Staying with Jesus

Staying with Jesus When the Way Is Hard

Scripture Reading:  John 6:60-71

“Lord, to whom shall we go? 

You have the words of eternal life.” 

John 6:68

This moment in John 6 comes around the midpoint of Jesus’ public ministry, roughly a year before the cross, just after the feeding of the five thousand—when His popularity was at its height. What follows marks a turning point, as admiration gives way to testing and many disciples quietly withdraw when His teaching becomes difficult.

Jesus’ words unsettle because they demand more than curiosity or agreement—they call for surrender and trust. Many had followed Him for signs, bread, or answers, but when He spoke of Himself as the true Bread from heaven, their expectations were challenged. Jesus does not soften His message to hold the crowd. Instead, He turns to the Twelve and asks a question that exposes the heart of discipleship: “Do you also want to leave?”

Peter’s reply reveals a deeper kind of knowing. “Lord, to whom shall we go?” He does not claim full understanding or certainty. Rather, he recognizes that Jesus’ words are not mere information but life itself. As Richard Foster reminds us, we often mistake the accumulation of information for knowledge and the repetition of words for wisdom. Yet Jesus defines eternal life not as knowing about God, but as truly knowing Him: “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Even a glimpse of this experiential knowledge produces humility rather than confidence in self.

To remain with Jesus, then, is not to have every answer resolved, but to stay close to the One who alone speaks life. True discipleship is shaped by study that leads to encounter, and faith that holds fast when obedience is costly. Many left when the words were hard. The disciples stayed—not because everything was clear, but because they had come to believe that Jesus alone has the words of eternal life.

 Prayer

Heavenly Father, guard us from mistaking knowledge about You for truly knowing You. Teach us to remain with Jesus when His words stretch and unsettle us. Give us humble hearts that trust Him, believing that His words alone lead to life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.