March 22
Lesson 4 (KJV)
An Argument Against Corruption
Devotional Reading: Zechariah 7:8–10; Deuteronomy 24:17–22
Background Scripture: Micah 3–6
Micah 3:1–3, 9–12; 6:6–8
- And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
- Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
- Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
- Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
- They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
- The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.
- Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Micah 6:6–8
- Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
- Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
- He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
- Summarize the condition of Judean leadership of the late eighth century BC.
- Explain why the requirements of Micah 6:8 were especially necessary for leaders of the day.
- Write one prayer per day in the week ahead for different church leaders—that the standards of Micah 6:8 would be theirs as well.
HOW TO SAY IT
Ahaz Ay-haz.
Chaldeans Kal-dee-unz.
Hezekiah Hez-ih-kye-uh.
Jotham Jo-thum.
Micah My-kuh.
Samaria Suh-mare-ee-uh.
Uzziah Uh-zye-uh.
Introduction
- Warped
A certain funeral home sets up a nativity scene on its front lawn each Christmas season. One year, someone vandalized the nativity set. The perpetrator stole the Christ-child figure and replaced it with a stuffed monkey. The vandal also broke off the fingers of other figures and let the live sheep, goats, and donkeys out of the fenced area.
A few days later, the vandal confessed and returned the stolen figure of the baby Jesus. Even so, one can empathize with the funeral director’s frustration when he said, “Why people would come here and show such disrespect, I don’t know. You have to have a warped mind to do something like this.”
The prophet Micah indicted the leaders of his day for their own brand of vandalism. But Micah described how real people were being abused and mistreated by those responsible for their care. They too were guilty of having warped minds. And such minds tend to excel at hiding behind warped self-justification.
- Lesson Context
The book of Micah is another of the 12 Minor Prophets. Micah’s ministry took place in the second half of the eighth century BC. His times were full of turmoil and uncertainty for both Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). The Assyrians were a formidable threat to both kingdoms. They were the instrument in God’s hands to carry out His judgment against Israel when the capital city of Samaria fell in 722 BC.
Micah’s ministry may have overlapped with that of Amos (see lesson 1). While the ministry of the latter is dated during the reign of Uzziah king of Judah (about 785–734 BC; Amos 1:1), Micah 1:1 describes Micah’s ministry as occurring during the reigns of Jotham (Uzziah’s son), Jotham’s son Ahaz, and Jotham’s grandson Hezekiah. Jotham’s reign, however, overlapped Uzziah’s. While Uzziah was confined during the latter years of his reign, Jotham ruled in his stead (2 Chronicles 26:16–23).
Micah and Isaiah were contemporaries (compare the lists of kings in Isaiah 1:1 and Micah 1:1). Both ministered in Jerusalem. Micah’s message included words of judgment against both Israel and Judah. His book begins with a reference to Samaria and Jerusalem, representing Israel and Judah respectively (1:1). Both are indicted for rebellion against the Lord (1:5–9).
- Hateful Leadership
(Micah 3:1–3)
In Micah 3, the source of today’s study, we see language reminiscent of that found in the previous study from Habakkuk 2 (see lesson 3). Habakkuk, however, was describing the conduct of the foreign Chaldeans (Babylonians). Sadly, Micah is describing the behavior of those who are part of God’s covenant people and should know better.
- Despising Principles (vv. 1, 2a)
- And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
The Hebrew word translated hear often introduces prophecy in the book of Micah (examples: Micah 1:2; 3:1, 9; 6:1, 2; contrast 5:15). The same word introduces Deuteronomy 6:4, 5, which Jesus will call “the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:38). The implication of its use is not just that ears will hear but that hearts will comprehend the words and lives will change as a result (contrast Isaiah 6:9, 10).
The designations Jacob and Israel refer historically to one man who had his name changed (Genesis 32:28; 46:2). As here, the names are often paired in Hebrew poetry as parallel expressions that refer to the same thing: God’s covenant people (examples: Psalm 14:7; Isaiah 9:8). Similarly, heads and princes both refer to leaders of those people (see Numbers 1:16; Joshua 22:30).
Micah begins his address to the leaders with a rhetorical question about their knowledge of judgment. The question implies that leaders ought to know what true justice is and how to exercise it faithfully and consistently (see commentary on Micah 3:9; Amos 5:24 in lesson 1).
Judgment requires God’s people to behave according to His righteous standards (contrast Jeremiah 5:5; Matthew 23:23). Exercising judgment reflects a person’s awareness of God’s standards of right and wrong (example: Leviticus 19:15).
2a. Who hate the good, and love the evil.
The leaders’ hatred for the good and love for the evil makes it impossible for them to administer proper judgment. Their moral compass points in the wrong direction. Both Isaiah (in Judah) and Amos (in Israel) address this perversion of values at about the same time (Isaiah 5:20; Amos 5:14, 15). Both northern and southern kingdoms are guilty of rejecting the Lord’s standards.
What Do You Think?
How would you explain to someone the difference between good and evil?
Digging Deeper
Considering 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, how would your explanation to Christians differ from an explanation to unbelievers, if at all? Why?
- Consuming People (vv. 2b, 3)
2b. Who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones.
Micah uses graphic language in portraying how offensive and destructive the leaders’ behavior is (compare Psalm 53:4; Ezekiel 22:27). But this is only the beginning of his shocking description.
One should understand that these gruesome actions are not happening in a literal, physical sense. There are references to and predictions of literal cannibalism in the Bible (example: 2 Kings 6:26–29), but this is not one of them. Rather, Micah uses figurative, symbolic language to illustrate the extreme degree to which these leaders hate the good and love the evil (compare Psalm 14:4; Proverbs 30:14; Zephaniah 3:3). They are so indifferent to the people they are meant to serve that they can be compared to butchers.
- Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
Micah continues building on the cannibalistic overtone of the previous verse. For the leaders to flay the people’s skin implies excessively cruel treatment. The leaders are meant to administer judgment and uphold righteousness. Doing so would allow the people to flourish, both physically and spiritually. Instead, the leaders do the opposite by perverting judgment and thwarting righteousness. Ezekiel, whose ministry will take place more than a century later among the captives in Babylon, uses similar language (Ezekiel 11:2–7; 24:3–6).
Centuries later, Jesus will describe leaders’ greediness when He speaks of how the scribes “devour widows’ houses” (Luke 20:46, 47). Paul in turn warns Christians against our own type of cannibalism in Galatians 5:15.
Cannibalism
The practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings is well documented. Chinese emperors ate human flesh as a delicacy. Christopher Columbus reported on cannibalism in the Caribbean, at least partly so that he could conquer the islands by whatever means he desired. Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, some Europeans ingested human body parts for medicinal purposes. As recently as the 1960s, the Fore people of Papua, New Guinea, traditionally ate parts of the bodies of recently deceased relatives.
Micah used images of cannibalism as a shocking illustration of the unjust practices in his day. He condemned Israel’s leaders for treating people as sources of nourishment instead of as creatures made in God’s image. Christians today must still beware of the tendency to use people to get what they need instead of valuing them simply as God’s beloved creatures. How do you resist “cannibalizing” others?
—J. E.
What Do You Think?
What modern imagery would you use to describe corrupt leaders today? Why?
Digging Deeper
How do you harmonize your response with Acts 23:5; Romans 13:1, 2, 7; 1 Timothy 2:1, 2; 1 Peter 2:17; and Jude 8, 9?
- Hypocritical Leadership
(Micah 3:9–12)
In Micah 3:4–8 (not in today’s lesson), the prophet declares the Lord’s judgment on the leaders (compare Deuteronomy 1:45). Then Micah exposes false prophets (Micah 3:5–7; compare Isaiah 29:10). Micah contrasts their selfish motives with the divine authority that undergirds his own prophetic ministry (Micah 3:8). This sets the stage for further condemnation, next.
- Guilty Leaders (v. 9)
- Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
Micah again calls on the heads and princes of God’s people to hear his message. But whereas in Micah 3:1 the prophet posed a rhetorical question to challenge the leaders in the matter of judgment, here he bluntly accuses them of unjust behavior. They actually abhor judgment and twist the meaning of it to suit their own selfish purposes (compare Psalm 58:1, 2; Isaiah 1:23).
- Greedy Leaders (vv. 10, 11a)
- They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
The final three verses of Micah 3 clearly focus on the southern kingdom of Judah and its capital city, Jerusalem. Though Zion was originally a specific location within Jerusalem, it gradually came to refer to the entire city. The two terms are therefore used together in parallel accusations against the city. Habakkuk indicted the Babylonians for building with blood, and … iniquity (Habakkuk 2:12; see lesson 3). Here it is not the pagans but the leaders of God’s covenant people who are charged with cruelty (compare Isaiah 59:7).
The implication, like that of the butchering image before, is that the leaders are taking advantage of the people for their own gain (compare Jeremiah 22:13, 17; Micah 7:2).
11a. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money.
Three crucial leadership functions are listed here along with transgressions. When the Lord established the function of judge, He made it clear that those exercising this responsibility must never accept bribes or exhibit favoritism in their decisions (see Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 16:18–20). The heads in Micah’s time blatantly ignore these standards (compare Malachi 2:9, next week’s lesson). All they are interested in is what reward, in the form of bribes, they can obtain for their services.
The priests and prophets, whose offices are especially sacred, are no better. They too are guided by financial rather than spiritual priorities. They are willing to lie in order to earn their fee (see Jeremiah 6:13; Ezekiel 13:19; 34:2). The prophets are described as those who divine for money. The practice of divination was strictly forbidden for God’s people (Deuteronomy 18:10, 14). Its practice is listed as a reason why God’s judgment fell on the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 17:17, 18).
Paul will later teach that “they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” and be compensated for their work (1 Corinthians 9:14). His method and motive are very different from those condemned by Micah, however. The leaders of Micah’s day are motivated by greed, and they use a forbidden method to satisfy that greed. Neither greed nor a forbidden method applies to Paul.
What Do You Think?
In what contexts and in what positions do (or would) you favor the idea of paying church leaders? Why?
Digging Deeper
How do the texts of Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 9:3–18; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; 1 Timothy 5:17, 18; and/or 2 Peter 2:3 inform your response?
- Declaring God’s Presence (v. 11b)
11b. Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.
As if these disgraceful practices are not enough, these fraudulent leaders have the audacity to claim God’s presence as a cover for their detestable conduct (see also Jeremiah 7:4). The Lord had promised to place His name in Jerusalem when Solomon built his temple there. But that promise remains contingent on the people’s obedience (2 Chronicles 7:12–22). The leaders in Micah’s day are prime examples of disobedience.
- Deserving God’s Judgment (v. 12)
- Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Such arrogant, brazen behavior by the leaders of God’s people cannot be tolerated. The “evil” that the leaders confidently claim will never come (Micah 3:11b) will indeed come—and its arrival will be unforgettably severe. Jerusalem, the great city of David, will be reduced to heaps of rubbish (compare Leviticus 26:31; Isaiah 6:11; Jeremiah 22:6). No longer will anyone travel to Jerusalem to worship (contrast Psalm 122:3, 4). Instead, they will go to marvel at the extensive destruction that has taken place (1 Kings 9:6–9; compare Ezekiel 5:14, 15). Zion will be treated as nothing more than a field for plowing (Lamentations 5:18). The mountain of the house, which refers to the location of the house of the Lord, will be reduced to a forested area.
Approximately 100 years after Micah’s time, his prophecy of Jerusalem’s demise will be quoted by some of the elders in Jerusalem as a warning not to ignore Jeremiah’s message (Jeremiah 26:17, 18). They note that King Hezekiah heeded Micah’s warning. Rejecting this example and ignoring Jeremiah will imperil the whole city (26:19).
Indulgences
Johann Tetzel (1465–1519) may have had as important a part in launching the Protestant Reformation as any of the great reformers had. Tetzel’s notoriety, however, derives from his negative example.
Tetzel was a German Dominican friar of prominence in the Roman Catholic Church. He was known to grant indulgences on behalf of the church in exchange for money. An indulgence was claimed to allow a remission of punishment in purgatory, thereby allowing a deceased person quicker admission into Heaven. Martin Luther’s strong condemnation of Tetzel’s actions helped spark the Reformation.
Tetzel’s lack of scruples, sanctioned by others in the hierarchy of the medieval church, led to the undermining of Roman Catholicism’s power in Europe. Had that hierarchy paid closer attention to Micah 3, the outcome could have been different. Indulging in wickedness instead of righteousness invites God’s disapproval and judgment. How can you keep from being a negative example in that regard?
—J. E.
III. Heavenly Living
(Micah 6:6–8)
Micah 6 opens with the prophet’s final appeal to the people to hear what the Lord has to say (see commentary on Micah 3:1). Whereas the previous call was aimed primarily at Judah’s leadership, this one is directed at the people (6:3). The Lord portrays them as defendants on a witness stand, facing a series of questions from Him. He proceeds to give the people a history lesson, recounting His gracious acts on their ancestors’ behalf (6:4, 5).
- People’s Ideas (vv. 6, 7)
- Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
Micah appears to put himself in the position of the defendants who are on trial before the Lord (see Micah 6:2, 3). The questions he poses may reflect the people’s genuine puzzlement (compare 6:7). More likely, they are meant to expose the people’s willful ignorance (contrast Psalms 40:6–8; 51:16, 17).
Burnt offerings are foundational in the Old Testament sacrificial system (Leviticus 1). The daily requirement is two unblemished year-old lambs (Numbers 28:3). Calves of a year old are even more costly than the two lambs. The question here suggests that God asks too much of His people! At least, this is how the people seem to justify themselves for their iniquities.
7a. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Micah continues his questions by increasing the quantity of what might be brought before the Lord. Do numbers impress God? Is He looking for thousands of rams or rivers of oil? Again, the implication is that the people cannot give enough to please the Lord. In a way, this is true: without the heart behind the sacrifice, nothing will please God (compare Isaiah 1:11; Amos 5:22).
7b. Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Micah raises the stakes even higher by suggesting the sacrifice of a firstborn child. The firstborn is of special significance to the Lord (Exodus 13:2). Child sacrifice is always forbidden (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2–5; Deuteronomy 18:10), but the argument here is not about child sacrifice. Rather, the people feel that not even giving the most extravagant sacrifice they can think of will please God.
- God’s Ideal (v. 8)
8a. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good.
God has not kept His desires secret; what He requires is not a mystery. God has revealed what He considers good and what He wants (see Deuteronomy 10:12, 13; Mark 12:33). It is not their gifts or offerings that God really desires. What He wants are the people themselves, given to the Lord in lives that reflect His priorities and passions (see 1 Samuel 15:22).
8b. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Doing justly should not be thought of strictly in terms of judgment. Treating people justly may be thought of as treating people just as God would treat them (examples: Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3; Zechariah 7:9, 10). This includes extending mercy, which can be expressed as forgiveness in many ways.
The key to understanding both judgment and mercy lies in a relationship with God, which is where the challenge to walk humbly applies (see 2 Kings 22:19; Isaiah 57:15). Apart from such a walk, judgment and mercy are unattainable.
What Do You Think?
What plan can you make to identify and improve the requirement in Micah 6:8 that is most lacking in your life?
Digging Deeper
How would you expect attention to the other two requirements to influence the one most lacking?
These requirements given by Micah for coming before the Lord should not be used to justify salvation by works. Micah is not addressing the question, “What must I do to be saved?” The issue is that God’s covenant people must conduct themselves in ways pleasing to Him. Micah’s audience is wrong to think that their offerings and rituals alone will please God. Christians today who think the same about their “Sunday only” acts of worship are equally misguided.
Conclusion
- Humbly in Justice and Mercy
Micah courageously confronted the tragic lack of godly leadership for the people of God. While Micah’s words in the concluding portion of our printed text apply to all God’s people, they most certainly need to be exemplified in the lives of their leaders. One thinks of how Jesus looked at the masses in His day and saw them as “sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). The same terminology could have been used to describe the people in Micah’s day, given how corrupt the leadership had become. What a difference it would have made if those leaders had taken the words in Micah 6:8 to heart!
But whether Christian leaders are aligned with God’s will or not, the priesthood of all believers must still bring their lives to God as sacrifices (Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:5). Jesus has paid the price (Hebrews 7:27, 28). We do not worry about offering rivers of oil or thousands of animal sacrifices. Let us therefore search our hearts for strongholds that resist practicing justice and mercy. In humility, may we seek to please the Lord with our whole lives.
What Do You Think?
Which prophetic words of this lesson and the previous three challenge you most to act? Why?
Digging Deeper
What is your plan for action?
- Prayer
Father, thank You for godly leaders! May the power of Your Holy Spirit help us all to seek and do Your will, even when—and especially when—our leaders stray from Your paths. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
- Thought to Remember
God has revealed how to please Him.
KID’S CORNER
Right Belief Will Increase Knowledge
Sunday, March 22, 2020
John 6:60-71
John 6:60-71
(John 6:60) Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?”
Having studied the previous verses, we can see why those who followed Jesus did not and could not understand all Jesus meant, and even if they had understood they still might have quit following Him. Some people quit doing something when things get difficult, while others can see enough value in what they have learned thus far to persevere until they know the value or lack of value in what they are learning. It was once said of a certain philosopher, “It would take a lifetime to understand him, and it would not be worth it.” By the grace of God, Jesus can be understood, though not exhaustively, and understood well enough to receive Him as the Giver of eternal life—it is worth the effort to study and learn more about Jesus throughout one’s lifetime, and God’s children will do so forever.
(John 6:61) But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
John emphasized and illustrated in his gospel that Jesus knew what people thought. He knew in advance the result of His teachings and discussions with those who came to Him. Jesus knew that He sometimes had to teach in figurative language because if He had not done so it could have led to His death before He finished teaching what He came to teach. He knew He could later explain His true meaning within His figurative language to His disciples for them to teach the full meaning after His resurrection. He knew that He would lose a great deal of popular support if He continued teaching the truth as He did, but during the subsequent centuries the Holy Spirit has helped believers come to understand His teachings and live according to them. Jesus was not only striving to teach the crowds around Him but generation after generation after them through His followers as they taught and interpreted the Bible and His words. Jesus did not come to be the most popular rabbi of His time. Jesus came to teach the truth, as difficult as the truth might be to understand without further study, and to lead people to believe in Him as the Savior of the world that they might receive eternal life.
(John 6:62) “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?
In order for Jesus to fulfill and make possible what He told people in the preceding verses, He had to die a sacrificial death on the cross, rise from the dead, ascend into heaven, and give the Holy Spirit to those who entrusted their lives to Him. At this moment during His ministry, He could not explain all this to His disciples or to the crowds. His disciples would need to keep following Him to learn these facts and, following His crucifixion, death, and burial, they would need to experience the fulfillment of His teachings about His rising again on Resurrection Sunday and afterwards. Those who obeyed and followed Jesus did eventually see Him ascend where He was before. We read in Luke 24:50-52, “Then Jesus led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” Though His disciples did not understand His words at that time, after more experience with Jesus, they would and did—so can we with study.
(John 6:63) “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
The flesh cannot give life; it must have life or nourishment given to it; therefore, the flesh is useless regarding trying to live on flesh alone or in trying to receive and enjoy eternal life now and forever through the flesh. In the first use of spirit in this verse (lowercase “spirit” in KJV and NRSV — uppercase “Spirit” in NASB and NIV) in the words “the spirit that gives life,” we know that God is the source of all life and only God has life in and of himself (that includes the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). God does not depend on anyone or anything outside God’s eternal nature to exist and have life. The spirit within life or within flesh depends on the Spirit; that is, God, and there can be no life in the flesh if there is no spirit given and sustained by God. In the second use of spirit in this verse (lowercase “spirit” in KJV, NASB, and NRSV — uppercase “Spirit” in NIV), we learn that Jesus’ words give spiritual and eternal life. Apart from receiving Jesus and His words into one’s life, into one’s heart and mind, it is impossible to have spiritual and eternal life. Jesus came in human flesh to teach the words His Father gave Him. He also suffered, died, and rose again in human flesh, but His words give spirit and life to those who believe in Him. To eat His flesh is to eat or take into oneself His words and believe them.
(John 6:64) “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.
As the Son of God, Jesus had divine foreknowledge. Nothing ever caught Jesus by surprise; although it is surprising that despite all Jesus’ signs and teaching some simply would not believe in Him as a person sent from God. Jesus chose the twelve knowing who would betray Him and knowing the Scripture that foretold one of His followers would betray Him. In Psalms 41:9, we read, “Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.”
(John 6:65) And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
Those who come to Jesus do so because the Father has made their coming to Jesus possible. The Father has removed roadblocks and stumbling stones and granted understanding, enough understanding, for someone to go to Jesus and keep learning from Jesus so they might believe Jesus and believe He is the Savior of the world. With deep humility instead of arrogance and pride, the followers of Jesus know that they trust in Christ as Lord and Savior because of what God the Father through the Holy Spirit has done in their hearts and minds—Jesus’ words and the Spirit have given them life and they are children of God.
(John 6:66) As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.
Because of Jesus’ teaching about himself, insisting that people must remain in or with Him to receive eternal life, because Jesus said God the Father must draw to Him those who came to Him, and because the Father (for reasons known to Him) did not do the necessary work in the lives of those who refused to believe in Jesus, many stopped listening to Jesus’ teaching. Knowing these facts, Jesus never tried to “scare” “threaten,” or “argue” someone into following Him. Jesus told people the truth and left the results with His Father.
(John 6:67) So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?”
Jesus asked the twelve if they were going to follow the crowd and leave Him too. He asked this to test them; to enable them to test themselves or examine their reasons for following Jesus and discover together the depth of their commitment and intentions toward Him, for He knew their hearts. The question is a good one for all believers to ask themselves. When questions and difficulties arise, will we follow the crowd that no longer believes in Jesus? Will we keep believing and reading the Bible? Will we keep believing what the Bible teaches about Jesus and keep following the Jesus of the Bible?
(John 6:68) Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.
Peter’s confession here is similar to his confession to Jesus in Matthew 16:16, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Peter knew the alternatives to Jesus: he had heard the teachings of John the Baptist, the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees. He had heard Jesus open up the true meaning of the Bible to His disciples. There were none like Jesus. Furthermore, even though Peter did not understand all Jesus taught, he had heard and seen enough from Jesus to know that Jesus’ words gave eternal life. As Jesus explained in John 6:65 and elsewhere, the Father had revealed Jesus to Peter, Peter had a foretaste of eternal life, Peter knew Jesus’ words were spirit and life, and the Father had drawn Peter to Jesus.
(John 6:69) “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
The relationship of those who continued with Jesus began with Jesus calling them to follow Him, and they came to believe He was the Messiah. As they followed Jesus, they saw the signs of Jesus and based on what they saw and understood of Jesus’ teachings, they came to believe Jesus and accept Jesus as more than the Messiah, and as the Person Jesus said He was. Given more time to hear Jesus teach and with the help of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, they came to know that Jesus is “the Holy One of God.” The title “Holy One” in the Old Testament was reserved for God, and no doubt the Father through the Holy Spirit revealed to Peter that this title belonged to Jesus as the Son of God. We read these words of Jesus to Peter in Matthew 16:17, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.” In the Old Testament, “Holy One” is a title used for the LORD. In Isaiah 43:15, God said to the prophet Isaiah, “I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” In Acts 2:27, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter applied a Psalm to Jesus’ death and resurrection, saying, “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption” (Jesus’ body did not decay). During Job’s suffering, in Job 6:10, Job declared, “This would be my consolation; I would even exult in unrelenting pain; for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.” In the Book of Acts, Jesus’ disciples exemplified the truth of Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
(John 6:70) Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?”
Jesus did not deny, but accepted, Peter’s confession. Jesus added that He had chosen the twelve, and when He did He knew that one of the twelve was a devil (an evil one), who would be His accuser and betrayer. Jesus affirmed that He had not made a mistake in judging Judas’ character. When Judas later betrayed Jesus, He did not want anyone to think that He had made a mistake in judgment, so Jesus told them in advance—Jesus chose a betrayer to fulfill Scripture. The context of Jesus’ teaching affirms that Jesus talked about eating His flesh and drinking His blood with relation to His coming death for the forgiveness of sins, a teaching Judas spurned.
(John 6:71) Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.
As chapter six concludes, John tells his readers the name of the disciple who would betray Jesus. Judas’ father’s name was Simon, and Iscariot means either he was a man from Kerioth located in Moab or means assassin. He was the only one of the twelve disciples who was not Galilean. Judas was the treasurer for the twelve and he stole money from their common purse. He loved money instead of God; thus, his betrayal of Jesus for money was consistent with his moral character as a thief.
Right Belief Will Increase Knowledge
Sunday, March 22, 2020
John 6:60-71
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God (John 6:68-69—KJV). Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69— NASB). Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69— NRSV).
After many abandoned Him, Jesus asked the twelve if they wished to go away too. Peter declared that there was no one else to go to. No one else had the words of eternal life and fulfilled them spiritually each day and would forever as lifegiving bread. More than this, the disciples believed Jesus’ words and had come to know Jesus by experience. They knew Jesus was and is “the Holy One of God.” In the Old Testament, “Holy One” is a title used for the LORD. In Isaiah 43:15, God said to the prophet, “I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” Peter knew the title belonged to Jesus as the Son of God. In Acts 2:27, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter applied a Psalm to Jesus’ death and resurrection, saying, “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption.” During Job’s suffering, in Job 6:10, Job declared, “This would be my consolation; I would even exult in unrelenting pain; for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.” After Jesus’ resurrection, no matter how Peter suffered as an Apostle, like Job, Peter always affirmed what he had seen and heard from Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Jesus’ disciples exemplified the truth of these words in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Except for Judas, all but one of Jesus’ twelve disciples remained faithful unto death.
Thinking Further
Right Belief Will Increase Knowledge
Sunday, March 22, 2020
John 6:60-71
Name ________________________________
- What are some things we can do when we find it difficult to understand some teachings in the Bible?
- When Jesus talked about His ascending to where He was before, why do you think He did not at the same time tell His listeners all about how and where He descended?
- What are Jesus’ spoken words?
- What did Jesus know about those who heard Him speak?
- Why do you think Jesus asked His disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?”
Discussion and Thinking Further
- When Jesus talked about His ascending to where He was before, why do you think He did not at the same time tell His listeners all about how and where He descended? They would not have been able to believe Him or understand Him, since they could not understand the truths that He taught that were much less complex. People had to truly know Him before they could believe all that they later learned about Him.
- What are Jesus’ spoken words? Jesus’ spoken words are spirit and life, whether we believe in Him and believe His words or not. They are truly spirit and life to those who believe.
- What did Jesus know about those who heard Him speak? Among those in the crowd and His disciples, Jesus knew those who would believe Him, those who would not believe Him, and the one who would betray Him.
- Why do you think Jesus asked His disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?” He asked this to test them; to enable them to test themselves or examine their reasons for following Jesus and discover together the depth of their commitment and intentions toward Him, for He knew their hearts.
Word Search
Right Belief Will Increase Knowledge
Sunday, March 22, 2020
John 6:60-71
Name ________________________________
H S E L F E T L U C I F F I D
Y U O T S H V R V B O H Y C R
G S A Q I D G E Q T S P L N T
N E N X A E T R I R E H T A F
I J U O K Z N O A L Z V P H G
N M Z D S D I V C N E I Y W N
I D J C V A B J G R T B S Z I
A R K M Y X E N X U S E I X H
L D L S J F I R S D X H D E C
P S O N Z D X E J E M K I O A
M Q W H N W L U Y V O L F W E
O S J E O E D J A I D F E A T
C E C N S A P S M L E U K F J
F S K S S E R K R N J O M E B
A D M N U B U F D O B K N L J
Difficult
Teaching
Complaining
Offend
Son
Ascending
Flesh
Useless
Believe
Know
Reason
Granted
Father
Devil
Judas
True and False Test
Right Belief Will Increase Knowledge
Sunday, March 22, 2020
John 6:60-71
Name ________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- Jesus’ teaching was easy for all His disciples to understand and accept. True or False
- Jesus was not aware when some who said they were His disciples complained about His teaching, for He believed in everyone. True or False
- Jesus tried very hard all the time to say things that would please and never offend anyone to make them His friends. True or False
- Jesus said that the Son of Man would ascend where He was before. True or False
- Jesus said His words were spirit and life. True or False
- Jesus knew from the first who would not believe, but not the one who would betray Him. True or False
- When someone comes to Jesus, it is granted to them by the Father. True or False
- Only a very few disciples turned back from following Jesus. True or False
- When Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also want to go away,” Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, to whom can we go?” True or False
- Peter said Jesus had the words of eternal life and was the Holy One of God. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- False
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
Prayer
Father, thank You for godly leaders! May the power of Your Holy Spirit help us all to seek and do Your will, even when—and especially when—our leaders stray from Your paths. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.