Jesus understands perfectly well that what He says cannot be understood by human reason alone. The point here is not any special complexity in what is being discussed, but that such things cannot be explained purely theoretically. The matter is a new life, about which it is almost useless...
Jesus understands perfectly well that what He says cannot be understood by human reason alone. The point here is not any special complexity in what is being discussed, but that such things cannot be explained purely theoretically. The matter is a new life, about which it is almost useless to speak if a person has no practical experience at all of this life. In essence, everything Jesus said to His disciples during His earthly ministry was said in advance. So to speak, for growth.
With their further spiritual growth in view. For the time being they could only accept what was said on trust. But this is a voluntary matter, and therefore Jesus invites those who wish to leave to leave Him. He knows that He will be able to prove nothing to anyone. To show, yes, in due time. And then those who see will see something quite different from what they might have expected. And that will be the best proof. But that is in the future; for now there is only trust.
Still, not on empty ground. Peter does not speak of "words of eternal life" by chance. The disciples of Jesus had already seen something. They had seen clear signs of the presence of the Kingdom and the action of God's power. Signs that neither they nor anyone else had ever had to see before. And now their Teacher says something that cannot fit into consciousness at all. And each disciple finds himself before a choice: accept the Teacher as He is, or leave.
He speaks impossible, unbelievable words, sometimes sounding almost blasphemous. But the power of God is with Him, and the Kingdom too is with Him. One has to choose. To choose between God and the familiar boundaries and limits of human nature, human reason, human religiosity. Believing the impossible is always a matter of choice. And only readiness to follow God no matter what makes it possible to believe. That is why Jesus says that unless the Father draws a person, he cannot set out on such a path by himself.
Only God gives a person strength and confidence on the path along which faith in the impossible leads. Human nature is powerless here. But this was a necessary lesson, because one will have to enter the Kingdom in the same way. In an absolutely impossible way. Following the Risen One, and that is still less possible. On the way to the Kingdom everything around is constantly impossible, unbelievable, unable to fit into consciousness. And it is better to get used to this beforehand, so that later it will be easier to walk.
6
6:60 This is a hard saying - Hard to the children of the world, but sweet to the children of God. Scarce ever did our Lord speak more sublimely, even to the apostles in private. Who can hear - Endure it?
6:62 What if ye shall see the Son of man ascend where he was before? - How much more incredible will it then appear to you, that he should give you his flesh to eat?
6:63 It is the Spirit - The spiritual meaning of these words, by which God giveth life. The flesh - The bare, carnal, literal meaning, profiteth nothing. The words which I have spoken, they are spirit - Are to be taken in a spiritual sense and, when they are so understood, they are life - That is, a means of spiritual life to the hearers.
6:64 But there are some of you who believe not - And so receive no life by them, because you take them in a gross literal sense.For Jesus knew from the beginning - Of his ministry: who would betray him - Therefore it is plain, God does foresee future contingencies: "But his foreknowledge causes not the fault, Which had no less proved certain unforeknown."
6:65 Unless it be given - And it is given to those only who will receive it on God's own terms.
6:66 From this time many of his disciples went back - So our Lord now began to purge his floor: the proud and careless were driven away, and those remained who were meet for the Master's use.
6:68 Thou hast the words of eternal life - Thou, and thou alone, speakest the words which show the way to life everlasting.
6:69 And we - Who have been with thee from the beginning, whatever others do, have known - Are absolutely assured, that thou art the Christ.
6:70 Jesus answered the - And yet even ye have not all acted suitable to this knowledge. Have I not chosen or elected you twelve? - But they might fall even from that election. Yet one of you - On this gracious warning, Judas ought to have repented; is a devil - Is now influenced by one.