Rejection by Many Followers

In 1858 the Illinois legislature, using an obscure statute, sent Stephen A. Douglas to the U.S. Senate instead of Abraham Lincoln, although Lincoln had won the popular vote. When a sympathetic ... More

Rejection

As the people began to understand Jesus’s teachings, they found them to be totally unacceptable. Besides the hostile Jewish leaders, many of the Galilean disciples turned away from Him. The popular enthusiasm for Jesus as a political Messiah (v. 15) was then over. They saw that He was not going to deliver them from Rome. He might be a great Healer, but His words were hard to accept. Many rejected Him because they could not accept His teachings (v. 60).

Christ asks them if they would accept the fact that He came from heaven once they saw Him return to heaven (vv. 61-62). Christ then explained. He did not intend for them to eat physically of His flesh; that would profit nothing. Rather, it is His spirit (person) which gives life (v. 63). They did not accept His words and, consequently, they would not be drawn to Him (vv. 64-65). Many of those who were impressed by the signs, now left Christ because of their unbelief (v. 66). 

 

His rejecting of their desire to make Him their political king; His demand for personal faith; His teaching on atonement; His stress on total human inability: His claim that salvation was a work of God; all these proved to be unacceptable for many people.

 

This is a turning point in our Lord’s ministry, where He confronted the twelve with the question, “Will you also go away” (v. 67)? Many people start out the Christian life and seem to do very well for a while, but then they drop out of sight, and nobody seems to know what happened. Peter had understood the teaching of his Master (v. 68). The message of Christ was not dead words to him, rather they were full of spirit and life (v 69). The Twelve affirmed their confidence through Peter. One of them, however, was a devil who would eventually betray the Bread of Life (vv. 70-71).

 

Application

Christ was rejected by many in His day and if I proclaim His Word I can expect to be rejected. I need to be bold in my witness for Him no matter what the consequences may be. I cannot do this in my own strength but only with the Holy Spirit’s power. 

John 6:60-71 (English Standard Version)


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