February 10, 2023 – Friday
John 6:64-65 NIV
64 Yet 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.
65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
Comments
All of those who followed Him around the Sea of Galilee were not really interested in spiritual things. Earlier Jesus had said, 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. And their response was simply of the flesh, 34 Sir always give us this bread. Having heard this response to His revelation concerning the bread that comes down from heaven, it is no surprise we read, 64 Yet 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.
This is why He would say, 65 This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them. The Father would not enable anyone who did not believe. Jesus was admonishing them for their motives for following Him which were not spiritual. They simply did not believe but enjoyed the food and likely hoped for more as well as the ‘show’ of signs and wonders they could talk about without coming to believe. Thus, we should not be surprised to read, 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. No more food and no more ‘show’, then they were out of there.
Who remained? The twelve and Jesus addressed them next, 67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered for all of the twelve, 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” They had come to Him believing Him to be the Messiah, but now they believed Him to be the Holy One of God. The initial encounters, of the first six, with Jesus as the Messiah are recounted in Matthew 4:18–22, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1–11, and John 1:35–51. But of the twelve, 70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”
Bottom Line: The Father will not enable anyone unless they believe. And no one has any excuse for not believing for as Paul stated in Romans 1:20, For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Even before we knew of Jesus and believed we were without excuse, yet You gave Your Son so we might believe and be saved. We are grateful, eternally grateful. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek