To Whom Shall We Go?

At the beginning of this chapter we read that a great company came to Jesus. Jesus had opened His hand and fed them with bread and fish. Those men, when they had seen the miracle which Jesus did, said, “This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.” They wanted Him to be their king. The following day, many people came to Capernaum to seek Jesus. There were always many people following Jesus, but most of them did not follow Him for the right purpose.

We read in this chapter, “From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.” What a contrast was this from that which had occurred at the beginning of the day! Then many had crossed the sea and sought Him out. Now many turned their back upon Jesus. When was that? “From that time...” Jesus had finished His sermon. He had pressed upon His hearers how God acts according to His mere sovereign pleasure. Jesus had told them plainly, “No man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father” (verse 65). This was too much for them. It was more than they could take. They would not remain to hear any more. That salvation is God’s work alone, and that it excludes all our work and efforts was against their principles. And human nature has not changed today. When God’s sovereign good pleasure is declared, many “disciples” will be filled with wrath. Such a way they do not like. Therefore many went back, some openly, some under the cover of darkness.

Why had they come to Jesus? They had eaten of the bread. They loved the hands of Jesus more than Jesus Himself. They thought they had no sin. They knew not that they needed a Savior in order to be reconciled with God. They liked to hear a nice sermon, but not the fact that they were dead in trespasses and sin, and incapable of doing any good.

“Jesus my all, Jesus alone.”

Reader, how is it with us? Lay this penetrating question upon your heart. Religion is personal. Do you belong to those many who leave the company of Jesus? When we hear of Jesus’ miracles and of His precious sermons, a decision must be made. Our eternal destination hangs upon our relationship with Jesus. Has it become in your life: “Jesus my all, Jesus alone,” or is it your own work? The question of our relationship to Christ cannot be settled too soon. It demands immediate consideration. It is not that our relationship depends on our choice or willingness, but it is meant to search our heart by the light of God’s Word as to what our basis is for following Jesus.

We see here that conditional service leads to separation sooner or later. Why did they go? They found Jesus’ sayings difficult and contradictory to their opinion. They had never had faith of the right kind in Jesus Himself. Their heart was in the world; like Lot’s wife, they looked back. Only the surface of their soul had been reached, and the world of self-righteousness had possession of the inmost depth. They wanted a helping Savior, but not a complete Savior. The teachings of Jesus were too spiritual, too personal for their carnal minds. Those who leave Christ have never known Him. If they had love from the heart to Him, they would never have forsaken Him. What a serious instruction for all of us. We have deceitful hearts. Jesus says that there will be many who seek to enter into the kingdom of God, but will not be able.

Many of the followers of Jesus went back and walked no more with Him. How sad. They all were in His company, close to Him. He is the only Savior. They should stay with Him, because there is no one else to whom they can go to be saved from their sins. In Jesus’ time, to whom could men go if not to Jesus? There was no satisfaction in the teaching of the Sadducees and Pharisees. All their lives they were pushed to do this and to do that in order to obtain life. Here was Jesus who was willing and able to save to the uttermost. Here was the Messiah, promised to the fathers. Here was the Mediator between God and man. Here He stood, ready to forgive all their transgressions. He is, beyond all comparison, the most precious. To desert Him, to go away from Him, is to stop our ears for the Word of life. It is to turn our back upon divine grace. Jesus Christ is the highest Gift and has the authority to give eternal life. He invites to come to Him, to follow Him, and to live out of Him and through Him. “Will ye also go away?” This means: “For your own sake, remain with Me.” He has never forsaken nor deceived His people. It is to His honor when His people cleave closely to Him, even in temptations and discouragements.

“Many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him.” Why? He preached repentance, inward renewing of the heart, and heavenly birth. Let us learn from this that it is possible to go a long way with Him, and then leave Him. We see here a sad separation. They left Jesus — Jesus did not leave them. He did not send them away. They had walked a good deal with Him. They had attended His ministry, had heard His gracious words, and had seen His mighty deeds, but separated at last, even though they had received much kindness from Him. Their sick had been healed. Their miseries had been alleviated. He had satisfied their hunger. They had left their Benefactor. Oh, what ingratitude and perversity! They separated from Him forever. However, we do read of a great company that came back to crucify Him.

There are many sad separations in our days. Separations in marriages, families, and churches. But the saddest is the separation from Jesus Christ. It was a sad loss for these many “disciples,” but not for Jesus. All that the Father has given unto Him shall come to Him, and He shall not cast them out.

Poor people. They lost what they had gained, and they lost what they MIGHT have gained if they had remained with Him. They left Him, being not far from the kingdom of God. What a sad loss! They went back. To go back from Jesus is to turn our back on salvation. Salvation is in no other. They turned their back on life, light and truth. But it is even worse. To go back from Jesus, to turn away from Him, is at the same time to go onward to all evil, sin, self-righteousness, and its consequences. It is to turn our face to destruction, Satan, and hell. There is no way between. There are not three possibilities. To live apart from Him is death. The opposite direction from Jesus is only evil, darkness, death, hell, destruction, despair, and misery. To go away from Jesus Christ and His instruction is the worst thing we can ever do.

“Will ye also go away? Are you of the same kind as these who have left Me?”

We do not read that Jesus went after them. It was their own choice. Jesus never forced His followers to stay with Him. In the day of His power He has a willing people. They are made willing to follow Him. Many went back, turning their backs to Jesus — in an opposite direction. But Jesus also went His way. He did not wait for those who walked away from Him. It was their own free will. His work continues. These two went in opposite directions. The distance between Jesus and them became greater and greater. They went farther away from life and salvation. This separation works on both sides.

Oh, let us consider our ways. Let us pray that our hearts by faith may cleave to Him. That is what we read about Peter. Then Jesus said unto the twelve, “Will ye also go away?” Jesus’ words come home most when He talks in the most simple way. The disciples knew who Jesus was. They were called to follow Him. There was a continual need for Him and love to Him in their hearts (except for Judas). But in spite of that, Jesus said, “Will ye also go away? Are you of the same kind as these who have left Me?” Jesus did not desire unwilling followers. This question was a test for them. Do you prefer to be and to go with the popular crowd, or will you remain with Me? The same testing question comes to us. Do we like to be carried along by the winds of an erroneous doctrine of a man-centered religion? Or do we want to be saved by Jesus alone? Oh, that divine grace may enable us to stand and to withstand.

There was an essential difference between the heart of Peter and the hearts of the “many disciples” who left Jesus. Jesus’ miracles had attracted the “many,” but His teaching had touched and penetrated the heart of Peter. Peter had what the “many disciples” had not, namely, a hearing ear. The words of Jesus had sunk deep down into his heart. He had felt their power. There was an irresistible connection between Jesus and him. It is this which distinguishes a true Christian from the formal professor. It is this that distinguishes the “many who walked no more with Jesus” and the few who confessed, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” Let the “many” be a warning for us and the “few” an example.

(Rev. Hofman serves the congregation of Chilliwack, British Columbia.)

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