Ever had sun so bright you couldn’t see?

skandalizo – even though I’m not a “Greek Scholar”, we can look at that word and get a good idea what it means. It looks like “scandal” – and literally means, “to put a snare in the way, cause to stumble, give offense”

Jesus asked the crowds in John 6:61 – Do I offend you?

Back track for a minute. Jesus had fed “the 5000 men” so probably 20,000 plus the day before. Now he was on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and they had come looking for him, but Jesus said, “you just want me to feed you, but I want to give you eternal life.”

Thus begins a very powerful discourse

In v28 they ask a good question: what can we DO to PERFORM the WORKS of God?

We often ask good questions, but sometimes don’t like the answer. I’ve wanted to do the “work of God” all my life.

Jesus answers: This is the work of God… Believe in the ONE he has sent.

Jesus had just fed thousands with a little boy’s lunch… and this was not the first event John had recorded as a “sign” of who Jesus was.

• He has Turned Water into Wine in chapter 2 in a large public wedding
• He had healed an Official’s son who was close to death in chapter 4, again in a large gathering… Interestingly the he commented in 4:48 unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.
• He healed a lame man publicly by the Pool of Bethesda in 5:4 get up take your mat and walk
• Then the great feeding of tens of thousands in chapter 6.

We come back to the good question, what do we do to perform the works of God? And these words – “do” – poieo = do, make (verb). and “perform” – ergazomai = work, labor, accomplish (verb), then “works” – ergon = work, deed (noun)…

These four signs (semeion) of Jesus have already been done by Jesus… all of these people in chapter 6 have seen at least the last one, and potentially all of them because they were all in the same area.

Jesus said, “believe” – pisteuo… but not in the action but in the PERSON… the ONE – ekeinos = that one

And do you see their response?

v30 – what SIGN, then are you GOING to DO, so that we may SEE and believe you? What are you going to perform?

WOW-O-WOW

He has Transformed water to wine, healed a boy on his death bed, made a lame man walk, and fed a multitude with a “sack lunch” – What SIGN does he need to DO so they can SEE and BELIEVE… what else must he PERFORM?

Seriously? What else does Jesus need to do for us to believe?

They were still focused on things and not on the ONE. We so often want something but not someone.

Isaiah 55:2 (CSB) Why do you spend silver on what is not food, wages on what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good…”

Jesus then makes another of his great “I Am” statements – v35 I Am the Bread of Life… no one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty.

Go read the rest of the statements that Jesus makes. He is saying, “It is me you need… come to me… I am from the Father.”

Their response? v41 started grumbling about him. And Jesus says, “stop grumbling” Then v45, everyone who has listened TO and learned FROM the Father comes to me. Remember, Paul wrote in Romans 1 that God has revealed himself to everyone… but what do we do with that revelation?

v47 anyone who believes has eternal life… 48 I am the bread of life…

He is saying again… “you want stuff, but you need me”. Then he tells them “Consume me”, my flesh is food… my blood is drink…

And THIS offended them – v60 this teaching is hard… who can accept it?

So in v61 he asks, Does this Offend you? v63 the words I have spoken are spirit and life.

Jesus offers us life, and we sometimes get offended because we wanted something else.

v66 is one of the saddest images I have in scripture… from that moment many turned back and no longer accompanied him…

Does the Lord “offend” us sometimes? Do we sometimes step back, pause, or even turn away?

I very much feel the humanity of this situation and the response of Jesus… I visualize this mass departure… and Jesus feeling it… and I picture the disciples standing behind him while this happens, and see him turn back to the 12 and ask, do YOU want to go away too?

Offense is often based on one or a combination of Fear, Pride, or Ignorance. What scares us offends us. What belittles us, offends us, what we don’t understand or know, offends us.

But Peter – Oh man… he didn’t always get it right… but SOMETIMES…

to whom will we go? I love that he doesn’t say, “where” but “whom”. to whom will we go (eperchomai – depart, go away) v68… you have the words of eternal life… 69 we have come to believe and know that you are the ONE.

YES PETER! – ding, ding, ding… Yahtzee – right answer

He says, we have already made a decision Lord. We believe in YOU – not in the stuff – where ELSE are we going to go… to whom else will we turn… we have come to believe (past tense) and know that YOU are the ONE…

So, no offense, if the path is different, if the result is different, we believe in YOU.

When you are offended by Jesus… admit it, address the fear, confess the pride, ask for better information in ignorance, but keep your eyes on, heart toward, and face set on Jesus.