John 6:60-65

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”

⁶¹ But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? ⁶² Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? ⁶³ It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴ But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) ⁶⁵ And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

1. In John 6:61, Jesus knew that “His disciples were grumbling.’ How did He know this? What does this tell us about Jesus? Revisit the places in John where we’ve already seen Jesus’ supernatural awareness (John 1:47-48, 2:24-25, 6:43). What does Jesus know about you? What does He know about you that you wish He didn’t?
2. Consider the power of Hebrews 4:12-16. What lessons can you draw from this passage with respect to God’s scrutiny of believers? List as many points as you can from the passage.
3. What does Jesus mean by saying, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before” in John 6:61b-62? What’s odd about this statement?
4. What does Jesus mean by the phrase “where He was before” in John 6:62? Does this evoke any other passages in John’s Gospel? Maybe in John 1? Or something in John 6 that’s repeated over and over? How about in John 17?
5. What did Jesus’ claim in Mark 14:61-65 that sent the High Priest over the edge? It was so offensive, the High Priest called it a “blasphemy’” worthy of death. How does it relate to John 6:61-62?
6. In 6:63, Jesus addressed the cause of the disciples’ unbelief with two important points. What are they?
7. According to 6:63-64a, what must the Spirit do before someone can be saved? See also 1 Cor. 2:14.
8. According to 6:36-37, 6:39, 6:43b-44, 6:45b, and 6:65, what must the Father do before a person can come to Jesus? (Four things are mentioned.)
9. According to Luke 10:21-24, what must Jesus do before a person can know the Father? What’s especially remarkable about verses 23 and 24?
10. Can you think of some biblical reasons why sinners do not come to Jesus? Prove your answers.