Lesson #16

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JOHN 6:60-71
Lesson #16
THE TEST OF WORDS: The Chosen and the Choosing

• Memory verse: Joh 6:54

• A review of Joh 6:
• The organization of John 6 as the author wrote it, gives us a pattern in how God works:
• =1= First we saw the miracle of bread multiplied to feed a large multitude of people.(Joh 6:1-15)
• We discussed how that miracle, initiated by Jesus, had a specific purpose. It was to test the disciple’s faith by demonstrating to them exactly how faith worked.
• Faith requires proper focus and complete obedience.
• =2= Next we found the disciples in a storm on the Sea of Galilee without Jesus. This, too, was a test of their faith. (Joh 6:16-21)
• How would the 12 disciples handle a life and death experience without the presence of Jesus?
• Obviously, not very well. They were struggling on their own without success.
• Jesus appears to them walking on the water. Peter immediately recognizes that this was a test that the disciples miserably failed. He then suggests that he, too, can walk on water. By faith he steps out of the boat. But faith is weak, and he begins to sink.
• =3= Next there was Jesus’ teaching about the Bread of Life. (Joh 6:26-59)
• Would all those who followed Jesus believe His words?
• The next section of Joh 6 is the test that this lesson will cover…a test of His words. (Joh 6:60-71)
• The Lord works in the same way with us as He did with the disciples:
• =1= God does a miracle and then tests who will believe that it was a miracle from God.
• Many people will explain away the miracle or consider it coincidence. They have just failed the test.
• =2= Then God permits some drastic event to occur in our lives.
• How will we handle it? Will we struggle with it in our own strength, or will we look to the Lord for help?
• =3= Next we discover something in God’s Word that challenges us.
• Will we believe His Word to the point where we will commit our lives to it?
• Jesus’ teaching:
• Jesus said He was the Bread of Eternal Life.
• Jesus said we need to eat the bread of his flesh and drink the cup of his blood.
• He referred to a one time event of personally identifying oneself with Jesus Christ’s crucifixion by being born again.
• He referred to a continual act of personally identifying oneself with Jesus Christ through:
• Holy Communion.
• Reading the Word of God
• Many of Jesus’ followers, including the disciples, found Jesus words very difficult because they were trying to understand it literally.

• Lea Jua 6:60-71

• “…this is an hard saying; who can hear it?”

(60)

• Many people who followed Jesus were very disturbed by His words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood.
• We know that Jesus was speaking spiritually and symbolically when he spoke about the Bread of Life. He says in verse 63, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
• It is interesting that the Jews symbolically eat the bread that represents Jesus Christ every time they celebrate the Passover.
• A piece of unleavened bread called the “Afikomen” represents the second member of the Holy Trinity. It is hidden and then eaten by the Jews. The Afikomen came to represent the Passover lamb after the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
• Why did Jesus speak such difficult words to understand?
• His purpose was to eliminate those who were only superficial believers and followed Him for the wrong reasons.
• His purpose was that people should count the cost of discipleship.
• Read Luk 14:28-33
• Jesus asked the people, “…doth this offend you?” (61)
• The word “offend” means = to ensnare, trap, or cause to stumble so as to lead one to fall away into unbelief.
• Many people stumble over Jesus just as did some of those who considered themselves disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Mat 11:6 says, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”
• “What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (62)
• No matter how many miracles people see Jesus do, some will never believe.
• The power that draws people to Christ:

• “…no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”

(64)

• No one can come to God except the Holy Spirit call him, and God calls all who are willing to come. And when we come to Him, the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts and enables us to receive Him.
• This is the great mystery of election and free will.
• It is God’s desire and will that all people would come to salvation in Jesus Christ. (1Tim 2:3-4)
• Because of God’s desire, He draws people to Christ. This is what we call pre-salvation illumination by the Holy Spirit:
• Isa 54:13 and Jer 32:31-34 speak of a universal illumination that would exist during the time of the Messiah. In the Old Testament age, illumination was isolated to the Jews, but in the New Testament age, this illumination would be generally expanded for all people.
• Read Joh 14:26 Read Joh 15:26 Read Joh 16:8, 13.
• Pre-salvation illumination is the work of the Holy Spirit.
• God chooses those who exercise their free will choice to receive Him.
• God never violates man’s free will. He will not reject anyone who chooses to come to Christ. Nor does He drag anyone into His kingdom who does not choose to come.
• The eternal choice:

• “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?”

(67)

• Jesus gives every person a choice, a choice to accept Him or a choice to reject Him.
• There were four responses to what Jesus told them about the Bread of Life:
• =1= The hostile religious leaders who knew the truth but would not receive Him.
• =2= The expanded group of disciples (other than the 12) that found it to difficult to follow Him and refused to have faith.
• =3= The eleven disciples and others not named that had faith and perseverance to follow Him.
• =4= Judas, the one who saw all these things, stayed with Jesus, but chose to betray Him.
• “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

(69)

• This is Peter’s statement of faith in Christ.
• Christ = the anointed one
• Son of the living God
• Peter may have thought he was speaking for all the 12 disciples when he declares his faith. However, there was Judas who did not have the faith of Peter.
• “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

(70)

• How do we explain verse 70?
• This verse tells us that Jesus chose the twelve disciples. As we have seen previously in the book of John, Jesus knew the hearts of men supernaturally. Did He not know the heart of Judas when He chose him? Certainly He did.
• Then why did He choose a man who was demon possessed and would finally betray Him?
• This is the big mystery, for we see Jesus give Judas numerous opportunities to repent, but the evil in Judas’ heart remained steadfast.
• All the while that Judas walked with the group of the 12 disciples, Jesus knew Judas would betray Him.
• However, we never see Jesus confront Judas with what He knew. Why?
• To better understand the choosing of Judas, requires an understanding of Bible prophecy.
• There are scriptures in the Old Testament that tell us one close to Jesus would betray Him. (Psalms 41:9)
• Jesus needed to fulfill all the prophecies concerning His first coming to earth.
• It is by the fulfillment of all these prophecies that we know that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah.
• However, even though prophecy was determined to be fulfilled, it is not prophecy in itself that determines the fulfillment. It is the evil in men’s hearts that determine the outcome.
• Judas had a choice up to the last moment of betrayal.
• At the last supper, Jesus offered Judas an opportunity to repent. (Joh 13:26-27)

• Summary:
• The basic message in this chapter is Jesus, the Bread of Life.
• To what characteristics in His nature did Jesus refer when He said that He was the bread of life?
• Bread is the basic requirement of man for physical life.
• Jesus is the basic requirement of man for eternal life.
• Bread must be eaten daily to live.
• Man needs to feed on the Words of Jesus daily to gain spiritual nourishment to live the Christian life.
• Bread satisfies physical hunger.
• Jesus satisfies spiritual hunger.There is nothing more that we need.
• Bread does no one any good unless it is eaten and digested.
• To have a close relationship with Jesus, we must feed on His Word and digest it.
• What do we learn in Joh 6 about man’s basic nature?
• Basic human nature looks for selfish satisfaction in material things.
• Some people followed Jesus for the miracles and the free bread.
• Basic human nature has difficulty looking beyond the physical world in which we live.
• What do we learn about God, the Father from Joh 6?
• God, the Father, put His seal of approval on Jesus, His Son. (27)
• God, the Father, expects us to believe in Jesus. (29)
• God, the Father, sent Jesus as the true bread from heaven. (32)
• God, the Father, has chosen all those that come to Jesus. (37, 44, 65)
• God’s will is that all who come to Jesus will be resurrected to eternal life. (39)
• Only Jesus has seen God, the Father. (46)
• God, the Father, is alive. (57)
• Application:
• To pass the test of God’s Words requires commitment.
• Are you willing, by your own free will, to believe God’s Word, commit yourself to it, and follow Jesus no matter what the cost?
• This is the big question posed at the end of Chapter 6, of which many were not willing, even though God had chosen to enlighten them.
• Therefore, we have learned in this chapter:
• Faith requires a correct focus (Jesus Christ).
• Faith requires obedience to Jesus’ words.
• Faith requires that we cease struggling to do things our way.
• Faith requires that we exercise our free will to commit our way to Christ.

HOMEWORK
John 7:1-53
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joh 6:60-71
• How secure is your determination to follow Jesus to the end?
• If you are plagued with doubts and vacillations in your Christian walk, to what do you attribute your instability?
• Read Jam 1
• Pray and ask God to forgive you for your instability. Make a determination to read His Word daily so as to increase your faith.

• Preparation for Joh 7:1-53
• Read Joh 7:1-36
• Why does the world hate Jesus?
• What are the two conflicting reputations of Jesus? (10-13)
• What are the main points of Jesus’ teaching?
• Read Joh 7:37-52
• Exactly what do verses 38 and 39 mean?
• What do you learn about the Holy Spirit from this passage?
• Memory verse: John 7:29