Monday 6th March
Read John 6:60-61
“On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you?” (NIVUK)
The narrative begins with crowds seeking Jesus earnestly because He heals and feeds them and teaches with authority (v3). They seek to make Him their king (v15). Their enthusiasm is evident in their actions (v24). But then He claims to provide bread better than Moses’ (v32) and claims to be that bread that gives life (v35). At this they start to grumble because they ‘know’ these claims are too grand for His humble origins (v42). Rather than backing down, Jesus doubles down and claims they must ‘eat’ His flesh and ‘chew on Him’ continually (v51)! The religious leaders’ tempers are beginning to rise (v52). If Jesus was seeking popularity, He has mucked it up royally by this stage…perhaps He will pull back and be reasonable?
Not at all. If eating His flesh was not offensive enough, He now claims they must drink His blood also if they are to have any hope of eternal life (v53-55). At this stage, even His disciples are starting to wonder. ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ (v60). It is not a teaching that is hard to understand, though it is not likely they understood it the way we understand it this side of the cross. It is hard because it is offensive (v61). Jesus’ words are ‘harsh’. Hard enough to concern even those who have followed Him for some time.
We may not find them offensive at all. We are not Jews and so wouldn’t feel the full force of the requirement to ‘drink blood’. We know that the cross, rather than being scandalous and foolish, is the only thing that saves us. We are familiar with the basics of the faith and hence are not offended by these words. Indeed, they remind us of a communion ceremony we regularly participate in. So we move on and pity those who found this teaching ‘hard’.
The challenge in this passage though is whether we are willing to identify ourselves with the offensiveness of Jesus’ words. There are many things that Jesus says elsewhere, or Paul for that matter, that are considered offensive today, even if we don’t find these particular ‘flesh and blood’ words offensive. I can nominate any number off the top of my head. Jesus is asking whether we are all in. Will we stand with Him on those things we, and the world, find offensive? Or will we quietly back away and distance ourselves like many of His disciples (v66). As tempting as it is, picking and choosing which teachings of Jesus we will accept in our modern world is a dangerous exercise.
It is a scary how much I think I ‘know’. Times have changed and Jesus wouldn’t say that ‘offensive thing’ now. He would phrase it in a gentler, more tolerant, and accepting way. Perhaps He wouldn’t even say it at all. Deep down though, I suspect I would be a little terrified if Jesus then turned to me and asked, ‘Does this offend you?’ (v61).
