The sixth chapter of John records that day when the tide of popularity turned against our Lord. That first year of the public preaching of Jesus was characterized by multitudes following Him. John shows just how popular He had become, and early in this chapter we read that they were about to take Him by force and make Him their king.
Think about the motive many of them had for wanting a king like Jesus. He had just fed 5,000 men. This number did not include the women and children, so there likely were more than 10,000 fed that day. Who would not want a king who would feed you so that you would never have to work again? They wanted an earthly king. How did Jesus respond? John described the events of that day so vividly. “When Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone” (v. 15). He had no desire to be a king sitting on an earthly throne in Jerusalem.
The next day, they learned that He was several miles away from the site of the feeding of the multitudes, and they rushed to where He was. Look at what Jesus said to them. “Most assuredly I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (v. 26). He knew their hearts. They were not interested in the signs showing His divinity. They only wanted the free food He gave them. So, when He told them that He was the living bread who came down out of heaven, they complained. They thought that because they knew His mother and father who had raised Him in Nazareth there was no way He could have come down out of heaven. Jesus went even further that day in His teaching.
When He told them that unless they ate His flesh and drank His blood there was no way for them to be saved, it was more than they could accept. Their response was, “This is a hard saying, who can hear it” (v. 60). The tide of popularity changed. “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (v. 66).
Jesus even asked His closest disciples if they were going to leave, and Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
What a lesson for our world to learn! If we turn away from Jesus, where can we go? Yet, in religions today, many have tried to change the King and make Him a king that suits them. They ignore what He said and design “Christian” lifestyles to please themselves.
Think about Peter’s question. To whom shall we go? There is no other way than His way!