YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE

Passage: John 6:60-71

Key verse: 68,69

NIV

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples(A) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”(B)

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?(C) 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man(D) ascend to where he was before!(E) 63 The Spirit gives life;(F) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[a] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known(G) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.(H) 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”(I)

66 From this time many of his disciples(J) turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.(K)

68 Simon Peter answered him,(L) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.(M) 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”(N)

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,(O) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”(P) 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,(Q) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)(R)

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Footnotes
  1. John 6:63 Or are Spirit; or are spirit
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Words of Eternal Life

60 (A)When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, (B)knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see (C)the Son of Man (D)ascending to (E)where he was before? 63 (F)It is the Spirit who gives life; (G)the flesh is no help at all. (H)The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But (I)there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus (J)knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and (K)who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you (L)that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

66 (M)After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to (N)the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have (O)the words of eternal life, 69 and (P)we have believed, and have come to know, that (Q)you are (R)the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, (S)“Did I not choose you, (T)the twelve? And yet one of you is (U)a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas (V)the son of Simon Iscariot, for (W)he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. This is a hard teaching (6

-66)

Most of the people to whom Jesus had given bread in the wilderness left him. He offered them the word of eternal life, but they only wanted bread. Jesus had known all along that some would betray him, but still it was painful to see them reject God's love and life, and go away.

2. Do you want to leave too? (67-69)

When Jesus asked the Twelve this question, Peter answered in verses 68-69. He saw the alternative to following Jesus--a meaningless, useless life, a dead-end street. He had received Jesus' words in his heart, and he knew that they were the words of life.

3. Yet one of you is a devil (7

-71)

Judas Iscariot looked like a disciple, but he was a materialist, like the crowd who had left. Perhaps in his heart he took the first step toward betrayal. Jesus stilled loved him and sought to warn him.

Prayer: Lord, you have the words of eternal life; to whom else can I go? Help me to be your disciple throughout my lifetime.

One Word: The majority is not always right!