April 22, 2023
One of the Saddest Questions Jesus Ever Asked
“So, Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?’ 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 6:67-69 (NASB)
There are times in the Christian life where the voice of God seems to be silent. Even when the heart in close relation with the Spirit of God there are times of silence from heaven. These times are times where we feel the most alone in our Christian faith. We feel that our prayers are not being heard, or God is on break. When we respond to these “feelings,” we insult the Creator. God is always near; in fact, He lives within you. He hears and sees all things. As I look at the above verse today, I wonder how many times God has asked the question, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Because each of us can be fickle at times, we are prone to ask these types of question depending on our circumstances. The truth is, God is always near. Is it we who are too far away from Him at times? What does this reveal about our belief in God?
“So, Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?” The question posed by Jesus is the first occurrence in John’s gospel denoting the twelve disciples. There is a possibility the twelve were the only ones that remained after He spoke. The others, “withdrew and not walking with Him anymore,” (6:66). Simon Peter’s response, “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” strikes at the true belief of the remaining twelve. The word, “believed,” in this passage again (as seen before) is pisteuō; meaning to believe or entrust.[1] The disciples had come from merely following Jesus in direction of travel, to listening and hearing His words, and on to embracing His teachings and accepting the person of Jesus Christ as God. Now their voices spoke of their belief. Their sole provision was Jesus Christ. Calvin says, “And, indeed, if faith be founded on Christ, it will not depend on men, and will never waver, though it should see heaven and earth mingling. We ought also to observe this circumstance, that Christ, when deprived of nearly all his disciples, retains the twelve only, in like manner as Isaiah was formerly commanded to bind the testimony and seal the law among the disciples, (Isaiah 8:16.) By such examples, every one of the believers is taught to follow God, even though he should have no companion.”[2] Christ is our only companion many times in life. No one else can reach the realm within each of us; only Christ.
In contrast, those who “withdrew and not walking with Him anymore,” revealed their true heart of those who were looking for a second Moses to supply their immediate needs. Simon Peter’s voice tells us he was convinced Jesus was God. The bread the lost people sought could not ward off death, only delay the inevitable. They missed the Living Bread which had the ability to save their souls, and yet fulfill the longings of their souls for a connection with the Living God. Even today, I believe I have heard the voice of God in my weakest moments as a Christian, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” I am not saying I was without God. I just need to stay on track and let Him lead me each day, even when I don’t always hear His voice clearly.
[1] Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
[2] John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John, vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 278.