John 6:61 – “Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you?’”

Extended Explanation

This verse shows how Jesus directly addresses His followers when He realizes that many of them are struggling with what He has just taught.

1. Jesus knows their hearts.
   • The verse begins by saying that Jesus was “aware” that His disciples were grumbling.
   • This shows that Jesus is not just listening to their words—He knows what they are thinking and feeling.
   • Many people struggle with Jesus’ teachings but do not express it openly—yet He still knows their hearts.
2. The disciples were offended by His teaching.
   • They were not just confused—they were offended by what He had said.
   • His teaching about eating His flesh and drinking His blood (John 6:53-58) was difficult for them to accept.
   • Many of them had followed Jesus because of His miracles, but now He was asking for deeper faith and total dependence on Him.
3. Jesus challenges them with a question.
   • He asks, “Does this offend you?”
   • Instead of apologizing or softening His words, Jesus confronts them.
   • He wants them to examine why they are struggling—is it because His words are untrue, or because they don’t fit their expectations?

This verse reveals that Jesus does not change His message just because people are offended—He calls them to deeper understanding and faith.

Historical Context

1. Jewish expectations about the Messiah were different.
   • Many Jews expected a political leader who would defeat Rome and restore Israel’s power.
   • But Jesus was speaking about spiritual things—His sacrifice and eternal life.
2. The idea of consuming blood was shocking to Jews.
   • In Leviticus 17:10-12, God commanded the Israelites not to drink blood, because life is in the blood.
   • So when Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (John 6:54), it sounded disturbing to them.
   • But Jesus was not speaking literally—He was calling them to trust in His coming sacrifice.
3. Jesus had already done many miracles in front of them.
   • They had seen Him feed 5,000 people with just five loaves and two fish (John 6:1-14).
   • Yet, when He spoke about something deeper, they began to doubt Him.

This shows that miracles alone do not create true faith—people must be willing to trust Jesus’ words, even when they are hard to understand.

Theological Implications

1. God’s truth will sometimes offend people.
   • Many people are fine with Jesus as long as He fits their expectations.
   • But when His teachings challenge their pride, their sin, or their beliefs, they become offended.
2. Jesus does not change His message to please people.
   • He does not say, “I’m sorry if that was too difficult.”
   • Instead, He asks them to examine their hearts and consider why they are struggling.
   • Today, many churches try to water down difficult truths, but Jesus never did that.
3. Faith requires humility and trust.
   • The disciples had to decide: Would they trust Jesus, even when they didn’t understand everything?
   • Many people reject Jesus not because His words are false, but because they are unwilling to change their thinking.

Jesus is showing that true faith means trusting Him, even when His words challenge us.

Literary Analysis

This verse is part of a shift in John 6—it marks the moment when many disciples start turning away from Jesus (John 6:66).

Patterns in John’s Gospel:

1. People misunderstand Jesus’ words.
   • John 3:4 – Nicodemus asks, “How can someone be born when they are old?”
   • John 4:11 – The Samaritan woman asks, “Where can you get this living water?”
   • John 6:52 – The Jews argue, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
2. Jesus confronts people with hard questions.
   • John 5:44 – “How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”
   • John 6:61 – “Does this offend you?”
3. Many turn away when Jesus challenges them.
   • John 6:66 – “Many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.”

This pattern shows that people often struggle with Jesus’ words, but only those who have true faith remain with Him.

Biblical Cross-References

• Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
• Isaiah 55:8-9 – “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.”
• John 15:18-19 – “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:18 – “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.”

These verses remind us that God’s truth often challenges human thinking, but we must trust Him anyway.

What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian

1. We must be willing to accept difficult truths.
   • Some parts of the Bible challenge our culture, our thinking, or our personal desires.
   • True disciples trust Jesus even when it’s hard.
2. We should not expect Christianity to be easy or popular.
   • Many people follow Jesus when it’s convenient, but walk away when His words challenge their beliefs or lifestyle.
   • Jesus asks us: “Does this offend you?”—will we trust Him anyway?
3. Faith means trusting Jesus even when we don’t understand everything.
   • Just like the disciples, we sometimes struggle with Jesus’ words.
   • But instead of grumbling, we should ask Him to help us understand.

This verse challenges us to examine our hearts and see if we are truly willing to trust Jesus fully.

How This Verse Relates to a Loving God

1. God loves us enough to tell us the truth.
   • Jesus could have softened His words to keep more followers, but He chose to speak the truth.
   • True love doesn’t just tell people what they want to hear—it tells them what they need to hear.
2. God is patient with our doubts and struggles.
   • Even though many of His disciples were grumbling, Jesus did not reject them immediately.
   • He gave them a chance to reflect and understand.
3. God wants people to follow Him with genuine faith.
   • Jesus was not looking for a large crowd of half-hearted followers.
   • He wanted real disciples—people who trusted Him even when His words were difficult.

God’s love is seen in how He calls us to deep, real faith, not just surface-level belief.

How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ

1. Jesus is the source of truth.
   • His words are not meant to please people—they are meant to lead them to eternal life.
2. Jesus knew people would reject Him, but He still spoke boldly.
   • Even though He knew many would turn away, He did not change His message.
3. Jesus calls us to real discipleship, not just admiration.
   • Many liked His miracles, but only true disciples remained when His teachings became difficult.

Jesus is showing that faith means trusting Him completely, even when His words challenge us.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. What are some teachings of Jesus that people today find difficult to accept?
2. Why do you think many people are offended by Jesus’ words?
3. How can we grow in faith when we struggle with hard teachings?
4. What does this verse teach us about true discipleship?
5. How can we encourage others to trust Jesus even when they don’t understand everything?