Read John 6:60-71

“But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”” (John 6:68–69)

Jesus did not commit Himself to men because He knew what was in men’s hearts (see John 2:24). He was exclusively committed to preaching the truth of God according to the Spirit. Because of this, Jesus never once walked in insecurity or in fear of losing a following — or even losing disciples.

Christ had just laid out a difficult teaching that He was the Living Bread of Life (see John 6:51), and that in order to receive eternal life one must partake of His flesh and drink of His blood (see John 6:53). We have all of Scripture to help us interpret Christ’s words today, but imagine being one in the crowd back then hearing this for the first time. It was a difficult teaching indeed. So difficult, in fact, that Jesus lost scores of disciples because of it.

“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” (John 6:66)

Perhaps most surprising is that Jesus even gives His own chosen twelve disciples an opportunity to walk away. Jesus never consulted His disciples: “Was I too abrasive?” “Do you think I could have approached that differently?” No — Jesus always stood with conviction on what He preached, even if it meant losing His own. The only question He had for His twelve was:

“Do you also want to go away?”d (John 6:67)

This is where we see Peter’s faith shine once again! We get the sense that Peter chooses to answer for everyone and almost jumps to speak up before anyone else could. And notice — Peter never said he understood what Christ meant. He didn’t claim that the teaching wasn’t difficult for him. Rather, if we know anything about the disciples, they were sometimes just as hard of hearing as anyone else. Yet! — whatever Peter did not understand wouldn’t change the one thing he knew with all his heart: Jesus alone had the words of eternal life.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”” (John 6:68–69)

We need to put on the faith of Peter. We can be so quick to get frustrated when we don’t know how to interpret our lives according to His Word. Whether it’s through temptations, trials, suffering or depression — we get impatient and begin to go to other resources for an answer. We read books by other men, take pills from other doctors, and get counsel from other counselors when instead we should proclaim as Peter: To whom else shall we go?

Christian, is the Lord Jesus Christ your all in all? Do you cling to Him even when you don’t understand? Do you believe that He alone has the words of eternal life?

I exhort you today, trust Jesus and His Word. When you don’t understand, stay close by His side. Wait for Jesus to breathe life and bring revelation to your circumstances — just don’t walk away. All other sources are inferior to Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (see Colossians 2:3). May you be that tree planted by the river of living waters (see Psalm 1), and may you always forever say: “Lord, to whom else shall we go?"

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)