To Whom Shall We Go?

John 6:59-69

13th Sunday after Pentecost (Kingdomtide) B, 2012

We are about to finish a series on Jesus' "Bread of Life" discourse in John 6. How does this all end?

I. "This is a hard saying" (v. 60)

The people were saying, "This is a hard saying; who can accept it?" (Literally, "hard saying" is Σκληρός...λόγος sklēros logos, a 'hard [or difficult] word' and "accept" is ακουειν, akouein, "hear".) The teaching of Jesus that he is "the Bread of Life" is a "hard word" or a "difficult teaching". For many people, Christian teaching is a "hard teaching". Now it is not because Christian doctrine is impossibly hard to understand; it's because people choose not to believe it. "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (John 1:5)

Yes, there are points of Christian doctrine which are hard to understand. For one, there are doctrines which are mysteries, like the mystery of the Holy Trinity. We do need to fully "explain away" these mysteries or "dumb down" Christian doctrine. A religion without mystery is a religion without wonder. But then there are other Christian teachings which are difficult to accept because they run against what we want. That is why we find it difficult to follow Jesus' teaching to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and bless those who curse us. For us Protestants, it may be difficult to accept that we need to partake of Communion every Sunday because it ruins our style!

Now, to us, is the teaching of Jesus that he is "the Bread of Life" difficult to understand or difficult to accept? Do we accept that we need to frequently partake his Body and Blood so that we can abide in him, and he with us (6:56)?

There are two ways to accept a "hard teaching": to reject it or to believe in it.

II. Does this offend you? (v. 61)

Jesus said, "Does this offend you?" The word "offend" here is σκανδαλίζω skandalidzō, literally meaning, 'to put a stumbling-block' or 'to cause to stumble'. Are we "scandalized" or "offended" by the teachings of Jesus? The teachings of Jesus are offensive because they run counter to our beliefs. Jesus said, "The Spirit gives life; the flesh accounts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you, they are spirit and they are life" (v. 67). "The mind of a person (literally, a "soulish/mind-ful" [read: self-opinionated, full of one's own ideas] person) cannot accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot know it, because it is spiritually discerned" (I Corinthians 1:14).

The result is that many of his followers "turned back and no longer walked with (or followed) him" (v. 66). This has to be one of the saddest passages of Scripture. Why did they turn away from Jesus? Remember, they were looking for Jesus not because of the miracle he performed (the Feeding of the Five Thousand) but because they ate the loaves and were filled (6:26). They even wanted Jesus to give them bread everyday, just as Moses gave the Israelites manna everyday to eat in the desert (6:30-31). I can't help but thinking of those who believe in the "prosperity Gospel" who only believe because of promises of health or wealth. I can help but thinking of those who go to worship just because the music and the message entertains them. I can't help but thinking of those who use violent means but promise change in society and in the government. I can't help but thinking of those who just go to church because there is food, there are dole-outs. But when the food, the dole-outs, the fun are gone, they are also gone.

Jesus asked his disciples, and he asks us too: "Do you want to leave too?" (v. 67)

III. To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (v. 68)

Simon Peter, in a moment of inspiration, answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Here, we can see the importance of Scripture in the life of the Christian. We remember when Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was tempted by Satan: Turn these stones into bread! Jesus answered, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but from every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). We do not live by bread, by material things alone; but we live by the Word of God. The Word of God is God is Spirit and life; it is the Word that gives eternal life.

But also Simon Peter said, "We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God" (v. 69). So the Christian does not concentrate on teaching alone, lest it just becomes head-knowledge. Many who call themselves "Christian" but take pride how much of the Bible they know. We must never forget the Teacher himself, who gave us his Body and Blood so that we may live. And this is why in The United Methodist Church, the church is where "the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments duly administered according to Christ's ordinance..." (Articles of Religion, XIII).

To whom shall we go? To Jesus, who gave us his Word and his Body and Blood that we may have eternal life.