11 Pentecost
John 6:60-71
Today's Gospel reading is the final section of chapter six of John's Gospel. As the entire chapter is interconnected it is worthwhile to refresh briefly what
has already occurred over the previous, eventful 24 hours in the life of Jesus that this chapter narrates.
In scene one, you will recall, Jesus is with his disciples on the Eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. Pilgrims are making their way to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. It is these families that form much of the large crowd that gathers to hear Jesus teach. When it becomes clear that the crowds are hungry and have nothing to eat, Jesus feeds upwards of 20,000 with five barely loaves and 2 fish provided by a young boy. In surpassing the feeding miracles of Elijha and Elisha are well as recalling the feeding of the people of Israel in the wilderness with mana, Jesus highlights that he is the long-awaited Messiah – and more.
In scene two Jesus sends his disciples in their fishing boat back across the Sea to Capernaum while he remains behind. When a big storm comes up as the disciples are rowing against the wind and waves in the middle of the sea and in great peril, Jesus comes to them – walking on the water – and brings them suddenly and safely to their destination. By showing his power over the wind and the waves, and by surpassing Moses and Elisha, who simply parted water, Jesus again shows that he is not just the Messiah but the one who commands the seas because he is their creator.
In scene three Jesus has arrived the next morning at Capernaum on the other side of the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. He goes to the synagogue, and is soon followed there by some of those who had experienced the feeding of the multitude, and who hac taken boats across the sea the next morning after the storm had subsided. They ask Jesus how he had gotten there before them, as they knew he was not on the boat with his disciples. The words of Jesus that follow are part of his teaching in the synagogue with based on the two Scripture texts for that season of Passover, one from the Pentateuch and the other the Prophets. The Pentateuch text was about God feeding the people mana from heaven. The people wonder if Jesus will feed them again. Or provide food every day, like in the time of Moses. Jesus explains that if they are looking for mana, or bread from heaven, then they need look no further. He is the bread from heaven. Then he says the shocking and astounding words that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood will have eternal life. For John's readers, decades later, this will make sense in light of the regular celebration of the Lord's Supper. But for the congregation that day in the synagogue in Capernaum, it was a shocking statement.
In the final scene in this series, which we have just heard today, Jesus appears to have left the synagogue and is now speaking to his disciples. Many who were following him have walked away. What he said was simply too radical and crazy. The disciples are arguing among themselves about what Jesus means and how they should respond. Jesus knows what they are talking about and challenges them: 'Are you also planning on leaving me?' he asks. It is a confronting question. And it comes on top of perhaps the most eventful 24 hours they have spent with Jesus.
It is at this point that Peter makes his famous confession of faith in Jesus. It is this confession that draws together not only this scene, but the entire sequence of miracles and teaching of Jesus in this chapter.
And this is what Peter says in response to Jesus:
'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!' (verses 68-69).
Many of you will be familiar with the first part of Peter's confession. These words are traditionally song in the Western liturgy before the reading the Gospel. Singing these words of Peter before we hear the Gospel reading remind us that it is in the words of Jesus that we find eternal life.
But what is Peter actually saying?
The context of his confession, remember, is the shocking and confusing teaching of Jesus that he is the bread from heaven, and that only in eating his flesh and drinking his blood can we have eternal life. At best it was an impossible statement. But claiming to be from heaven was claiming deity, which was blasphemy. And talking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood – well, we don't even need to start to explain the problems associated with these words. So it is no surprise that many who had begun to follow Jesus now decide that they had had enough and leave.
When Jesus sees that his inner circle of twelve are also concerned and confused by his words he does not come to them to explain what he meant. He doesn't try to salvage the situation and get them back on side. Instead, he asks them if they, too, now plan to leave.
And it is to this that Peter responds: 'Just where would be go?' asks.
Some years ago my wife and I were travelling in the rural South Australia and decided to spend the night at a small caravan park. We asked the woman at the park office where she would recommend we eat tea that night. The local hotel, she said, just down the end of the main street. Is the food good there, we asked. It's okay, she said. What are our options we asked. Well, if you want to wait 'til morning there's a café across the road. But if you want to eat tonight, there's just the hotel. So the hotel it was. There wasn't any other option.
That's perhaps a bit how the disciples felt. At the moment was Jesus was offering was looking very difficult. But there was no other choice. There was no other way to peace with God and eternal life. Jesus was their only option.
It was no longer necessary for the disciples to have an explanation from Jesus about what he meant or what he was doing for them to stay with him. They were committed to him. They knew who he was and what he offered. They understood, at last, that they do not need to understand everything he says in order to trust him.
This confession from Peter is a confession of true faith. The disciples do not choose to continue to follow Jesus because he has persuaded them by force of argument. They do not choose to follow Jesus because what he says makes sense. They do not choose to follow Jesus because he feeds them. They do not choose to follow Jesus because what he says impresses the crowed.
They choose now to follow Jeus even when what he says is confusing and impossible. They choose to follow Jesus even when others fall away. They choose to follow Jesus because they trust him.
And the reason for this trust can be seen in the second part of Peter's confession: 'We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'
There is something of a parallel to this account in John in the synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In these Gospels Jesus asks the disciples who they say that he is, and it is again Peter who speaks for the twelve and says, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.' It is a strong confession of Jesus as Messiah.
But what we have in John's Gospel is a much stronger statement. Consistent with the theme that has been running through his Gospel, John wants to make it clear that Jesus in not just the Messiah. He is God himself. And this confession of Peter shows the conclusion to be drawn from the two big miracles they had just witnessed as well as from Jesus' claim that he himself was the bread from heaven.
Jesus, Peter confesses, is the Holy One of God. Only God is holy. Peter is saying that the disciples have come to not just believe, but to know, that is, to be certain beyond any doubt, that Jesus is God. And it is Jesus alone and his teaching that offers them eternal life.
There are no other options.
So for Peter and the disciples there is no choice. No matter how difficult things might be, no matter how difficult Jesus' teaching might seem, how can they do anything other than follow him.
Peter's words demonstrate what true faith looks like. Last week we saw in the previous text that many of those who were in the synagogue that day in Capernaum wanted to follow Jesus in the hope that he would continue to feed them, providing for their physical needs. Another group wanted more miracles. They wanted to be entertained, to be constantly amazed as a condition of following Jesus. But Jesus pointed out that that is not what true faith in him looks like.
Peter's confession that shows us what true faith looks like. It is believing and knowing that Jesus is the Messiah. That Jesus is God and Creator. It is trusting Jesus so completely that we will follow him no matter what happens. Our faith does not depend on his feeding us. It does not depend on his providing always more miracles. And it does not depend on our ability to understand what he is teaching or doing. Our faith simply depends on Jesus, and our unconditional trust in him.
'Lord, to whom else could we go. You alone have the words that bring eternal life. You alone are the Messiah, the Holy One of God.'
Amen
Pastor Mark Worthing.
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