John 6:60-71 – Many Disciples Turn Away
Quick Summary
In John 6:60–71, many of Jesus’ disciples find his teaching about eating his flesh and drinking his blood too difficult and walk away. Yet Peter voices faith: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” This passage confronts us with the cost of discipleship, the challenge of faith, and the hope found only in Jesus.
Introduction
The Bread of Life discourse has been building toward this moment. Jesus has fed the five thousand (John 6:1–15), walked on water (John 6:16–21), and declared that he himself is the bread from heaven (John 6:22–59). Now the crowd must respond. Will they accept Jesus’ hard teaching, or will they fall away?
This section is sobering. It shows that following Jesus is not simply about enjoying miracles or receiving bread, but about believing in him as the one who gives eternal life. Many disciples turn back, but a few remain. In Peter’s confession we hear the heartbeat of faith: there is nowhere else to go but Jesus.
John 6:60
“When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’” (John 6:60)
The crowd has reached its breaking point. Jesus’ words about eating his flesh and drinking his blood (John 6:53–58) are offensive and incomprehensible to them. In the Jewish world, consuming blood was forbidden (Leviticus 17:10–14), so Jesus’ imagery is shocking.
The word “difficult” here suggests not only intellectual challenge but moral offense. The teaching feels unbearable, scandalous. Many who had followed Jesus for his miracles now face the real cost of discipleship. Their reaction reminds us that true faith requires more than admiration—it requires surrender.
John 6:61–62
“But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?’” (John 6:61–62)
Jesus presses the point. If his teaching offends them, what will they do when they see the Son of Man ascending to heaven? His exaltation—through the cross, resurrection, and ascension—will be even more demanding to accept.
Here John hints at the paradox: the very scandal of Jesus’ teaching becomes the pathway to glory. What seems offensive in the present will be revealed as salvation in the future. The Son of Man imagery recalls Daniel 7, where one like a son of man receives authority from God. Jesus claims that role, linking his mission to divine authority and eternal life.
John 6:63
“It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63)
Jesus clarifies: he is not speaking about cannibalism but about spiritual reality. It is the Spirit that gives life. The flesh, apart from the Spirit, cannot save. His words themselves carry the Spirit and bring life.
This verse unlocks the meaning of the Bread of Life discourse. Eating his flesh and drinking his blood is a way of speaking about believing in him, receiving his life, and abiding in him. Faith is not a matter of grasping with human reason (“the flesh”) but of receiving through the Spirit. This anticipates the role of the Spirit later in John’s Gospel (John 14:26).
John 6:64–65
“But among you there are some who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’” (John 6:64–65)
Faith is both human response and divine gift. Jesus emphasizes that no one can come unless the Father draws them (John 6:44). Belief is not ultimately about human effort but about God’s grace.
The mention of betrayal introduces Judas, who appears in this chapter for the first time. Judas’ presence among the disciples reminds us that outward following does not always equal inward faith. The line between belief and unbelief runs close to home.
John 6:66
“Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.” (John 6:66)
This is one of the saddest verses in John’s Gospel. Many who had followed Jesus, who had seen the signs and eaten the bread, now walk away. Their discipleship was shallow, built on signs and wonders rather than true faith.
The reality is sobering: not everyone who starts the journey with Jesus finishes it. Faith is tested not in the excitement of miracles but in the endurance of hard teaching. This theme connects with Revelation’s call to overcome and endure (Revelation 2–3).
John 6:67–69
“So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’” (John 6:67–69)
Jesus turns to the twelve. Will they leave too? Peter’s response is one of the most beautiful confessions of faith in Scripture. He recognizes that there is nowhere else to turn. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life.
Peter’s confession echoes the themes of 1 John, where eternal life is grounded in the Son (1 John 5:11–13). Belief is not just intellectual agreement but trust that Jesus alone gives life. Calling him “the Holy One of God” affirms Jesus’ divine mission and identity.
John 6:70–71
“Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.’ He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.” (John 6:70–71)
The chapter closes with tension. Even among the twelve, betrayal lurks. Judas is chosen yet will betray. John sets the stage for the drama to come, reminding us that not all who are outwardly close to Jesus truly believe.
This ending forces us to reflect: discipleship is not guaranteed by proximity, but by faith. The line between faith and unbelief runs even through the inner circle. Jesus knows this and still moves forward toward the cross.
John 6:60–71 Meaning for Today
This passage confronts us with the reality that following Jesus is costly. Many turned away because his teaching was too hard. We too are tempted to walk away when the Gospel challenges our comfort or offends our sensibilities.
But Peter’s confession calls us back: “Lord, to whom can we go?” In a world full of temporary satisfactions and false saviors, only Jesus offers eternal life. Faith means clinging to him when we don’t fully understand, trusting that his words are spirit and life.
This text also warns us against shallow discipleship. It is possible to follow for a time, to enjoy the blessings, and still fall away. True discipleship endures because it is grounded in the Father’s gift and anchored in Jesus, the Holy One of God.
FAQ: John 6:60–71
Why did many disciples leave Jesus?
They found his teaching about eating his flesh and drinking his blood too difficult and offensive, and they could not accept the deeper spiritual meaning.
What does Jesus mean by “the flesh is useless”?
He means that human effort alone cannot bring eternal life. Only the Spirit gives life, and his words are spirit and life.
What is the significance of Peter’s confession?
Peter affirms that only Jesus has the words of eternal life. His confession models true discipleship—trusting Jesus even when his teaching is difficult.
Why is Judas mentioned here?
John introduces Judas to show that even among the twelve there is unbelief. This heightens the drama and foreshadows the betrayal to come.
Sources / Further Reading
Raymond E. Brown, John (AYB), John 6
D. A. Carson, John (PNTC), John 6
Gail R. O’Day, John (NIB), John 6
Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of John, John 6
Andreas J. Köstenberger, John (BECNT), John 6
Related Content
John 6:1–15 – Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand (beginning of the Bread of Life chapter)
1 John 5:11–12 – Faith in the Son of God (eternal life grounded in the Son, resonating with Peter’s confession)
Revelation 2–3 – The Theme of Overcoming in Revelation (endurance and faith contrasted with falling away)
