Homily for 21stSunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B)
Based on Jn
6:60-69 (Gospel), Jos 24:1-2, 15-18 (First Reading) and Ep 5:21-32 (Second
Reading)
From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”
DESERTING
THE LORD
‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’
(Jn 6:67)
Today’s gospel reading is taken fromJn 6:60-69 .
Verse 60 says: After hearing it, many of
his followers said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?
Parallel
texts are:
a.
Jn 3:11 - I tell you most solemnly, we speak only about what
we know and witness only to what we have seen and yet you people reject our
evidence. eFootnote e – Jesus does not speak on his own initiative, 7:17 -18; he declares what he has
seen ‘with the Father’, 1:18 ,
3:11 , 8:38 , cf. 8:24+; it is the Father’s words and
teaching that he hands on to man, 3:34, 8:28, 12:49,50, 14:24, 17:8,14; he is
himself the Word, 1:1,14. This Word is not idle: it calls all things from
nothing, 1:1+, it calls the dead from the tomb, 11:43,44, 5:28-29; it gives
life to the soul, 5:24, 6:63, 8:51; it confers the Spirit, the source of
immortality, 1:33+; 20:22, and so makes men children of God, 10:35, 1:12. It is
required only than man should have faith in the Word, 1:12 , ;dwell’ in it, cf. 8:31, ‘keep’ it,
8:51,55, 12:47, 14:23, 15:20, 17:6, obey its command which is love, 13:34.
Nevertheless, the Word is enigmatic, 2:20+, and difficult, cf. 6:60, 7:36 ; it makes its way only into
humble hearts. Those who hear it, therefore, respond differently, 7:43, 10:19;
some believe, 4:41, 7:40f,46, 8:30, others go away disappointed, 6:66, in spite
of the ‘signs’, 2:11+; this same rejected Word will judge them at the last day,
12:48.
b.
Jn1:48 -‘How
do you know me?’ said Nathanael.
c.
Mt 11:6 -‘…and
happy is the man who does not lose faith in me’.
Verse 61 says: Jesus was aware that his followers
were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this upset you?
a.
Jn 12:32 - And
when I am lifted up from the earth,j I shall draw all men k
to myself.’lFootnotej says “Om. ‘from the earth’. Allusion to the ‘lifting of’ Christ on the cross
(v. 33) and to his ‘lifting up’ to heaven, 3:13,14; 8:28; cf. 6:62, on the day
of his resurrection, 20:17+; the two events are two aspects of the same
mystery, 13:1+. When Christ is raised to the Father’s right hand in glory,
12:23; 17:5+, he will send the Spirit, 7:39,through whom his reign will spread
over the world, 16:14; cf. 3:35+; Footnote k - Var. ‘every man’ or
‘all things’”; and Footnote l says “The
crucified Jesus will be set before the eyes of the world as its savior, cf.
19:37. This is the answer to the Greeks’ request to ‘see’ Jesus, cf. 6:40+.”
b.
Mt 8:20 - Jesus
replied, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son
ofManh has nowhere to lay his head.’ Footnote h says“With the exception of Ac 7:56, Rv 1:13;
14:14; this title appears only in the
gospels. There is no doubt that Jesus used it of himself, and indeed
preferred it to others. At times he uses it to express his lowly state, 8:20;
11:19; 20:28, especially the humiliation of the Passion, 17:22, etc. At others
times it is used to proclaim the definitive triumph of his resurrection, 17:9,
of his return in glory, 24:30; of his coming in judgment, 25:31. That this
title, Aramaic in flavor, could bring together these seemingly opposed
qualities is clear from the following considerations. The phrase originally
meant ‘man’, Ezk. 2:1+, and by reason of its unusual and indirect form it
underlined the lowliness of man’s state. But the title suggested glory, too. It
was used in Dn 7:13+, and later in the Jewish apocalyptic Book of Enoch, to
indicate the transcendent figure, heavenly in origin, who was to receive from
God’s hand the eschatological kingdom (the kingdom ‘at the end of times’). In
this way therefore the title both veiled and hinted at (cf. Mk. 1:34+; Mt.
13:13+) the sort of Messiah Jesus was. Moreover, the explicit avowal in the
presence of the Sanhedrin, 26:64+, should have removed all ambiguity.”
Verses 62 and 63 say: What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?
‘It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I
have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.rFootnoter
says “Christ words about the bread from
heaven reveal something real and divine of which only the Spirit, cf. 1:33+,
can supply understanding, cf. 10:26+, and which is the source of life for men.”
Parallel texts are:
a.
Jn 1:33 - I did not know him myself, but he who
sent me to baptize with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the
Spirit come down and rest in the one who is going to baptize with the Holy
Spirit”.yFootnote y says “This phrase sums up the whole purpose
of the Messiah’s coming, cf. Jn 1:1+, namely, that mankind might be born again
in the spirit: the O.T. had already foretold it,cf. Ac. 2:33+. The Spirit rests
on him, Is. 11:12, 42:1, Jn 1:33, and so he can confer it on others baptism on
the Spirit, cf. here and Ac 1:5+), but only after his resurrection, Jn
7:39,16:7,8,20:22; Ac.2. For Jesus came in the flesh, 1 Jn. 4:2, 2 Jn 7, flesh
that was corruptible, Jn 1:14+, and it is only when he is ‘lifted up; and has
gone to the Father that his body, glorified now, is fully endowed with divine,
life-giving power. Thenceforward the Spirit flows to the world from his body as
from an inexhaustible spring, Jn 7:37-39, 19:34, cf. Rm. 5:5+. For the water
symbolism, cf. Jn 4:1+.”
b.
Jn 3:6 - What s born of flesh is flesh; what is
born of spirit is spirit.
c.
Jn 3:11 - I tell you most solemnly, we speak
only about what we know and witness only to what we have seen and yet you
people reject our evidence.e Footnote e
– Jesus does not speak on his own initiative, 7:17 -18; he declares what he has seen ‘with
the Father’, 1:18 , 3:11 , 8:38 , cf. 8:24+; it is the Father’s words and teaching
that he hands on to man, 3:34, 8:28, 12:49,50, 14:24, 17:8,14; he is himself
the Word, 1:1,14. This Word is not idle: it calls all things from nothing,
1:1+, it calls the dead from the tomb, 11:43,44, 5:28-29; it gives life to the
soul, 5:24, 6:63, 8:51; it confers the Spirit, the source of immortality,
1:33+; 20:22, and so makes men children of God, 10:35, 1:12. It is required
only than man should have faith in the Word, 1:12 , ;dwell’ in it, cf. 8:31, ‘keep’ it, 8:51,55, 12:47,
14:23, 15:20, 17:6, obey its command which is love, 13:34. Nevertheless, the
Word is enigmatic, 2:20+, and difficult, cf. 6:60, 7:36 ; it makes its way only into humble
hearts. Those who hear it, therefore, respond differently, 7:43, 10:19; some
believe, 4:41, 7:40f,46, 8:30, others go away disappointed, 6:66, in spite of
the ‘signs’, 2:11+; this same rejected Word will judge them at the last day,
12:48.
Verse
64, 65, and 66 say: But there are some
of you who don’t believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset those who did not
believe, and who it was that would betray him. He went on, ‘This is why I told
you that no one could come to me unless the Father allows him’. After this many
of his disciples left him and stopped going with him.
Parallel text
is Lk 22:28 that says: You are the men
who stood by me faithfully in my trials.
Verse 67 says: Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about
you, do you want to go away too?’
Parallel
text is Mk 16:16 that says: He who
believes and is baptized will be saved; he who does not believe will be
condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my
name they will cast out devils, they will have the gift of tongues;d
they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink
deadly poison, they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover’.
Footnote d says that “Var. ‘new tongues’.”
Verse
68 and 69 say: Simon Peter answered,
‘Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we
believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’s Footnote s
says “i.e. the Messiah, God’s chosen
envoy, consecrated and united in him uniquely, cf. 10:36; 17:19. Var. ‘you are
the Christ, the Son of God’ or ‘the Son of the living God’, cf. Mt 16:16.”
Parallel
texts for verse 68 say:
a.
Jn 1:21- ‘Well then,’ they
asked ‘are you Elijah?’t ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the prophet?’u
(v. 21). Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God,ff you
are the King of Israel’ (v. 49).Footnote t says: “On the expected return of Elijah, see Ml.
3:23-24 and Mt. 17:10-13”; Footnote u says “From Dt. 18;15,18(see note) the Jews argued that the expected Messiah
would be another Moses (the prophet par excellence, cf. Nb. 12:7+) who would
repeat on a grand scale the prodigies of the Exodus. Cf. Jn. 3:14; 6:14, 30-31,
68; 7:40,52; 13:1+; Ac. 3:22-23; 7:20-44; Heb. 3:1-11. See also Mt. 16:14+.
b.
Dt 8:3 - He humbled you, he made
you feel hungry, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had
known, to make you understand that man does not live on bread alone but that
man lives on everything that comes from the mouth of Yahweh.aFootnoteasays“Yahweh makes all things by his word and so
gives life to Israel by means of the commandments (miswah) that issue (mosa)
from his mouth. On this text, cited in Mt 4:40, see Am 8:11; Ne 9:29; Pr 9:1-5;
Ws 16:26; Si 24:19-21; Jn 6:30-36,68+.”
c.
Ac 3:14 - It was you who accusedf the
Holy One,g the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer
…
d.
Jn 7:38…who believes in me!’ As scriptures says:
From his breastq shall flow fountains of living water.rFootnoter
says “The liturgy of the feast of
Tabernacle, which formed the background of this words, included prayers for
rain, rites which commemorated the Mosaic water-miracle, Ex. 17:1-7; cf. 1 Co.
10:4; and readings from biblical passages foretelling life-giving waters from
Zion, Zac. 14:8; Ezk. 47:1f; Cf. Jn 4:1+.”
The First Reading for this Sunday isJos 24:1-2,
15-18. Verse 1 and 2 say: Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel
together at Shechem;bthen he called the elders, leaders, judges and
scribes of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. Then Joshua said
to all the people: ‘Yahweh the God of Israel says this, ‘in ancient days your
ancestors lived beyond the River-such was Terah the father of Abraham and of
Nahor- and they served other gods. Footnote b says “Shechem
with its central position was suitable for tribal gatherings, cf. also 1 K 12;
and its history makes it the ideal place for making this religious pact:
Abraham had built an altar there, Gn 12:6-7. Jacob had bought land there, Gn
33:18-20, and there had buried the idols brought from Mesopotamia, Gn 35:2-4.
Parallel texts are:
a.
Gn 11:27-32
- The descendants of Terahe These are Terah’s descendants: Terah
became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot (v.
27). Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in his native land, Ur of
the Chaldeans (v. 28). Abraham and Nahor both married: Abram’s wife was called
Sarai. Nahor’s wife was called Milcah, the daughter of Haran, father of Milcah
and Iscah (v. 29). Sarai was barren, having no child. (v. 30). Terah took his
son Abram, his grandson Lot the son of Haran and his daughter-in-law the wife
of Abram, and made them leavefUrof the Chaldeans to go to the land
of Canaan. But on arrival in Haran they settled there.g (v. 31).
Terah’s life lasted two hundred and five years;h there he died at
Haran (v. 32).Footnote e - The story of the chosen race is about
to begin and the genealogical table becomes more detailed with a view to
introducing its two parents, Abram and Sarai, whose names were later changed to
Abraham and Sarah, 17:5,15; it also introduced Nahor, Rebekah’s grandfather,
24:24, and Lot, ancestor of the Moabites and Ammonites, 19:30-38; Footnote f
says ‘made them leave’ ancient versions:
‘went with tme’ Hebr.; Footnote g
says “First stage of the journey to the
Promised Land. Ur is in Lower Mesopotamia. Haran lies in the north-west of
Mesopotamia; Footnote h says “Only 145 according to the Samaritan Pentateuch: this would mean that
Abraham left Haran only when his father died (cf. 11:26 and 12:4); cf. Ac 7:4.
b. Ps
45:10 - Listen, daughter, pay careful attention: forget your nation and your
ancestral home.gFootnoteg says “In the messianic interpretation: Israel, like the ancestral figure
Abraham must sever all links with the surrounding pagan world, thus leaving the
‘ancestral home’ in order to receive ‘sons’, v. 16.”
Verses 15, 16, 17 and 18 say: But if you will not serve Yahweh, choose
today whom you wish to serve, whether the gods that your ancestors served
beyond the River; or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are now living.
As for me and my House, we will serve Yahweh.’ The people answered, ‘We have no
intention of deserting Yahweh and serving other gods!’Was it not Yahweh our God
who brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, the house of
slavery, who worked those great wonders before our eyes and preserved us all along
the way we travelled and among all the peoples though whom we journeyed? What
is more, Yahweh drove all those people out before us, as well as the Amorites
who used to live in this country. We too will serve Yahweh, for he is our God.
Parallel texts of verse 16 are:
a.
Ex 19:8 - Then all the people answered as one,
‘All that Yahweh has said, we will do.’ And Moses took the people’s reply back
to Yahweh.
b. Ex
24:3 - Moses went and told the people
all the commands of Yahweh and all the ordinances.b In answer, all
the people said with one voice, ‘We will observe all the commands that Yahweh
has decreed’.Footnote b says“The
commands (or words, debarim) which alone are referred to in what follows, may
indicate the Decalogue. The ordinances (mishpatim) are possibly those of 21:1-22:17.”
The Second Reading for this Sunday isEp 5:21-32.
Verse 21 and 22 say: Give way to one
another in obedience to Christ. Wives should regard their husbands as they
regard the Lord.
Parallel texts are:
a.
Ps 87:5 - But
all call Zion “Mother”,c since all were born in her.dFootnotec
says ‘Mother’ Greek; absent from Hebr.”; Footnote d says “The
pagans, wherever born, are adopted by Zion, which becomes their true country.”
b.
Col 3:18 - Wives, give way to your husbands, as
you should in the Lord.
c. 1
P 3:1-7 - In the same way, wives should
be obedient to their husbands. Then, if there are some husbands who have not
yet obeyed the word, they may find themselves won over, without a word spoken,
by the way their wives behave (1), when they see how faithful and conscientious
they are (2). Do not dress up for show; doing up your hair, wearing gold
bracelets and fine clothes (v. 3); all these should be inside, in a person’s
heart, a imperishable: the ornament of a sweet and gentle
disposition - this is what is precious in the sight of God (v. 4). That is how
the holy women of the past dressed themselves attractively - they hoped in God
and were tender and obedient to their husbands (v. 5); like Sarah, who was
obedient to Abraham, and called him her lord. You are now her children, as long
as you live good lives and do not give way to fear or worry (v. 6). In the same
way, husbands must always treat their wives with consideration in their life
together, respecting a woman as one who, though she may be the weaker partner,
is equally anheirb to the life of grace. This will stop anything
from coming in the way of your prayers (v. 7). Footnote a says “Lit. ‘should be the hidden man (self) of the
heart’.; Footnote b says ‘(she)’
is equally an heir’, var. ‘you are equally heirs’, ‘the life of grace’, lit
‘the grace of life’; var. ‘her own form of the grace of life’, cf. 4:10.”
Verse 23 says: sincee as Christ is head of
the Church and saves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife.
Footnote e says “By drawing a parallel between human marriage and the marriage of Christ
to the Church, vv. 23-32, Paul makes these two concept illumine each other.
Christ is the husband of the Church because he is her head and because he loves
the Church as much as a man loves his own body when he loves his wife. Having
established this, the comparison naturally suggests an ideal for human
marriage. The symbol of Israel as the wife of Yahweh is common in the OT, Ho
1:2+.”
Parallel text is 1 Co 3:11 that says: For the foundation, nobody can lay any
other than the one which has already been laid, that is Jesus Christ.
Verse 24 says: And
as the Church submits to Christ, so should wives to their husbands, in
everything.
Parallel text is Ep
1:22-23 that says: He has put all things under his feet, and made
him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church (v. 22), which is his
body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creationu (v. 23) Footnote usays“Lit. ‘fills all in all’. The Church, as the
body of Christ, 1 Co. 12:12f, can be called the fullness (pleroma); cf. Infra
3:19, 4:13) in so far as it includes the whole new creation that shares (since
it forms the setting of the human race) in the cosmic rebirth under Christ its
ruler and head, cf. Col. 1:15-20f. The adverbial phrase ‘all in all’ is used to
suggest something of limitless size, cf. 1 Co. 6, 15:28, Col. 3:11.”
Verse 25 says:
Husbands should love their
wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her…
Parallel texts are:
a.
Ep 5:2 - …and follow Christ by loving as he
loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a
sacrifice to God.
b.
Col 3:19 - Husbands, love your wives and treat
them with gentleness.
c.
1 P 3:7 - In the same way, husbands must always
treat their wives with consideration in their life together, respecting a woman
as one who, though she may be the weaker partner, is equally anheirb
to the life of grace. This will stop anything from coming in the way of your
prayers.
Verse 26 says: to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with a form
of words.
Parallel texts are:
a.
Rm 6:4 - In other words, a when we
were baptized we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, b
so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might
live a new life.
Footnote a says “Lit.
‘therefore’; var. ‘for’: Footnote b –says “Baptismis not separated from faith but goes with it, Ga.
3:6f, Ep. 4:5, Heb. 10:22, cf. Ac. 12f,37, 16:31-33, 18:8, 19:2-5, and gives it
outward expression by the operative symbolism of the baptismal ceremonial. For
this reason, Paul ascribes to faith and to baptism the same effects (cf. Ga.
2:16-20 and Rm. 6:3-9). The sinner is immersed in water (the etymological
meaning of ‘baptize’ is ‘dip’) and thus ‘buried’ with Christ, Col. 2:12, with
whom also he emerges to ‘resurrection’, Rm. 8:11+, as a ‘new creature’, 2 Co.
5:17+, a ‘new man’, Ep. 2:15+, a member of the one Body animated by the one
Spirit, 1 Co. 12:13, Ep. 4:4f. This resurrection will not be complete or final
until the end of time, 1 Co. 15:12+ (but cf. Ep. 2:6), but is already taking
place in the form of a new life lived ‘in the Spirit’, vv. 8:11,13, 8:2f, Ga.
5:16-24. The death-resurrection symbolism of baptism is particularly Pauline,
but this initial rite of Christian life, Heb. 6:22, is also spoken of in the
NT, as a cleansing bath, Ep.5:26, Heb. 10:22, cf. 1 Co. 6:11, Tt. 3:5, a new
birth, Jn. 3:5, Tt. 3:5, cf. 1 P. 1:3, cf. Ep. 5:14. On the baptism of water
and the baptism of the Spirit, cf. Ac. 1:5+;
these two aspects of the consecration of the Christian are apparently
the ‘anointing’ and the seal’ of 2 Co. 1:21f. According to 1 P. 3:21, the ark
of Noah is an antetype of baptism.”
b.
Tt 3:5-7 - It was not because he was concerned
with any righteous actions we might have done ourselves; it was for no reason
except his own compassion that he saved us, by means of the cleansing water of
rebirth and by renewing us with the Holy Spirit which he so generously poured
over us through Jesus Christ our savior. He did this so that we should be justified by his grace,
to become heirs looking forward to inheriting eternal life.aFootnote a says “The
effect of baptism are: rebirth, free forgiveness by Christ, reception of his
Holy Spirit, cf. Rm. 5:5+, and the immediate enjoyment of all rights as heir to
eternal life (the presence of the Holy Spirit being a pledge of this, cf. 2 Co.
1:22).”
Verse 27, 28 and 29 say: So that when he took her to himself she would be glorious, with no
speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless.f In
the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for
a man to love his wife is for him to
love himself.A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after
it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church.Footnotefsays
“It was customary in the middle east at
the time this letter was written, for the ‘sons of the wedding’ to escort the
bride to her husband after she had been bathed and dressed. As applied
mystically to the Church, Christ washes his bride himself in the bath of
baptism, and makes her immaculate (note the mention of a baptismal formula) and
introduces her to himself.”
Parallel texts of verse 27 are:
a.
2 Co 11:2 - You see, the jealousy that I feel
for you is God’s own jealousy: I arranged for you to marry Christ so that I
might give you away as a chaste virgin to this one husband.
b.
Col 1:22 - …but now he has reconciled you, by
his death and in that mortal body.k Now you are able to appear
before him holy, pure and blameless-Footnotek says ‘he’, i.e. the Father. The human, natural
body is that of his Son (lit. ‘flesh body’); this provides the locus where the
reconciliation takes place. Into the body the entire human race is effectively
gathered, cf. Ep 2:14-16, because Christ has assumed its sin, 2 Co 5:21. The
‘flesh’ body is the body as affected by sin, 2 Co 5:21; cf. Rm 8:3; 7:5+; Heb
4:15.”
c.
Rv 19:7-8 - …let us be glad and joyful and give
praise to God, because this is the time for the marriage of the Lamb.a
His bride is ready, and she has been able to dress herself in dazzling white
linen,b because her linen is made of the good deeds of the saints.Footnoteasays“The wedding of the Lamb symbolizes the
beginning of the heavenly kingdom described in 21:9f. See Ho 1:2+ and Ep
5:22-23+”; Footnote b says “Symbol
of victorious purity, a gift from God.”
d.
Rv 21:2,9-11 - I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
the heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husbandd (v.
2). One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls full of the seven last
plagues came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the bride
that the Lamb had married’ (v. 9). In the spirit, he took me to the top of an
enormous high mountain and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from
God out of heavenj(v. 10). It had all the radiant glory from God and
glittered like some precious jewel of crystal-clear diamond (v. 11).Footnote d
says “The new and joyful wedding of
Jerusalem and her God has taken place, cf. Is 65:18; 61:10; 62:4-6; the Exodus
ideal has at last been achieved, cf. Ho 2:16+”; Footnote j says“i.e. the renewal in these present, messianic
times; the transformation of humanity by an act of God.”
Verses 28, 29 and 30 say: In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own
bodies; for a man to love his wife is
for him to love himself.A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and
looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church. Because it is his
body – and we are its living parts.g Footnote g–says “Add. (Vulg.) ‘made from his flesh and blood’.
Parallel text is 1 Co 12:12 that says: Just as a human body, it is made up of many
parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so
it is with Christ.kFootnoteksays“The way a human body gives unity to all its
component parts is the way Christ, as a unifying principle of the Church, gives
unity to all Christians in his Body.”
Verse 31 says For
this reason, a man must leave his father and mother – and be joined to his
wife, and the two will become one body.
Parallel texts are:
a.
Gn 2:24 - This is why a man leaves father and
mother and joins himself to his wife, and they become one body.
b.
Mt 19:5 - …and that he said: this is why a man
must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one
body?
Verse 32 says: This
mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the
Church.h
Footnote hsays“Paul makes this Gn text a prophecy of the
marriage of Christ and the Church: a mystery, like that of the salvation of the
pagans, that has been hidden but is now revealed, cf. 1:9f; 3:3f.”
Parallel text is Rm 16:25
that says: DoxologyjGlory
to him who is able to give you the strengthk to live according to
the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of
a mysteryl kept secret for endless ages…Footnote jsays“Most authorities place this doxology here,
but in some it appears at the end of ch. 15 or 14; others omit. A solemn
presentation, cf. Ef 3:20; Jude 24-25, of the main points of the letter;
Footnote ksays ”Firmly grounded in doctrine and strong in Christian
practice. Cf. 1:11; 1 Th 3:2,13; 2 Th 2:17; 3:3; 1 Co 1:8; 2 Co 1:21; Col 2:7”;
Footnote lstates: “The idea of
a ‘mystery’ of wisdom, v. 27; 1 Co 2:7; Ep 3:10; Col 2:2-3, long hidden in God
and now revealed, v. 25; 1 Co 2:7,10; Ep 3:5,9f; Col 1:26, is borrowed by Paul
from Jewish apocalypse, Dn 2:18-19+, but he enriches the content of the term by
applying it to the climax of the history of salvation: the saving cross of
Christ, 1 Co 2:8; the call of the pagans, v. 26; Rm 11:25; Col 1:26-27; Ep 3:6,
to this salvation preached by Paul, v. 25; Col 1:23; 4:3; Ep 3:3-12; 6:19, and finally
the restoration of all things in Christ as their one head, Ep 1:9-10. See also
1 Co 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; 15:51; Ep 5:32; 2 Th 2:7; 1 Tm 3:9,16; 2 Tm 1:9-10; Mt
13:11p+; Rv 1:20; 10:7; 17:5,7.”
An online article “Lord, to whom shall we
go? (John 6:60-69),” from: anicecupofjesus.wordpress.com, posted in Lessons from the Bible by guidemesafelyhome:
“Life is hard. Things in life are hard. Many
of those times when things are too hard we simply get up, pack our things and
walk away. Desertion is a common response to take as soon as things get too
hairy, too prickly, too awkward or just too much effort.
“So many of Jesus’ disciples did just that on
the day described in John 6. Jesus’ teachings were hard and hit home in a way
that many of his followers simply could not digest. This man who claimed to be
the bread of life? This man who claimed to be God; the one who was promised?
Nope, too hard, we know this man! Making that leap of faith was just too much
effort for those who turned back that day.
Alas, there were some who did not turn away!
The Twelve, when asked if they would like to leave too, said what to me are
some of the most profound words in the Bible: “Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know
that you are the Holy One of God.”
Another online article by Terry
Trivette, “That’s a Good Question - The Difference in a Disciple and a
Deserter” from sermons.pastorlife.com:
“Toward the close
of John chapter 6, there is a sad and arresting verse. Verse 66 says, “From
that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” “Obviously
hurt by this defection, in verse 67, Jesus turned to the twelve original
disciples and said, “Will ye also go away?” “That’s a good question for all of
us. Will you go away as well? Will you finish your life as a disciple of Jesus
Christ, or a deserter of the faith you once claimed? “Look at our text, and
notice again verse 66. There it says, “From that time many of his disciples
went back…” In order to understand what led to this mass retreat, I think we
need to identify who these “many…disciples” were, and what it was that
initially drew them to follow Jesus.
“Very often those
abandon the faith in the end do so because they approached the faith in the
beginning for all of the wrong reasons. “There are those who come to Jesus as
an experiment. They are interested in Him to some degree, and they choose to
pursue Him on a sort of “trial basis”, curious of what He might do for them. “The
“many” in verse 66 can be traced back to the earlier parts of John 6. For
instance, look back with me at verse 2. There we read, “And a great multitude
followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were
diseased.”
“No doubt, some of
those who deserted the Lord in verse 66 were first drawn to Him out of a
curiosity about His power.These are the sign seekers.
“As we move
through chapter 6, we find the story of Jesus feeding the multitude…After this
miracle, Jesus escaped from the crowds, only to be pursued by them again. Look
with me in verse 26. There Jesus says to the crowd, “Ye seek me, not because ye
saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.”Here
is another group following Jesus. This group was looking not so much for miracles,
as for meals. They sought Jesus not so much for wonders, but for a sort of
religious welfare in which Jesus filled their stomach, and eased their hungers.
“This group
represents those who follow Jesus for purely selfish reasons. They try Him out
to see what He can offer them. As long as their bellies are full, and they feel
good, they will hang around.
“However, it is
likely that when Jesus begins to call them to a life sacrifice and
selflessness, they will turn their backs and walk away. Those who walked away
in verse 66, did so because Jesus had become difficult and demanding in their
lives, and they no longer enjoyed His company.What about you? Do you enjoy
Jesus? Notice a couple of things that are involved in enjoying Jesus. First of
all, to enjoy Jesus is to enjoy:Look back at the text, and notice verse 60.
There we read the people’s reaction to the sermon Jesus had preached. It says,
“Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an
hard saying; who can hear it?”
For some the harsh
truth that Jesus proclaims is too much. They grumble and complain about His
word, enduring, rather than enjoying what He says.In verse 67, Jesus looks
sorrowfully at the backs of those who were walking away, and He turns to His
disciples and asks, “Will ye also go away?”
To this Peter
responds for the group,“Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of
eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of
the living God.”For Peter, and the other disciples that remained, walking away
from Jesus was simply not an option. He was essential to their lives. Jesus
asked, “Are you going to leave too?” Peter answered Him, “Who else are we going
to follow? You have the words of eternal life.”
“The difference in
a disciple and a deserter is that the disciple believes that there is no truth
apart from Christ! His Word is the final word for their lives. Those that
walked away had been interested in Jesus to some degree. However, they walked
away from Him because they felt like they could do without Him.
How do you prevent
desertion from happening in your life? The answer is simple, follow Jesus, not
because of any peripheral or temporal thing, but simply because He is the only
hope for your life and your soul.”
“In
our text, we see both of these reactions.
Let’s set the scene: Jesus had
just finished the Bread of Life discourse...
It started with the feeding of the 5,000 when the people there wanted to
make Jesus their Bread King—an earthly king who could provide all that they
needed. Jesus used this opportunity to
focus their attention on the true king that he was, the one who provides what
is necessary for eternal life. This
teaching caused offense to many who were there.
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son
of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has
eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (vs. 53-54)” What caused offense was that Jesus was
connecting eternal life to himself.
Jesus was emphasizing that all who want eternal life must enter into a
personal relationship of faith with Him as the Son of God. They recognized that Jesus was calling
himself God and that eternal life came from him. But this they could not accept.
“And
Jesus understood this about them which is why he pressed them a little further,
“Does this offend you?” What offended
them was that they had come with different presuppositions. It was not the Father’s persuasion that
brought them to see Jesus. It was
materialist motives that veiled their eyes.
They couldn’t comprehend what Jesus was really saying to them because
his message was meant for their souls.
They were of the opinion their souls were fine, it was their bodies that
needed the help. Jesus pressed them even
further, “Would you believe if you saw me ascend into heaven?” And the answer is no. They were offended by Jesus’ teaching because
the cause of that offense was rooted in unbelief. They would not see Jesus as their Savior, the
spiritual king that he came to be. They refused to see it and eventually they
walked away, saddened and disheartened that they hadn’t found the king they
were looking for.
“God’s Word is offensive to some still in our world today. The common thought is that if you want good
conversations you avoid politics and religion. Both are charged topics. But religion especially, as we talk about
God’s Word, causes offense to people—even to us. By nature, we are offended at God’s Word. We
are told in scripture that our sinful minds are hostile to God. We want to be
our own gods or kings. We want things
our way. We want to make sure we take
care of our needs and what best benefits us. If God and his word can
help—great. But if not, then we want to
look somewhere else. When God’s word confronts our sin and tells us that we are
wrong, we are offended. “Who are you to
tell me what’s best for me?” This is the
attitude of our world. We want things to
be on our terms they way that we want them to be. And when we can’t have it our way, we are
offended. Not only do we have a hard
time when our sinful nature is offended by God’s word, we have a hard time when
others are offended by it. The
temptation today is not only for us to walk away from God’s Word, but to water
down God’s word so that others might not be offended by what God says.
“We
hear Peter speak on behalf of the disciples and confess beautifully the truth
of Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69
We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” There Peter sums the entire issue up. He brings us back to what Jesus is all about
and what is most important. Eternal
life. Eternal life is found in only one
place. Jesus. Really, what other choice is there? Where else could you go? If you are looking for eternal life—no
where. As the Holy One of God, Jesus
perfectly fulfilled the laws of God.
With his perfect sacrifice on Calvary Jesus bring life and forgiveness
to all.
“These are the words
that bring such joy and gladness to us.
These are the words that remind us what following Jesus is all
about. It is all about eternal life,
found in Jesus alone. And so to you I put forward this question, “To whom will
you go?”
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