But
there are some of you who don’t believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him. He said, “For this cause have I said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.” At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Jesus said therefore to the twelve, “You don’t also want to go away, do you?”
John 6:64-67
John 6 [60.] Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?”
John 6 [61.] But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to 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 are life. But there are some of you who don’t believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him. He said, “For this cause have I said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.”
John 6 [66.] At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Jesus said therefore to the twelve, “You don’t also want to go away, do you?”
John 6 [68.] Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Meaning:
Many of Jesus’ disciples had found his teaching on the bread of life “a hard saying,” and Jesus had told them, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life” (John 6:60-63). These verses describe a turning point. The crowd that had wanted to make Jesus king a day or two earlier now shrinks, and Jesus turns to the twelve with a searching question.
- “But there are some of you who don’t believe”
Jesus is speaking not to the hostile crowd but to his own disciples, the wider group who had been following him. Being among his followers did not guarantee faith. Some had followed because of the miracles or the free bread (John 6:26), and when his words became demanding, their lack of real trust was exposed.
- “Jesus knew from the beginning… who it was who would betray him”
John emphasises that Jesus was not surprised. He knew the hearts of all, as John says elsewhere: “he himself knew what was in man” (John 2:25). He even knew that one of the twelve would betray him, and he names this a few verses later (John 6:70-71). Jesus chose and loved Judas knowing what he would do. The betrayal was not a failure of Jesus’ insight but part of the path he willingly walked.
- “no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father”
Jesus repeats what he had said earlier: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). Unbelief among his followers does not mean God’s plan has failed. Coming to Christ is a gift of God’s grace. This does not excuse unbelief, for Jesus also says that those who refuse him are responsible for not coming (John 5:40). Both truths stand side by side in John’s Gospel.
- “many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him”
In Jesus’ day disciples literally walked with their teacher from place to place. To “go back” was to give up following him. These were not casual listeners but people who had once committed themselves to him. Jesus’ parable of the sower describes such people: they “receive it with joy. They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived” (Mark 4:16-17). The cost of following Jesus can cause some to turn back. Jesus said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom” (Luke 9:62).
- “You don’t also want to go away, do you?”
Jesus did not run after the departing crowd or change his message to win them back. Instead he turned to the twelve and gave them the freedom to leave too. The question is gentle: the form of the Greek expects the answer “No.” Jesus invites them to declare their loyalty, and Peter answers for them all: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Peter’s confession here is John’s counterpart to his confession at Caesarea Philippi in the other Gospels (Mark 8:29; Matthew 16:16).
The Significance of John 6:64-67
- Popularity is not the measure of truth
Jesus lost many followers because he would not soften the truth. Churches and Christians today can be tempted to change the message to keep people. Jesus shows that faithfulness to God’s word matters more than numbers.
- The call to remain
Jesus said, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31). Faith is not only beginning to follow but continuing to follow, especially when his words are hard. Each believer faces Jesus’ question: will you also go away?
Cross-References:
Mark 4:17: "They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble." Those who fall away.
Luke 9:62: "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom." Following Jesus without turning back.
John 8:31: "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples." True discipleship continues.
John 6:68: "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life." Peter’s reply to Jesus’ question.
Conclusion: Jesus told his followers that some of them did not believe, for he knew from the start who would not believe and who would betray him, and he repeated that no one can come to him unless the Father grants it. At this many disciples turned back and stopped following him. Jesus then asked the twelve whether they too wanted to leave, inviting them to choose freely to stay with him.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible