Discipleship by Default
TRANSLATION
(60) When many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (61) Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? (62) What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? (63) It is the spirit that gives life. The flesh counts for nothing. The words which I have spoken to you are full of the spirit and life. (64) Yet some of you do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the start who would not believe and who would betray him). (65) Then he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father enables him.”
(66) After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (67) So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” (68) Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, (69) and we have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (70) Jesus responded, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” (71) He was speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he, one of the twelve, who would betray him.
OBSERVATIONS
Peter’s assertion of fidelity in this passage strongly reminds us of his confession of Jesus’ deity at Caesarea Philippi (Mt. 16:16). In each case he was the first of the disciples to respond to Jesus’ direct questioning. Again, in this passage, the key words become apparent by repetition. “Disciples” occurred three times (vss. 60, 61, & 66) along with three mentions of “the twelve” (vss. 67, 70, & 71). “Spirit” was paired twice with “life” (vs. 63), as well as “eternal life” (vs. 68). We find “believe(d)” three times (vss. 64 & 69) and “betray” twice (vss. 64 & 71). One final repetition, “go away” paired with “go,” indicated that many of Jesus’ disciples had decided to leave him because of this difficult teaching (vss. 67 & 68).
OUTLINE
I. Those who were offended by Jesus’ strong words left him. (60-66)
II. The twelve boldly committed themselves to continue as his disciples. (67-71)
IDEA STATEMENT
While many left Jesus because they could not accept his teaching, the twelve committed themselves to continue with him because they had no better teacher to follow.
APPLICATION
“Discipleship by default” may not sound like an attractive title for this segment, but sometimes that may be all that we have left in the most trying moments of our relationship with the Lord. Peter captured the essence of what he and the other disciples were feeling at that confusing moment: “Where else shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Those who have committed themselves to following Jesus will inevitably experience moments of doubt and difficulty, trials and temptations, hardship and distress. At such times, thoughts like “Where else can I go? What other options do I have?” can be strangely comforting and encouraging when others are turning away because of the frustrations and difficulties involved in the life of discipleship. When we realize that we have no viable alternatives to pursue, our commitment to the one who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” becomes an essential, irreplaceable part of our lives. We find ourselves in the company of other realists who are following Jesus not because of some starry-eyed idealism but because no one else offers a better alternative.