The growth of discontent and unbelief among his disciples.
The burden of this teaching was too heavy to be borne, even by those disciples who followed Jesus for a time, without realizing the true conditions of discipleship.
I. THE TRIAL OF THEIR FAITH. "Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a bard saying; who can hear it?"
1. The saying was hard, not in the sense of being obscure, but Offensive to their judgment.
2. The ground of offence was not
II. OUR LORD'S ANSWER TO THEIR MURMURED DISCONTENT, "Doth this offend you? What then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before?"
1. The words refer to his ascension up to heaven after death.
2. It would then be manifest in what sense they would eat his flesh, for it would be impossible to eat it, in their gross sense, after his ascension to glory.
3. The words imply Christ's previous existence in heaven.
4. Explanation of the nature of the life-giving principle. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing."
(a) Thus the second Adam becomes a quickening Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45).
(b) Thus the words that Jesus speaks "are spirit and life," that is, they are "the pure incarnation of the Spirit and the vehicle of life."
III. YET SOME ARE INACCESSIBLE TO THIS LIFE-GIVING INFLUENCE BY THEIR UNBELIEF. "But there are some of you that believe not."
1. They were, perhaps, but a small portion of his disciples.
2. Yet their unbelief was no surprise to one gifted with omniscience. "For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him."
3. The explanation of their unbelief. "Therefore I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."