The Parting of the Ways

The Parting of the Ways
John 6: 56-71
JOHN

This chapter’s setting has moved from up in the mountains for the feeding, across the storm-tossed lake to a crowd in Capernaum. The last part of this discourse at least has been Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum (6:59). The impressive remains of the synagogue still visible there today date from a bit later than the time of Jesus, but there was an earlier building for study of the scriptures. This background of synagogue teaching explains why the debate has taken each part of the chosen text in turn for discussion, in the light of its context of Moses and the Exodus. We saw in 6:52 that ‘the Jews disputed among themselves’ and the subject of this chapter was hotly debated in synagogues across the Mediterranean during the second half of the first century, between Jews who accepted Jesus as Messiah and other Jews who did not. Central to the debate were the kind of claims made here about whether Jesus really had been sent by God from heaven, and whether he replaced the Jewish feasts, customs and laws. The ‘parting of the ways’ between the synagogue and the early church was happening gradually over these years (see Introduction, p. 19; also on 9:22; 16:2 below). However, Jesus’ teaching and miracles led to argument and conflict even in his own day.

The hard saying

Thus it is not surprising that ‘many of his disciples’ said that this teaching was ‘a hard saying’ (6:60). These disciples are a larger group than the Twelve, who are mentioned separately later (6:67). They may have witnessed Jesus’ healings and miraculous signs, like the Feeding, or heard him teach and joined in the debates. After all the dialogue and discourse in this chapter, the teaching is not difficult to understand, for it has been rigorously clarified section by section. On the contrary, its stark clarity makes it all the harder to believe and accept. As Mark Twain is reputed to have said, ‘It is not the parts of the gospel which I do not understand which cause me difficulty—it’s the demand of that which I do understand.’

Jesus is aware that the grumbling and murmuring is taking place even among disciples who follow him and asks them why they are ‘scandalized’ or offended (6:61). If they find difficult all this talk about him having descended from heaven to bring us life (6:38, 41, 51) what will happen when he goes back? (6:62). The word ‘ascend’ here has John’s typical levels of meaning. At the simple level it refers to Jesus ‘going up’ to Jerusalem, where he will be ‘lifted up’; but that lifting up on a cross will also be how he is exalted and ascends back to his Father. This will force a final decision on his grumbling disciples; for some, it may demonstrate that his claims are true, while for others it will be the final straw. Again he contrasts the natural life of the flesh with the supernatural life of the Spirit (6:63; see on 3:6 above). Jesus can give his flesh for people and speak the words of life, but unless they are drawn by the Father to believe, it is of no avail. Once more, John stresses Jesus’ knowledge of all things and all people, including those who would not believe and even his betrayer (6:64–65).

Will you also go away?

The result is a parting of the ways even within Jesus’ followers as ‘many of his disciples turned back and no longer went around with him’ (6:66). In a wistful verse, Jesus tests the resolve of the twelve, asking them if they (the ‘you’ is plural) also wish to leave him (6:67). Peter answers with a rhetorical question: there is nowhere else to go— this whole chapter has demonstrated that Jesus is superior to everything else with the ‘words of eternal life’ (6:68, see 6:63). Then Peter speaks for them all with his confession of faith that Jesus is the ‘Holy One of God’ (6:69). This is another way of declaring that Jesus is the Messiah and may be compared with the story of Peter’s confession in the other gospels (Matt. 16:16; Mk. 8:29; Lk. 9:20). Whether this is a version of that story or a separate occasion, it makes a good conclusion to the debate among the Jews and the disciples about the significance of the feeding and Jesus’ claims. It ends with another reminder of Jesus’ knowledge in calling all of them, including Judas Iscariot, who will ‘hand him over’ (6:70–71). Among the crowds who seek Jesus, there will always be those who want to make him king on their own terms, those who murmur and complain, those who question or oppose him, followers who turn back or betray him, and those who realize that he is their only hope of life and receive his body and blood.

FOR REFLECTION AND PRAYER

Where do we stand in the crowd who seek Jesus?
Lord where else can we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Taken from JOHN THE PEOPLE’S BIBLE COMMENTARY by Richard Burridge