Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Saturday, February 15, 2014 Read John 6:60-71 John has told us that Jesus came to his own people and his own people did not receive him (John 1:10-11). The reaction to Jesus’ interpretation of the sign of the feeding of the 5000 is swift and tragic. Many of Jesus’ disciples now complain and are offended by Jesus’ words. And they leave him. The sign has not produced adequate belief in them. Jesus is unrelenting in his challenge to them. In words that are reminiscent of Jesus’ comments to Nathaniel that he will see the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, Jesus alludes to his death and resurrection – they will see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before. Jesus is from above and the only way to know him is to recognize that. Jesus contrasts flesh and spirit. The flesh is useless, only the spirit gives life. Jesus repeats his comments that only those who are drawn by God can come to him. Of course later on in the gospel Jesus will remark that when he is lifted up he will draw people to himself. It is apparent that at this point there are not many who believe in Jesus or continue to follow him. In words that are reminiscent of Jesus’ question to the disciples in Mark’s gospel – “Who do people say that I am?” Jesus turns to the few who are left and asks, “Do you wish to go away?” As in Mark’s story, it is Peter who responds on behalf of the others. His words are not the same but the intent is – “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” In Mark, Peter’s words were, “You are the Messiah.” Perhaps John and Mark are referring to the same moment of crisis in the lives of the first followers of Jesus. We have noticed that “the Twelve” have little importance in John’s gospel. He never names the Twelve. We cannot identify twelve disciples in John’s gospel. But here the Twelve are mentioned for the first time. “Did I not choose you, the Twelve?” As with other things, John is aware of the tradition of the Twelve – he simply does not choose to make it a dominant theme in his gospel. Here the Twelve are mentioned mostly because one of them, Judas, son of Simon Iscariot is identified as the betrayer. In the listing of the Twelve in the synoptic gospels, Judas is identified as the betrayer as well.