Picture: The Crisis in Galilee 3TC 244.1
This chapter is based on John 6:22-71.
Christ knew that a turning point in His history was reached. Multitudes who wanted to exalt Him to the throne today would turn from Him tomorrow. Disappointment of their selfish ambition would turn love to hatred and praise to curses. 3TC 244.2
Yet Jesus did not try to avoid the crisis. From the beginning He had held out no hope of earthly rewards. Many of those now connected with Him had been attracted by hope of a worldly kingdom. These must be undeceived. 3TC 244.3
Early the next morning, the people flocked to Bethsaida in great numbers. Those who had left Jesus the preceding night returned, expecting to find Him still there, for there had been no boat by which He could pass to the other side. But their search was fruitless. 3TC 244.4
Meanwhile, He had arrived at the Sea of Galilee after an absence of only one day. Those who had come from Bethsaida learned from His disciples how He had crossed the lake. The disciples faithfully recounted everything to the astonished crowd: the fury of the storm, the many hours of adverse winds, Christ walking on water, His reassuring words, the adventure of Peter, the sudden quieting of the storm, and the landing of the boat. But many were not content with this and hoped to receive from Christ’s own lips a further account of the miracle. 3TC 245.1
Jesus did not gratify their curiosity. He sadly said, “You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life.” Do not look just for material benefit, but for spiritual food. 3TC 245.2
For the moment, this awakened the interest of the hearers. “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Their question meant, “What shall we do that we may deserve heaven? What price are we required to pay in order to obtain the life to come?” 3TC 245.3
Jesus answered, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” The price of heaven is Jesus. The way to heaven is through faith in the Lamb of God. 3TC 245.4
Jesus had done the very work that prophecy had foretold the Messiah would do, but the people had not seen what their selfish hopes had pictured as His work. In the days of Moses, Israel had been fed with manna forty years, and they expected far greater blessings from the Messiah. Why could Jesus not give health, strength, and riches to all His people, free them from their oppressors, and exalt them to power and honor? He claimed to be the One sent from God, yet He refused to be Israel’s King. This was a mystery they could not fathom. Did He dare not assert His claims because He Himself doubted the divine character of His mission? 3TC 245.5
Half-mockingly a rabbi questioned: “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ 3TC 246.1
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven.’” The Giver of the manna was standing among them. Christ Himself had led the Hebrews and had fed them daily with the bread from heaven. That food was a symbol of the real Bread from heaven. The life-giving Spirit is the true Manna. “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 3TC 246.2
Still thinking it was physical food, some exclaimed, “Lord, give us this bread always.” Jesus then spoke plainly, “I am the bread of life.” 3TC 246.3
Moses had said, “Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3. And Jeremiah had written, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” Jeremiah 15:16. The teaching of the prophets made plain the spiritual lesson in the miracle of the loaves. If Christ’s hearers in the synagogue had understood the Scriptures, they would have understood His words, “I am the bread of life.” As the multitude had received physical strength from the bread He had given them the day before, so they could receive spiritual strength from Christ for eternal life. “He who comes to Me,” He said, “shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” But he added, “You have seen Me and yet do not believe.” 3TC 246.4
They had seen Christ by the witness of the Holy Spirit, by the revelation of God to their hearts. The living evidences of His power had been before them day after day, yet they asked for still another sign. If they were not convinced by what they had seen and heard, it was useless to show them more marvelous works. Unbelief will always find excuse for doubt and will explain away the most positive proof. 3TC 246.5
Again Christ appealed to those stubborn hearts: “The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” All who received Him in faith, He said, would have eternal life. No longer did people need to mourn in hopeless grief over their dead. “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 3TC 247.1
But the leaders were offended. “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Referring scornfully to Jesus’ lowly origin, with contempt they alluded to His family as being poor and lowly. The claims of this uneducated Carpenter, they said, were unworthy of their attention. Because of His mysterious birth, they insinuated that He was of doubtful parentage. 3TC 247.2
Jesus did not attempt to explain the mystery of His birth, as He had given no answer to the questions about His crossing the sea. Voluntarily He had made Himself of no reputation and taken the form of a servant. But His words and works revealed His character. 3TC 247.3
The prejudice of the Pharisees grew out of the stubbornness of their hearts. Every word and act of Jesus made them angry, for the spirit they cherished could find no answering chord in Him. 3TC 247.4
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. ... It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” None will ever come to Christ except those who respond to the drawing of the Father’s love. But God is drawing all hearts to Him, and only those who resist His drawing will refuse to come to Christ. Those who had learned from God had been listening to His Son, and they would recognize in Jesus of Nazareth the One who had declared the Father. 3TC 247.5
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” And Jesus said, “I will raise him up at the last day.” Christ became one flesh with us so that we could become one spirit with Him. As a result of this union, we will come out from the grave, because through faith His life has become ours. Those who see Christ and receive Him into the heart have everlasting life. Through the Spirit, Christ dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received by faith, is the beginning of eternal life. 3TC 247.6
The manna that the fathers ate in the wilderness did not prevent their death nor insure immortality, but the bread of heaven would feed the soul for everlasting life. The Savior said, “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.” Only through dying could Christ give life to us, and He points to His death as the means of salvation: “The bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” 3TC 248.1
The Jews did not recognize the Lord’s body in the symbol of the Passover lamb. The words of Christ taught the same truth, but the people still did not recognize it. 3TC 248.2
Now the rabbis exclaimed angrily, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” To some extent they understood Jesus’ meaning, but by misinterpreting His words, they hoped to prejudice the people against Him. 3TC 248.3
Christ repeated the truth in even stronger language. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” 3TC 248.4
What food is to the body, Christ must be to the soul. Food cannot benefit us unless it becomes a part of our being. And spiritually, a theoretical knowledge will do us no good. We must feed upon Christ. We must assimilate His life, His love, His grace. 3TC 248.5
“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” Jesus was surrendered to the will of God so fully that the Father alone appeared in His life. Although tempted in all points as we are, He stood untainted by the evil that surrounded Him. In the same way, we also are to overcome as Christ overcame. 3TC 248.6
Are you a follower of Christ? Then by uniting yourself to Jesus you may attain all that the Bible promises concerning the spiritual life. Has your first love grown cold? Accept the love of Christ again. Eat of His flesh, drink of His blood, and you will become one with the Father and with the Son. 3TC 248.7
By ritual law, the Jews were forbidden to taste blood, and they now twisted Christ’s language into sacrilegious speech. Even many of the disciples said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” 3TC 249.1
The Savior answered them: “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” 3TC 249.2
The life of Christ that gives life to the world is in His word. By His word Jesus healed disease and cast out demons; by His word He stilled the sea and raised the dead. The whole Bible is a revelation of Christ, and the Savior wanted to fasten the faith of His followers on the Word. When His visible presence would be withdrawn, the Word must be the source of their power. 3TC 249.3
As food sustains our physical life, so the Word of God sustains our spiritual life. As we must eat for ourselves, so we must receive the Word for ourselves. We should carefully study the Bible, asking God for the Holy Spirit’s aid so that we may understand His Word. We should take one verse, discover the thought God has put in that verse for us, and dwell on the thought until it becomes our own. 3TC 249.4
In His promises and warnings, Jesus means me. God so loved the world that He gave His Son, that I by believing in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life. The experiences related in God’s Word are to be my experiences. Prayer and promise are mine. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. As faith thus absorbs the principles of truth, they become a part of the being and the ruling power of the life. The Word molds the thoughts and enters into the development of character. 3TC 249.5
God will make precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people. As they feed on His Word, they find it is spirit and life. The Word destroys the natural, earthly nature and gives a new life in Christ. The Holy Spirit comes as a Comforter. By God’s grace, the disciple becomes a new creature. Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the divine likeness. This is eating the Bread that comes down from heaven. 3TC 250.1
Christ knew the character of those who claimed to be His disciples, and His words tested their faith. He declared that they were to believe and act on His teaching and be molded in His character. This involved relinquishing their cherished ambitions. It required complete surrender to Jesus. They were called to become self-sacrificing, meek and humble in heart, to walk in the narrow path traveled by the Man of Calvary. 3TC 250.2
The test was too great. The enthusiasm of those who had wanted to take Jesus by force and make Him King grew cold. This speech had opened their eyes. No earthly rewards would come from connection with Him. They had welcomed His miracle-working power but would not come into agreement with His self-sacrificing life. If He would not regain their freedom from the Romans, they would have nothing to do with Him. 3TC 250.3
Jesus told them plainly, “There are some of you who do not believe,” adding, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” If they were not drawn to Him, it was because their hearts were not open to the Holy Spirit. 3TC 250.4
By His public rebuke of their unbelief, these disciples were still further alienated from Jesus. Wanting to wound the Savior and gratify the hatred of the Pharisees, they turned their backs on Him and left Him with disdain. They had made their choice; they did not walk with Jesus any more. 3TC 250.5
By the words of truth, the chaff was being separated from the wheat. See Matthew 3:12. Many turned away because they were too self-righteous to receive reproof. People are tested today as those disciples were in the synagogue at Capernaum. When truth comes home to the heart, they see the need of an entire change but are not willing to take up the self-denying work. They go away offended, complaining, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” 3TC 250.6
When the crowds follow and the multitudes are fed and people are shouting in triumph, their voices are loud in praise. But when God’s Spirit reveals sin and calls them to leave it, they turn their backs on the truth. 3TC 251.1
As those alienated disciples turned away, a different spirit took control of them. They could see nothing attractive in Christ whom they had once found so interesting. They misinterpreted His words, falsified His statements, and attacked His motives, gathering up every item that they could turn against Him. These false reports stirred up such indignation that His life was in danger. 3TC 251.2
The news spread swiftly that by His own admission Jesus of Nazareth was not the Messiah. This caused the popular feeling in Galilee to turn against Him, as it had turned in Judea the year before. Israel rejected their Savior because they wanted the food that perishes, not that which endures to everlasting life. 3TC 251.3
With a yearning heart, Jesus saw His former disciples leave. His compassion was unappreciated, His love unreturned, His salvation rejected—these things filled Him with inexpressible sorrow. Such developments as these made Him “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Isaiah 53:3. 3TC 251.4
Without attempting to stop those who were leaving, Jesus turned to the Twelve and said, “Do you also want to go away?” 3TC 251.5
Peter replied by asking, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 3TC 251.6
“To whom shall we go?” The disciples had found more peace and joy since they had accepted Christ than in all their previous lives. How could they go back to those who scorned and persecuted the Friend of sinners? 3TC 251.7
“To whom shall we go?” To the darkness of unbelief, the wickedness of the world? Peter expressed the faith of the disciples—“You are the Christ.” To be without a Savior was to be adrift on a dark and stormy sea. 3TC 252.1
Every word and act of Jesus had its definite purpose in the work of our redemption. While we cannot now comprehend the ways of God, we can recognize His great love that motivates all His dealings with humanity. He who lives near to Jesus will recognize the mercy that tests the character and brings to light the intentions of the heart. 3TC 252.2
Jesus knew what would be the result of His words. He foresaw that His agony in Gethsemane, His betrayal and crucifixion, would be a most trying ordeal to His beloved disciples. If there had been no previous test, many who were driven by merely selfish motives would still have been with Jesus and the disciples. When their Lord was condemned, when the multitude who had hailed Him as their King hissed at Him and reviled Him, when the jeering crowd cried, “Crucify Him!”—these self-seeking ones, by renouncing their allegiance to Jesus, would have brought a bitter, heart-burdening sorrow on the disciples in addition to their grief and disappointment in seeing their dearest hopes dashed. The example of those who turned from Him might have carried others with them. But Jesus brought this crisis on while He could still strengthen the faith of His true followers by His personal presence. 3TC 252.3
Compassionate Redeemer! Knowing fully the doom that awaited Him, He tenderly smoothed the way for the disciples, preparing them for their greatest trial and strengthening them for the final test! 3TC 252.4
