John 6:62 – “Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!”

Extended Explanation

In this verse, Jesus is responding to the disciples who were struggling with His teaching about being the Bread of Life. Many of them found His words difficult to accept, especially His statement that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood to have eternal life (John 6:53-58).

1. Jesus challenges their unbelief.
   • He had just asked them, “Does this offend you?” (John 6:61) because they were grumbling about His words.
   • Now, He pushes them further—if they were struggling with what He had just said, how would they react if they saw Him return to heaven?
2. Jesus points to His coming ascension.
   • When He speaks of the Son of Man ascending to where He was before, He is talking about going back to heaven after His resurrection.
   • He is reminding them that He came from heaven in the first place—He is not just a man, but the eternal Son of God.
3. He is proving His divine authority.
   • If they couldn’t accept His words, would they believe when they saw Him rise into the sky and return to the Father?
   • This is a challenge to their faith—if they didn’t believe now, what would convince them?

Jesus is saying, “You struggle with my words now, but soon you will see my full glory. Will you believe then?”

Historical Context

1. The Jews expected a political Messiah.
   • Many Jews believed the Messiah would conquer Rome and establish an earthly kingdom.
   • Jesus had just told them that His mission was about giving eternal life, not earthly rule—this was not what they expected.
2. The ascension was part of God’s plan from the beginning.
   • Jesus’ mission was not just to come to earth, but to return to the Father after completing His work.
   • His disciples would later witness His ascension firsthand (Acts 1:9-11).
3. Jesus was calling them to spiritual understanding.
   • Many people followed Jesus because of His miracles, but they did not truly understand who He was.
   • He was inviting them to see beyond the physical and believe in His true identity as the Son of God.

Jesus was preparing them for the full picture of His mission—His death, resurrection, and ascension.

Theological Implications

1. Jesus’ authority comes from heaven.
   • He is not just a good teacher or a prophet—He came from heaven and will return there.
   • This proves that He has the right to say what He says and do what He does.
2. Faith must be based on who Jesus is, not just on what He does.
   • Many followed Jesus for miracles, but He wanted them to trust in Him as the Son of God.
   • True faith is not just about seeing signs—it is about believing in the One who came from heaven.
3. Jesus’ ascension confirms His work is finished.
   • After His resurrection, Jesus returned to heaven as proof that He had completed His mission.
   • The disciples later understood that His ascension meant His victory over sin and death.

Jesus was telling them: “If you are struggling now, wait until you see my full glory revealed.”

Literary Analysis

This verse comes right after a moment of doubt and confusion among Jesus’ followers.

1. Jesus uses a question to challenge them.
   • Instead of simply explaining more, He forces them to think about their unbelief.
   • This is a teaching method that makes people examine their own hearts.
2. John often contrasts earthly thinking with heavenly truth.
   • People focus on earthly things, but Jesus points them to heavenly realities.
   • John 3:12 – “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
3. This foreshadows Jesus’ ascension in Acts 1:9-11.
   • His disciples would later see Him rise into heaven, fulfilling these words.
   • What seemed hard to believe became reality before their eyes.

John is showing that Jesus’ words are not just spiritual ideas—they are real events that will come to pass.

Biblical Cross-References

• John 3:13 – “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.”
• John 17:5 – Jesus prays, “Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”
• Acts 1:9-11 – Jesus ascends into heaven while the disciples watch.
• Philippians 2:9-11 – Jesus is exalted to the highest place after His resurrection.
• Hebrews 12:2 – Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

These verses confirm that Jesus’ return to heaven proves His divine authority and completed work.

What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian

1. Faith is trusting Jesus even when we don’t understand everything.
   • The disciples struggled, but later they saw Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, which confirmed His words.
   • We may not see everything clearly now, but we trust in what Jesus has revealed.
2. Jesus is in heaven now, ruling and interceding for us.
   • He didn’t just come and leave—He is still active, preparing a place for us (John 14:2-3).
   • Knowing this should give us confidence in His promises.
3. We should live with heaven in mind, not just earthly concerns.
   • Many in Jesus’ day were focused on the here and now, but He pointed them to eternal things.
   • As believers, our hope is not just in this world, but in the future kingdom of God.

Jesus’ ascension reminds us that our true home is with Him, and we should live in light of that reality.

How This Verse Relates to a Loving God

1. God sent Jesus from heaven so we could have eternal life.
   • Jesus’ mission was to come from heaven, redeem us, and return to the Father.
   • This shows God’s deep love and commitment to saving people.
2. God does not leave us without proof.
   • Jesus did not just make claims—He backed them up with miracles, His resurrection, and His ascension.
   • God gives us evidence of the truth so we can believe.
3. God’s love includes preparing a place for us.
   • Jesus ascended into heaven to prepare a place for believers (John 14:2-3).
   • His love is not just for now—it is for eternity.

Jesus’ words remind us that God’s plan is bigger than we often realize, and His love reaches into eternity.

How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ

1. Jesus is the eternal Son of God.
   • He came from heaven, and He returned there—He was not just an ordinary man.
2. Jesus’ ascension proves His mission was complete.
   • He finished the work of salvation and returned to His rightful place.
3. Jesus is coming back.
   • Just as He ascended, He will return again to judge and reign (Acts 1:11).

This verse reminds us that Jesus is not only our Savior—He is our risen and exalted King.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. Why do you think Jesus pointed to His ascension when His disciples were struggling with His words?
2. How does Jesus’ ascension prove that He is more than just a teacher or prophet?
3. What does this verse teach us about trusting Jesus even when we don’t understand everything?
4. How does knowing that Jesus is in heaven affect the way we live our daily lives?
5. How can we encourage others to believe in Jesus, even when His teachings challenge them?