John 6:60-66 · Bible study
John 6:60-66 Commentary: Why the Hard Saying Scattered the Disciples
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why Jesus' teaching caused many disciples to leave and what 'hard saying' really means in this in-depth study of John 6:60-66.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus' teaching that he is the bread of life and must be consumed spiritually causes many professed disciples to leave; only those given by the Father can accept it.
- Key words: σκληρός (hard, offensive), γογγύζω (murmur, like Israel's grumbling), σκανδαλίζω (cause to stumble), πνεῦμα (spirit, spiritual), ῥήματα (words as divine utterances), ζῳοποιοῦν (making alive).
- Main debate: Whether the 'hard saying' refers to the content (eating flesh) or the claim (Jesus as sole source of life) and whether v63 ('flesh profits nothing') rejects physical presence in the Eucharist.
- Theological theme: The necessity of divine grace for faith; the scandal of the incarnation and cross; the sobering reality of apostasy among those who follow Jesus.
- Best use: Preaching on the cost of discipleship, the sovereignty of God in salvation, and the call to examine the genuineness of one's faith.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
60On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”
61Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you?
62Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?
63The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
64However, 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.)
65Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”
66From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
WEB World English Bible 2000
60Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?”
61But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
62Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
63It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
64But there are some of you who don’t believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him.
65He said, “For this cause I have said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.”
66At this, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
KJV King James Version 1769
60Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
60Many therefore of his disciples, when they heardthis, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?
61But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble?
62What then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before?
63It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.
64But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him.
65And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.
66Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
60many, therefore, of his disciples having heard, said, `This word is hard; who is able to hear it?'
61And Jesus having known in himself that his disciples are murmuring about this, said to them, `Doth this stumble you?
62if then ye may behold the Son of Man going up where he was before?
63the spirit it is that is giving life; the flesh doth not profit anything; the sayings that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life;
64but there are certain of you who do not believe;' for Jesus had known from the beginning who they are who are not believing, and who is he who will deliver him up,
65and he said, `Because of this I have said to you--No one is able to come unto me, if it may not have been given him from my Father.'
66From this time many of his disciples went away backward, and were no more walking with him,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
60Many therefore of his disciples having heard [it] said, This word is hard; who can hear it?
61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmur concerning this, said to them, Does this offend you?
62If then ye see the Son of man ascending up where he was before?
63It is the Spirit which quickens, the flesh profits nothing: the words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life.
64But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would deliver him up.
65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no one can come to me unless it be given to him from the Father.
66From that [time] many of his disciples went away back and walked no more with him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
60These things he said, teaching in the synagogue, in Capharnaum.
61Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard; and who can hear it?
62But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: Doth this scandalize you?
63If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
64It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
65But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe and who he was that would betray him.
66And he said: Therefore did I say to you that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 6:60
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators broadly agree that this passage marks a crisis point in Jesus' ministry. The 'hard saying' (σκληρὸς λόγος) denotes not intellectual difficulty but moral and spiritual offense. Vincent notes the word σκληρός means 'dry, rough, harsh' and in moral contexts 'offensive, intolerable.' The disciples' grumbling (γογγύζουσιν) echoes Israel's wilderness murmuring against God. Jesus responds not by softening his words but by intensifying the challenge: he points to his ascension (a claim to divine origin), declares that his words are spirit and life (v63), and insists that coming to him requires a gift from the Father (v65). Both Barnes and Calvin observe that many disciples left at this point, not the Twelve, but a larger outer circle. Gill and Matthew Henry stress that the departure reveals the difference between superficial followers and those truly drawn by God. All commentators agree that the passage teaches the offense of the gospel, the necessity of spiritual discernment, and the reality of apostasy among professed disciples.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- The Offended Crowd View: The 'hard saying' primarily about eating flesh and drinking blood, which sounded like cannibalism to Jewish ears and violated Torah.
- The Divine Sovereignty View: Jesus' emphasis on 'given by my Father' (v65) shows that the real issue is the inability of human will to receive truth apart from divine enabling; the 'hard saying' is the doctrine of election.
- The Spiritual Hermeneutic View: Verse 63 ('the spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing') is the key: Jesus rebukes a carnal, literalistic reading of his words and calls for spiritual discernment; the offense is resolved by understanding his words as spirit and life.
What is clear: Jesus did not soften his teaching to retain followers; the departure of many disciples reveals that genuine faith is a gift from the Father and requires more than admiration or curiosity.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Who are the 'many disciples'? | Both the Twelve and a wider circle of followers are called 'disciples'. Many more than the apostles were present. | Some commentators (Gill, Matthew Henry) insist these were not true believers but curious followers. Others (Barnes, Calvin) see them as professed disciples who never had saving faith. |
| The meaning of 'hard saying' | The Greek σκληρός means 'hard, harsh, offensive.' The saying was not intellectually obscure but morally and religiously scandalous. | Wesley says it was 'hard to the children of the world, but sweet to the children of God.' Calvin argues the harshness lay in the hearers' hearts, not in the words themselves. |
| 'The flesh profits nothing' (v63) | This does not mean Jesus' flesh is worthless; it clarifies that literal, carnal understanding of his words yields no life. | Catholic and Lutheran traditions see the phrase qualifying 'the flesh' as mere human nature apart from the Spirit, not a denial of sacramental presence. Reformed traditions read it as a general statement against physicalistic interpretations of the Lord's Supper. |
| 'Given by my Father' (v65) | Faith and coming to Christ are not human achievements but gifts from God. The Father draws people to the Son. | Calvinists see this as teaching unconditional election and irresistible grace. Arminians (Wesley, Clarke) interpret it as preventing grace that can be resisted and requires human response. |
| The departure of many disciples | This was a real apostasy; they stopped following Jesus permanently. | Some (Gill) insist they were never truly saved because they were not among the elect. Others (Matthew Henry) see them as superficial followers who had not counted the cost and fell away. |
Historical & Cultural Context
These events take place in the synagogue at Capernaum (John 6:59), shortly after Jesus had fed the 5,000. The crowd wanted to make him king, but he withdrew. The discourse that follows reinterprets the miracle: the true bread from heaven is not manna but Jesus himself, and to have eternal life one must 'eat his flesh and drink his blood.' For a first-century Jewish audience gathered in a synagogue, this language was shocking. Eating blood was explicitly forbidden in Torah (Leviticus 17:10-14). Cannibalism was an abomination. Even metaphorically, the saying associated the Messiah with a sacrificial meal that would have felt repulsive.
The word 'murmur' (γογγύζω) carries Old Testament echoes of Israel's complaining in the wilderness. Just as the generation that grumbled died without entering the promised land, these disciples' grumbling signals a deeper unbelief. Jesus' reference to his ascension ('where he was before') asserts his pre-existence and divine origin, a claim that would be confirmed at his resurrection. The phrase 'the flesh profits nothing' (v63) likely refers not to the physical body of Christ but to a merely human or literal way of understanding his words. As Wesley puts it, 'the bare, carnal, literal meaning profiteth nothing.' Jesus redirects his hearers from sensory demands to spiritual reception.
The departure of 'many disciples' (v66) is a turning point. Up to this moment, Jesus had attracted large crowds. But here, the cost of following him becomes visible. His teaching does not accommodate itself to the hearer's comfort. The passage stands as a sobering reminder that Jesus did not count numerical success as a measure of his mission's faithfulness.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant manuscript variants that affect the interpretation of this passage. Vincent mentions that the correct reading in verse 63 is λελάληκα (perfect tense, 'I have spoken') rather than λαλώ (present tense), but this only strengthens the idea that Jesus' words have an abiding effect. The textual tradition is stable.
Reception History
Throughout church history, John 6:60-66 has been central to debates about the nature of the Eucharist and the perseverance of believers. Early church fathers such as Augustine saw in these verses a call to receive Christ spiritually, not merely outwardly. The passage was often cited during the Reformation in arguments against transubstantiation: Calvin and others used 'the flesh profits nothing' to caution against a crude materialism in the Lord's Supper. Lutheran theologians, while affirming a real presence, also appealed to the need for spiritual reception. Modern evangelical readings frequently highlight the sovereignty of God in drawing people to Christ, the reality of apostasy, and the cost of discipleship. The passage has also been used in pastoral contexts to comfort those who have lost friends or family members who walked away from the faith, reminding them that even Jesus experienced such rejection.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Offense of Jesus' Words (vv60-61), The disciples call his teaching 'hard' (σκληρός). The problem is not that it is difficult to understand, but difficult to accept. It wounds pride, challenges expectations, and demands surrender. Jesus knows their hearts and confronts their grumbling directly.
- The Key to Understanding (vv62-63), Jesus points ahead to his ascension, proving that he came from heaven. His words must be received spiritually, not carnally. The Spirit gives life; mere human reasoning cannot grasp divine truth.
- The Crisis of Decision (vv64-66), Jesus acknowledges unbelief among his followers, even betrayers. He reiterates that faith is a gift from the Father. Many walk away. The passage confronts every hearer: will you stay or go?
Five-point outline
- The murmuring of disciples: a heart revealed (v60-61)
- The ascension: a greater scandal (v62)
- Spirit versus flesh: the proper frame for understanding (v63)
- Unbelief exposed, sovereignty affirmed (v64-65)
- Departure and remaining (v66 and beyond)
Illustration hooks
- A church splits over a pastor's teaching about grace, some find it too free, allowing license; others find it too narrow. The teaching itself did not change, but the hearers' responses reveal their hearts.
- A student signs up for a demanding course and drops out after the first exam, realizing the work required exceeds expectations.
- A married couple faces a season of difficulty; one walks away, the other works through it. The difference is often not circumstance but commitment and resource.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why would God allow people who seemed like genuine believers to walk away?
- What does it mean to 'eat Jesus' flesh and drink his blood' in practical terms today?
- How do I know if I have truly been 'drawn by the Father,' and what if I doubt?
Leading a Discussion
This passage records a painful moment in Jesus' ministry: many of his disciples could not accept his teaching and left. It forces us to examine what we do when the gospel challenges our comfort or offends our sensibilities.
Discussion questions
- Read John 6:60-66 aloud. What initial reactions do you have to the disciples' complaint: 'This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?'
- The word 'murmur' (γογγύζω) is used here and in John 6:41. Why does this word matter? What Old Testament story does it recall?
- Jesus responds by asking if his teaching 'causes you to stumble.' What kinds of teachings of Jesus today might cause people to stumble or turn away?
- In verse 63, Jesus says 'the flesh profits nothing.' What do you think he means? How does that answer the disciples' complaint?
- Verse 65 repeats the theme from John 6:44: 'No one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.' How does this shape your understanding of faith?
- Why do you think some disciples left while others stayed (including the Twelve, v67-68)? What factors make the difference?
- What does this passage teach us about the nature of true discipleship? How can we apply that in our church community this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 11:6 | Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.” |
| John 6:41 | The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.” |
| John 6:42 | They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” |
| John 8:31 | Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. |
| John 8:43 | Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word. |
| Hebrews 5:11 | About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing. |
| II Peter 3:16 | as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. |
| John 2:24 | But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists Jesus meant his words about eating flesh and drinking blood in a spiritual, not literal, sense. He argues that the coming ascension proves the body will not remain on earth to be consumed, and Jesus himself says the flesh profits nothing. The life promised is spiritual, not physical.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists the harshness of Christ's teaching comes not from the words themselves but from the hardened hearts of the hearers. Unbelievers turn the doctrine into a stumbling block through their own obstinacy, while faith remains a rare gift granted only by the Spirit's secret revelation.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the disciples found Jesus' teaching repulsive not because it was hard to understand, but because it was harsh and offensive to their carnal expectations of a physical Messiah. Even a direct view of the Ascension would not have overcome this offense, since only the Father's drawing enables spiritual acceptance.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes draw attention to the dividing line in this passage: the disciples stumbled not because the teaching was too hard to understand, but because human nature without the Spirit cannot receive it. Jesus' statement that no one can come unless the Father grants it exposes the real issue — unbelief that only divine enablement can overcome.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the disciples who called Jesus' teaching a hard saying were not the Twelve or the Seventy, but a larger group of nominal followers. They took his words about eating his flesh in a crass, literal sense because they lacked true faith and had not been drawn by the Father. Their turning away shows that without the Spirit's quickening, even hearing Christ's words leads to offense.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the disciples called Jesus' words a "hard saying," meaning not just harsh but insufferable. Their real trouble was unbelief; having recoiled from talk of eating his flesh, they were not in a state to accept his ascension. Only those whom the Father draws and teaches can receive this teaching.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that eating Christ's flesh and drinking His blood is not about the Lord's Supper but a strong metaphor for personal faith. The discourse presents the spiritual reality of union with Christ, which the sacrament later seals. Faith alone, not any ritual, is the condition of eternal life.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes the stark contrast in how Christ's teaching affected his hearers: to some it drove them away, while to others it drew them closer. He observes that even among the Twelve, one whom Jesus chose would prove a devil, showing that outward association with Christ does not guarantee true faith.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent zeroes in on the exact Greek phrasing: "hard is this saying" means the words themselves are harsh, not just difficult. He notes the sentence breaks off midsentence, leaving the hearer to fill in the conclusion. Disciples who left "went back to the things behind," reverting to what they had abandoned to follow Jesus.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a sharp contrast between two ways of hearing Christ's words: taken in a bare literal sense they are a stumbling block, but understood spiritually they give life. The offense belongs only to those who lack faith, not to the words themselves. God's foreknowledge of unbelief does not create the fault.