This verse, John 6:60, refers to a point in Jesus' ministry where he had been teaching about himself as the "bread of life" and saying that people needed to "eat his flesh and drink his blood" to have eternal life (John 6:53-56). This teaching was metaphorical, but many of his disciples took it literally and found it shocking and difficult to accept.
Here's a breakdown of the verse's meaning:
"Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this...": This indicates that a significant number of people who were following Jesus, not just casual observers, had a problem with what he was saying.
"...said, 'This is a hard saying!'": The word "hard" here means something that is difficult to understand, difficult to accept, offensive, or even scandalous. They found Jesus' words challenging to their understanding and potentially offensive to their religious sensibilities. Cannibalism would have been particularly abhorrent to Jewish listeners.
"'Who can listen to it?'": This is a rhetorical question that expresses their rejection of what Jesus was saying. It implies that they found the teaching so objectionable that they couldn't bear to continue listening to it. It signifies a turning point where they decided that Jesus' teachings were too much for them to handle.
In summary, John 6:60 illustrates:
The challenge of Jesus' teachings: Jesus' message often challenged people's preconceived notions and comfortable beliefs.
The separation caused by Jesus: Not everyone was willing to accept Jesus' teachings, and his words often led to division and a sorting out of those who truly believed.
The importance of spiritual understanding: Jesus' words were not meant to be taken literally, but understood in a spiritual sense. Those who lacked this understanding stumbled over his teachings.
This verse sets the stage for the subsequent verses where many of these disciples abandon Jesus, highlighting the importance of faith and understanding the deeper meaning behind Jesus' words.
This verse, John 6:60, refers to a point in Jesus' ministry where he had been teaching about himself as the "bread of life" and saying that people needed to "eat his flesh and drink his blood" to have eternal life (John 6:53-56). This teaching was metaphorical, but many of his disciples took it literally and found it shocking and difficult to accept.
Here's a breakdown of the verse's meaning:
"Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this...": This indicates that a significant number of people who were following Jesus, not just casual observers, had a problem with what he was saying.
"...said, 'This is a hard saying!'": The word "hard" here means something that is difficult to understand, difficult to accept, offensive, or even scandalous. They found Jesus' words challenging to their understanding and potentially offensive to their religious sensibilities. Cannibalism would have been particularly abhorrent to Jewish listeners.
"'Who can listen to it?'": This is a rhetorical question that expresses their rejection of what Jesus was saying. It implies that they found the teaching so objectionable that they couldn't bear to continue listening to it. It signifies a turning point where they decided that Jesus' teachings were too much for them to handle.
In summary, John 6:60 illustrates:
The challenge of Jesus' teachings: Jesus' message often challenged people's preconceived notions and comfortable beliefs.
The separation caused by Jesus: Not everyone was willing to accept Jesus' teachings, and his words often led to division and a sorting out of those who truly believed.
The importance of spiritual understanding: Jesus' words were not meant to be taken literally, but understood in a spiritual sense. Those who lacked this understanding stumbled over his teachings.
This verse sets the stage for the subsequent verses where many of these disciples abandon Jesus, highlighting the importance of faith and understanding the deeper meaning behind Jesus' words.
