Christians in name only.
8. 8. They remain in the church, say the words, follow the rites, but fail to seek the nourishment, and understanding which will form a sustaining, and a deep rooted faith. They drift away because their roots were not firmly established in love and faith. We can only hope and pray that, like the many who preceded them, they will recognize the errors of their ways and return to the church.
9. 9. Copyrighted material that appears in this article is included under the provisions of the Fair Use Clause of the National Copyright Act, which allows limited reproduction of copyrighted materials for educational and religious use when no financial charge is made for viewing. Catholic Lectionary. (2009). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.