John 6:60-62 - Taking offence

6:60,61

Jesus’ words caused consternation among the disciples. Note that while “disciples” often refers to the twelve, that is not always the case, and the later verses make it clear that here it is not the twelve we are talking about, but others who were following Him. They found the teaching “hard”. It wasn’t that they couldn’t believe it, but they didn’t want to accept it. We have earlier referred to the Law forbidding the eating of food with the blood in it, and of course the concept of eating human flesh is abhorrent. So if they took Jesus’ words literally their reluctance to accept it is understandable. What if they took the words in the sense they were meant? Or did Jesus intend for them to be offended?

The gospel is shocking and offensive to human understanding. It tells us that we are sinners, that we need to repent of our rebellion against God, and our independence. It tells us that the death of Jesus on the cross is the only thing that gives us forgiveness. The gospel does not fit well with human wisdom, even religious human wisdom, maybe even especially human religious wisdom.

6:62

Jesus knew that the things He had been saying would offend many, but “worse” was to come. As an aside, there is a great emphasis on not offending people, with even laws about it in some cases. If we faithfully preach and teach the gospel then we will offend people. Now we most certainly should not needlessly or gratuitously offend people, but the gospel faithfully preached will inevitably offend.

Jesus asks them what they will think if they see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before. Commentaries seem to see this referring in part to the cross, but the sense of the words seems much more applicable to Jesus’ ascension up to heaven.  Why did He say this? Well, maybe because the whole crux of the problem of their unbelief was that they did not believe that Jesus had come from heaven, being sent by the Father. So, if they saw Him ascend back to heaven would they believe then? Would they still be offended by what He had been teaching, or would they finally believe?