John 6:61- 61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Does this scandalize you ? 62Then what if you see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no benefit. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
We get another glimpse of Jesus’ divinity in verse 61 with Jesus knowing what the disciples were thinking and saying among themselves (see also 1:47–48; 2:24–25). This knowledge was more than observation that people can make about a situation. It was deep perception of the disbelief of many of the people who had been following him. They would not come to the point of commitment. They liked what they could get out of Jesus but were unwilling to count the cost of faith. The word scandalize comes directly from the Greek and can have the nuance of to shock or make one stumble. What Jesus said did not fit well with the thinking of the people who had been following him around even from the other side of the lake.
The crowd consisted of Jews, disciples, and the twelve apostles. Each appeared to have different motives but all heard the same words. Jesus had talked about coming down from heaven. In verse 62, he mentions ascending to heaven. He came to earth to share the truth and would return to where he came from once his mission was over. Even if these people saw Jesus be exalted, they would not believe. The great scandal will be when Jesus is lifted on the cross. How would the disciples respond to that? They had to make a decision now that would confirm their faith which would be severely tested in the future.
Verse 63 gives a hint as to the real problem with those following Jesus. This verse once again merges many key themes discussed thus far in John. The people were relying on the flesh and their earthly thinking. Jesus repeats the theme from chapter 3 that the Holy Spirit is the source of life. Believing in Jesus allows the Holy Spirit to bring new life to us. The phrase spirit and life echoes the phrase “spirit and truth” from 4:23-24. There is a play on the Greek word for spirit (pneuma). Just like in Genesis 2:7, God’s breath (ruah; wind or spirit) brings life. What specifically gives breath and life are Jesus’ words. He speaks the truth. Those who accept and believe in his words receive spiritual breath and eternal life. He already promised that God would give his Spirit in unlimited measure to those who believe (3:34).
When Jesus ascends, he will send the Spirit to bring life to those who follow him. Those following Jesus had the make the most important decision of their lives. Would they believe Jesus’ words about himself or would they choose to follow their own intellectual and humanistic thinking? Many people today are scandalized by the claims about Jesus. These claims can bring abundant and eternal life to those who believe in them. The other strong message in John’s Gospel thus far is that those who reject them face God’s judgment.
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