How We Stay Grounded When Jesus Offends Us?: Heart Revelation
Due to jet lag, I was up very early one morning and began musing over John 6:67, where Jesus asked, “Will you leave me too?” This led me on a journey I want to invite you on. So, Jesus utters these surprising words to His 12 disciples after He gives what was to many one of the most perplexing and, not to mention, “unappealing” talks of his public ministry up until that time.
The Background
The context is significant: Jesus miraculously fed a crowd of about 20,000 with five loaves and two fish. When the crowd sought Him out, He exposed their motives, revealing they were looking for Him not for spiritual nourishment but for material benefits. (Another post for another time). In His grace, He urged them to seek what truly matters—Himself.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” John 6:26–27.
The Climax of the Dialogue
Jesus then makes statements that provoke anger, confusion and offence among His listeners:
1. Comparing Himself to Moses: He contrasts His miracle of feeding “20,000 in one day” with Moses’ feeding “millions of Israelites in the wilderness over their lifetime”. On the surface, Moses’ miracle seems superior. But Moses only provided temporary sustenance for forty years, and they all died (many in unbelief). Jesus also offered temporary substance and, more importantly, eternal life to those who partake of Him and promised that we will never die. (John 6:49-51).
2. Claiming His Divine Role: Jesus clarifies that it was not Moses who provided the bread, but His Father, and reveals that He (Jesus) is the true bread from heaven (John 6:32-33). This redefines the meaning and their understanding of the wilderness miracle. Shifting the focus from Moses to the Greater Moses who stood before them.
3. Confrontational Imagery: Jesus purposefully uses shocking language about “eating His flesh and drinking His blood,” an abhorrent notion to His Jewish audience, which comprised of hostile unbelievers, false disciples and His core community inclusive of the 12. (John 6:53-56).
Is this “gentle Jesus, meek and mild” intentionally creating opportunities for offence? Yes, and there’s a purpose behind it.
Separation and Consecration For Three Groups
Jesus has promises from His Father that all those the Father gives to Him will come to Him, and whoever comes to Jesus will never be driven away (John 6:37). And also, “No one can come to Him unless the Father who sent Him draws them, and Jesus will raise them up at the last day (John 6:44). Based on these assurances, He begins to separate genuine followers from those merely curious, knowing He will lose none that are His. He separates the sheep from the goats and then brings the sheep into a deeper place of consecration.
The Jews – Hostile Unbelievers
Initially, the Jews grumbled (made complaining remarks and noises under their breath) (John 6:41) and then escalated to outright dispute (sparring, arguing, and fighting) (John 6:52). Instead of correcting them, Jesus allowed His words to do their separating work to reveal their true desires and to give them those desires—a world without Jesus. Sometimes, this is Jesus’ approach towards hostile unbelievers: stay in your darkness because you suppress the truth, believe the lie and love the darkness.
The False Disciples – The Curious
There was another group called disciples who followed Jesus, or at least a version of Jesus based on their understanding. This group also struggled with His words. Jesus challenged them, asking if they were offended, and basically said, “You haven’t seen anything yet!” However, he explained some of what He meant, offering them some understanding because they were learners. (John 6:63) Nonetheless, despite the understanding Jesus offered, many of these disciples walked away from Jesus. Among this group of followers, Jesus says that some don`t believe and will even betray Him. Understanding is profitable, but it takes more than that to remain faithful amid offence and disappointment; it takes heart belief.
The Committed Core – The Disciple
This is where I believe many of us find ourselves. The committed core is not exempt from doubt or confusion about Jesus’ actions or teachings. He turned to them (and to us), asking, “Will you leave me too?” (John 6:67). Despite our questions, we will remain because He has called us and is keeping us. He is taking this opportunity of offence to deepen our consecration. Bringing us to a place of trusting Him beyond the scope of our understanding or the satisfaction of our immediate desires. He`s bringing us to a place of pure love for God for His own sake.
Our Need For Heart Revelation of Jesus
When God calls you to Jesus and keeps you, He gives you a revelation of His Son, not a mere mental understanding, and it’s the revelation of Jesus that keeps you. Peter’s revelation—”that Jesus has the words of eternal life”—keeps him anchored even amidst offence (John 6:68), unlike the false disciples. We, too, will face opportunities to abandon our faith due to misunderstandings or disappointments, whether He does not answer that prayer, save your marriage, or heal your child from cancer.
But, like Peter, you must have a revelation of the superlative value of Jesus in order not to leave him because of offence. Revelation leads to consecration. It is the joy and purpose of the Holy Spirit, to give you heart revelations of Jesus. If you are currently offended (if not, you will be at some point), ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the superlative wonder of Jesus Christ.
My Revelation Of Jesus
One of the Lord’s superlative values is that He alone answers our most profound needs.
Love – We receive perfect love from Jesus because He loves His own to the very uttermost. We can rest in that love. We are freed from spending ourselves on the endless and fruitless pursuit of looking for love in fame, work, people, or fickle acceptance on social media. Moreover, because we are loved, we now have the capacity to love others. Jesus’ loves me perfectly and eternally!
Light -We all need wisdom to live by. We need to understand what’s good and bad, wise and foolish, worthwhile and worthless, what the goal of life is, how to achieve it, and its rules. Jesus is our light and wisdom. Jesus is the light of men.
Life—We need an internal power (nature) that moves us toward righteousness and pulls us away from our inherent sinfulness. We need a new nature governed by love for others and wisdom from above. Jesus is our Life!
What is your heart’s revelation of Jesus?
Please share your thoughts in the comments so we all can learn and grow.
This one has made my day. thank you.
I am glad that you found this life giving.