John 6:59-71 Grumbling, Stumbling and a Profession

Paragraphs:
Verse 59 Setting of the Scene
Verses 60-65 Followers Grumble and Stumble
Verses 66-71 Peter Gets It Right

COMMENTARY
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. The synagogue was the Jewish center of local religious life. Capernaum, as you might remember, is Peter's home. The things said refer to the previous text in which Jesus proclaims His deity and reveals their grumbling. He was not hiding or trying to be incognito. He said these things while at the center of Jewish religiosity. Therefore the Old Testament applications were completely understood by his audience.

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?" The plight of "total group of adherents" reflects the mentality of the general human population. What they thought was immediately said. They heard, they concluded, then, they spoke. If we do not understand, we might simply do not want to understand. Therein, validating one of mankind's ultimate faults in that we think we know it all. Be careful of how you verbalize your doubts. 61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, The word translated 'conscious' is simply an awareness or familiarity. It is not a deep insightful perception of their inward being. They voiced there disdain and Jesus had thoughts about it. "Does this cause you to stumble? 62 "What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 "But there are some of you who do not believe." Do you understand what Jesus previously said that resulted in their grumbling? Do you understand the meaning of 'eating His flesh' and 'drinking His blood' (6:53)? How then will you be able to grasp the significance of His burial, resurrection and ascension? They did not know. They grumbled which resulted in stumbling. The Spirit is the transmitter of life. Life is not attained by eating. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. "Jesus had given ample opportunity for faith to all those who followed him; yet from the beginning his spiritual discernment made him aware of those whose faith was genuine and those whose attachment was only superficial (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, Ed., Vol. 9, 1981, p. 79)." 65 And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father." This statement should not surprise us. For, He is simply referring all of His attention to His Father. This made it well know to His followers in Capernaum, that He is about His Father's business and it is all about His Father (6:37 and 44). Simply, the Father grants access to the Son (The Word, 1:1) and the Spirit gives life.
66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. All this talk about the Father and the Spirit caused many of His followers to leave. The crowd is dwindling. They could not force themselves to understand what they could not understand. They could not all this talk of the supremacy of the Father and the Spirit in faith and life. They did not want to give up their man centered religion.
67 So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" The crowd is gone and now Jesus asks the pointed question. What about you? He asked it of them and He asks it of you. How will you answer? 68 Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 "We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God." Peter got this right. Peter is often viewed as the leader of the twelve. The mouth of the disciples. Well, he got this one right. His answer is full of eternal profundity. 1. Jesus is IT. There is no other. 2. The article is obviously missing in 'words of eternal life." Thereby striking down any notion of a saving recantation. Jesus is the Word. 3. Believed (πεπιστεύκαμεν). 4. Became confident (ἐγνώκαμεν) in trusting that Jesus was the ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ. If you don't know any Greek, that phrase, ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ, is one worth knowing. Peter got it right. 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him. It is amazing. That on the heels of such a right declaration of the Truth, that betrayal lurks. Jesus chose the twelve, but one, Judas Iscariot also chose to betray.

SUMMARY

As we wrap up Jesus' time in Capernaum, we are exposed with truth covering Jesus being the Bread of Life. As the crowd and the twelve were presented with a choice of response, we are also given an opportunity to choose. Many will abandon Him, but you don't want to go away also, do you?' Choose you this day.

The Father grants. The Son 'speaks.' The Spirit gives eternal life. There is no human effort that surpasses the call of God, the Word of God and the Life of God. Jesus will soon present Himself with another by stating that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Does this dependence on God for your life make you withdraw or draw near to God?

Several years ago now, I was spontaneously asked by a dear mentor, to provide a group with the difference between 'religion' and 'Christianity.' I came up with this on the spur of the moment. Religion is man reaching up to God. Christianity is God reaching down to man. Are you busy in your religion? So busy going nowhere? Trust, believe, know the Holy One of God (ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ). Life will then have purpose and direction.

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John 6:22-25 The CROWD

According to John 6:22-25
The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

COMMENTARY
22. The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. The next day? They are getting hungry again. Anyway, their hunger or curiosity leads them to look for Jesus. Being on the eastern shore of the Sea, some say in the area of Hippus, they begin to observe: Jesus did not get into the boat with His disciples. 23. There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. While they are pondering the whereabouts of the previous day's miracle worker, some boats come from Tiberias, which is on the western shore. Peculiar note here; they ate and the Lord gave thanks. Interesting? Are miracles often related to the giving of thanks. If thankfulness is an expression of trust, as it was in the five loaves and two fish feeding over 5,000 people, then Jesus' trust was HUGE in the light of impossibility. 24. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. The crowd now sets off to the region of Capernaum, which is northwest of the Sea of Galilee. 25. When they found Him on the other side of the sea, If you will seek Jesus, you will find Him. they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?” This question by the crowd introduces a major discourse of Jesus. He will not answer their question, but He will reveal to them what they seek. He does not tell them about walking on the water which was a private revelation to His disciples.

SUMMARY
This relatively short paragraph allows us to draw distinctions between the crowd and the disciples of the previous text. Which group describes you? Is Jesus a teacher or is He the I AM, the Ἐγώ εἰμι? Do you seek Him? If so, then what does that look like? What does it sound like?



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John 2:12-25 Expelling Twisted Worship

According to John

Chapter 2, Verses 12-25

12. After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

13. The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16. and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” 17. His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” 18. The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” 19. Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20. The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

23. Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25. and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Commentary

Most harmonized or paralleled gospel accounts, putting all four gospels in chronological order, have John 1:19 through 4:42 uninterrupted with other events from Matthew, Mark or Luke.

Verse 12

(As we have verse designations in our translations, the original manuscripts did not contain chapter or verse designations, verse 12 is a paragraph in itself.)

After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

"Where is Capernaum? : Located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum is a little over 2 miles from the Jordan river. The village was very close to the Via Maris, an important trade route between Syria and Egypt, and evidently levied taxes on caravans passing through. It was 85 miles from Capernaum to Jerusalem. Jerusalem stands on the crest of the Judean hills at an elevation of 2,577 feet above sea-level, 13 miles west of the Dead Sea, 32 miles east of the Mediterranean Sea, and roughly 80 miles south of the Sea of Galilee.

Why is Capernaum important? : Capernaum is important for the study of the New Testament because of its central role in Jesus’ ministry around Galilee. Various miracles, healings, and preaching are described by all four gospel authors as taking place there. Matthew even goes so far as to call Capernaum Jesus’ “own city.” Despite this, Jesus is described as cursing the town because of their rejection of him.

The town is mentioned in the New Testament: in the Luke’s Gospel it was reported to have been the home of the apostles Peter, Andrew, James and John, as well as the tax collector Matthew. In Matthew 4:13 the town was reported to have been the home of Jesus himself. According to Luke 4:31-44, Jesus taught in the synagogue in Capernaum on the sabbath days. In Capernaum also, Jesus allegedly healed a man who had the spirit of an unclean devil and healed a fever in Simon Peter's mother-in-law. According to Matthew 8:5-13, it is also the place where a Roman Centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant.

Verses 13-22

Verse 13

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Passover is the most important festival event on the Jewish calendar. It marks Israel's deliverance from Egyptian captivity by the direction and provision of YHWH and the leadership of Moses (Exodus 12). Capernaum was 85 miles from Jerusalem. Jerusalem stands on the crest of the Judean hills at an elevation of 2,577 feet above sea-level, 13 miles west of the Dead Sea, 32 miles east of the Mediterranean Sea, and roughly 80 miles south of the Sea of Galilee. Whenever Jerusalem is the object of one's destination or perspective, it is always "up". Up does not a determining northward direction. Jerusalem may be north, south, east or west of your position but you will always go up to Jerusalem. This is due to its elevation especially when considering its close proximity to the Dead Sea and Jerusalem being some 2500 feet above sea level.

Verses 14-17

14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business." 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME."

Jesus found two issues in the Temple that stirred His zeal. The challenge here is directly applicable to the modern Church. How do we complicate or over simplify worship of I AM, the Almighty God, YHWH, the ἐγώ εἰμι?

The two issues are animals for sacrifice and moneylenders. The oxen and sheep were animals of the fields. In the Jewish sacrificial system, with no lessening of this Passover occurrence, these animals were to be raised by the families and then presented as a sacrifice. Sheep were the most important sacrificial animal with the ram or the young male often being specified. It was intended for families to raise these animals and bring them to be sacrificed. Passover, however, posed a problem for the worshipers. Some having traveled great distances to Jerusalem for the Passover, Jesus, Himself traveling over 85 miles, found it difficult perhaps even dangerous to bring these blemish-less animals on the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Ultimately, we have the solution provided by the money changers. The money changers changed money. The exchanged currency so that the pilgrims could purchase the sacrificial ox or sheep that they did not bring themselves. This is worship done easy with the only price being that of potential extortion by the money changers. This is twisted worship. The only thing that the pilgrim needed was to make the trip to the worship center (Jerusalem) and bring money. For everything else will be provided for you. There was no investment on the pilgrim's part. They did not raise the ox or the sheep, they did not make the journey which may have necessitated a trust in God (see Psalm 121, A Song of Assents) and they ended up sacrificing that which they did not know. The issues of the sheep, the oxen and the money changers is that Jesus "drove them out." Why do you think that Jesus only gave a somewhat reserved verbal correction to those selling the doves? A pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons was an offering sufficient for the poor, specifically for the poor woman that just gave birth (Leviticus 12:8). Therefore, you have the Law's allowance for the poor (mother) but with the overriding command to not make the temple, His Father's House, a place of business. as compared to those who should have brought their own sheep and oxen but did not. They, through a decisive act of their will, relied on the temple sales and the money changers to make their worship easy and less personal.

Worship is always personal and costly. It is simple but not easy. Jesus' zeal was manifested by the easy way in which this Passover was being observed in the Temple. What does He say about our worship, your worship, and my worship of HIM?

Verses 18-22

18. The Jews then said to Him, "What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?"

It amazes me that every time someone does or says something bold in contradiction to the norm, correct some deviate behavior, or speak the truth in a mislead company of folks, the issue of authority always rises to the top. The Jews, as we will see, had a foundation questioning of Jesus' authority. Of course, anyone that would upset their nice little religious money making enterprise would definitely be questioned. It is all about authority, control and money. John, this gospel's author, will address 'authority' throughout this gospel account.

19. Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

What is the authoritative answer to the question regarding authority for the Christian? ...the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It appears by verse 19 that Jesus is foretelling of raising Himself from the dead. He may not desire to instruct about the role of the Father or the Holy Spirit in the resurrection. Irregardless, the life He lived that is characterized by a supreme example of righteousness, would make Him perfectly capable of deserving of resurrection. His righteousness was perfectly accepted before His Father. Therefore, His perfectly righteous condition warranted His resurrection. His resurrection was in His control due to His perfectly righteous standing before His Father. We will learn more of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit relationships as we move through John.

The world, family and work associates may not know of that which you speak, but they will eventually either remember to the point of belief or they will remember when they are forced to bow at the sound of His NAME.

Verses 23-25

23. Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25. and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

It was at this Passover that John tells us that many believed in His name. Their belief came as a result of the signs He did which include His zeal at the temple. When He did the act of over turning that which sets itself against worship, many believed in His name. Worship here can be described as anything that sets itself against a total dependency on God for His protection, His provision and His revelation. Worship is all about HIM.

"But Jesus..." It is amazing that Jesus exhibits a reserved control of His destiny. John will soon tell us to whom He yields. Jesus knows man. If anyone knows you, it is Jesus. Does that bother you? Or, is that comfort to you? Irregardless, creation cannot hide anything from the Creator (see John Chapter One). Man cannot hide anything from Jesus.

Conclusion:

How is your worship? Do you find it easy to pawn off the expense of your religiosity to those who are so-called professionals? Consider your worship experience, even of the Great I AM, are you a spectator or participant? To the degree that you are a spectator by not personally investing or personally participating, your worship is twisted and you will be ultimately driven out of His presence. It has the form of godliness but not the heart of righteousness. Only righteous will stand before and please God. Our righteousness is in Christ for He alone is our Righteousness. Finally, what does the "almightiness" of our God do to you? His is mighty to save. Turn to Him, for in Him is peace.

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