February 13, 2026 | Be Connected
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
Scripture: John 6:60-71(NIV)
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
Devotional
In today’s passage, Jesus had just informed his disciples that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood (which he declared to be true food and true drink). Today, we are accustomed to this sacred practice (John 6:54-56) that we call communion or the Lord’s supper, but imagine hearing it for the first time and trying to understand what Jesus meant by saying that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood. “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching; who can accept it?” (John 6:60) Jesus gives a very minimal explanation: “The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63).
“From this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:66) Instead of a lengthy explanation, Jesus asks a question to the remaining twelve- “You do not want to go too, do you?” (John 6:67) I love Peter’s reply to Jesus. He simply says, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68)
The Bible doesn’t say anything about Peter getting a satisfactory explanation about the drinking of blood and eating of flesh that was so offensive that others walked away. He had already committed to following Jesus, and that was that. He apparently didn’t need an explanation or to understand everything. He knew that Jesus was who he said he was and he believed him. He would stick by him even when he didn’t understand.
C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity that understanding is not required for the sacrament to be effective. The command was “Take, eat”; not “Take, understand.” Right after Jesus was born, he was wrapped in soft cloths laid in a cattle feed box. Could this small detail have symbolized the fact that he would be the believer’s true food? I’m glad that when I come up against things in the Bible that puzzle me or are too difficult to understand, I come back to this verse and agree with Peter. Does anyone else have a better plan? (NO) Do I know and believe that Jesus IS the Holy One and I can trust him in all things? (YES). I am satisfied with Jesus’ answer. This metaphor of feeding on Jesus is beautiful, mysterious and wonderful. I’ll take, eat and stick by Jesus even when I don’t fully understand.
