John 6:66-71 (ESV)
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
Jesus has just finished a long discourse on the topic that He is the Bread of Life. He had fed the five-thousand with a few loaves and fishes and they came back the next day, wanting more. They liked the fact He could do so much with so little (a lesson in and of itself). But, what they really liked was the free food. Who doesn’t like free food. Much less free food made out thin air. They instantly made the connection that each day in the wilderness wandering of their fore-fathers, God gave them “mana” from heaven. That sustained the nation for 40 years. These same Jewish peoples now thought that Jesus was going to provide them food from heaven, but by way of break and fishes. This is truly a group of people who are mistaking the physical with the spiritual. Jesus tells them that in on sense they are right. He is the “mana” from heaven , sent by His Father, God, to feed them. HE IS THE BREAD OF LIFE. To this they are bewildered. They just don’t get it. Jesus is talking about the spiritual, they are focused on the physical. But, when the disciples are asked about this truth, Peter makes the connection. Since on many occasions the disciples were very slow to make these spiritual growth steps, it was awesome that Peter “got it.” Yet, there is bad news. Yes, Peter (speaking for himself and the other disciples) gets it, but Jesus lets them know that there is one person (Judas) who does not get it and will not get it. Despite all the miracles and teaching, some will not get it. Some will only be focused on the hear and now. Judas was this little band of believers’ treasurer. He held the money bag. He was focused on the hear and now and NOT on the Bread of Life. He would betray Jesus for a year’s salary. One year’s worth vs an eternity in glory. Some will go away from Jesus because it is just to hard to grasp and the temporal is more titillating for them. Those who see the spiritual truth will have what Peter’s called, “The words of enteral life.” Those who reject will be left with a useless bag of money.
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