Up to and including this chapter of John, Jesus has been revealing who HE is, and doing miracles; water to wine, healing a lame man, healing a child that was not even present, feeding five thousand with three loaves of bread and two fish (which tells me if you will give HIM all you have no matter how little – HE will do alot with it), walked on the stormy sea. Then of course there is the woman at the well-talking to a Samartian women, and a town full of people responding postitively to HIM as the result, and a Jewish teacher in the middle of the night asking the way to Heaven…ahhhh and many things not recorded. Which is bringing me to the verses that have been on my heart from this reading…
Throughout all of these many wonders, a great following began. Some who wanted to know more, some who were looking for a reason to get rid of HIM, and a few who were truly taken in by who HE is, and totally drawn to HIM. Jesus explains that HE is the bread of life…Jewish leaders and teachers become upset with such a thing.
59These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” 61But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “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.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65And 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.”
66As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68Simon 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.” 70Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” 71Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.