The crisis reached at last.
The Galilaean disciples, in many cases, revolted against Christ's teaching.
I. THE DEFECTION IN GALILEE. "From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him."
1. These disciples returned once more to the world, with its old occupations, and to the religious guidance of the scribes and Pharisees.
2. They ceased to attend upon our Lord's ministry, or to follow him from place to place in his errands of truth and mercy.
3. The cause of their defection was their unbelief. "There are some of you which believe not."
II. OUR LORD'S TOUCHING APPEAL TO THE TWELVE. "Will ye also go away?"
1. Though he has suffered from the sudden thinning of the ranks of his disciples, he yet holds open the door for the chosen twelve to follow them if they are so inclined.
2. Yet such an additional defection would have added immensely to his trial, as the apostles were nearer to him than the Galilaean disciples.
3. Our Lord seeks to find a small company of true disciples, as the last support of his word, who would be impregnable against apostasy.
III. PETER'S PROMPT AND FERVENT ANSWER. "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."
1. The answer is characteristic of the apostle's impulsive nature; for he does not take the trouble to inquire whether it represents the convictions or feelings of all his colleagues.
2. The answer recognized the impossibility of the return of the apostles:
3. It recognized the essential fitness of Christ to be the Teacher of the apostles.
(a) Either promises of eternal life made before the world began, and put into Christ's hands;
(b) or the doctrines of eternal life, which exhibit the way of salvation through a crucified Saviour.
(a) The belief is first, as it is the foundation of a right understanding, while the right understanding distinguishes the belief from mere opinion.
(b) The confession, strangely recalling that of the demoniacs (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34), was the recognition of Christ as God's Son, sealed unto the work of giving his life for the world.
IV. OUR LORD'S DISCLOSURE OF THE SECRET CHARACTER OF ONE OF HIS APOSTLES. "Have I not chosen you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
1. The choice is to apostleship, not to salvation. (Luke 6:13.)
2. Our Lord sees the truly devilish character of one apostle through all disguises. Judas was
3. It is a significant fact that Judas was, unlike the eleven disciples, who were all Galilaeans, a native of Judaea. "He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon." He belonged to the village of Kerioth, in Judaea (Joshua 15:25). The betrayer of our Lord belonged to that Judaea where the hostilities of the Jews reached its highest point.
4. Our Lord makes the apostles aware of the character of Judas, partly that he may prepare them for the coming betrayal—"for he it was that should betray him"—partly to convince them that they could only stand steadfast in their faith and allegiance by reliance on his grace.
HOMILIES BY J.R. THOMSON