Lecture 8 — Many disciples scandalized

^6:61^ Many of his disciples, hearing it, said: this saying is hard, and who is able to accept it? [n. 984]

^6:62^ But Jesus, knowing that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: does this scandalize you? [n. 985]

^6:63^ What if you shall see the Son of man ascending to where he was before? [n. 988]

^6:64^ It is the spirit that gives life: the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. [n. 992]

^6:65^ But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who believed and who would betray him. [n. 994]

^6:66^ And he said: I therefore said to you, that no man can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father. [n. 997]

^6:67^ After this many of his disciples departed and did not walk anymore with him. [n. 998]

^6:68^ Then Jesus said to the twelve: will you also go away? [n. 999]

^6:69^ And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. [n. 1001]

^6:70^ And we have believed and known, that you are the Christ, the Son of God. [n. 1004]

^6:71^ Jesus answered them: have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? [n. 1005]

^6:72^ Now he meant Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, who was about to betray him, since he was one of the twelve. [n. 1009]

983. After our Lord put an end to the complaining and arguing among the Jews, he now removes the scandal given to his disciples.

First, we see the scandal of those disciples who left him;

second, the devotion of those who remained with him, at then Jesus said to the twelve.

Concerning the first, he does three things:

first, we see the scandal given to his disciples;

second, the kindly way Christ takes it away, at but Jesus, knowing that his disciples murmured at this, and

third, the stubbornness and unbelief of those who leave him, at after this many of his disciples departed.

984. We should note, with respect to the first, that there were many Jews who adhered to Christ, believed him and followed him. And although they had not left all things as the Twelve did, they were still all called his disciples. It is of these that he says, many, that is, many of the people who believed him, hearing it, what he had said above, said, this saying is hard. We read of these: they believe for a while, and in the time of testing fall away (Luke 8:13). He says, many, because the number of fools is infinite (Eccl 1:15); and, many are called but few are chosen (Matt 20:16).

They said: this saying is hard. Now that is said to be hard which is difficult to divide, and which offers resistance. Accordingly, a saying is hard either because it resists the intellect or because it resists the will, that is, when we cannot understand it with our mind, or when it does not please our will. And this saying was hard for them in both ways. It was hard for their intellects because it exceeded the weakness of their intellects: for since they were earthly minded, they were incapable of understanding what he said, namely, that he would give them his flesh to eat. And it was hard for their wills, because he said many things about the power of his divinity: and although they believed him as a prophet, they did not believe that he was God. Consequently, it seemed to them that he was making himself greater than he was. His letters are strong (2 Cor 10:10); wisdom is exceedingly unpleasant to the unlearned (Sir 6:21). And so it reads on. Who is able to accept it? They said this as an excuse: for since they had given themselves to him, they should have accepted what he said. But because he was not teaching them things that were pleasing to them, they were waiting for an occasion to leave him: a fool does not accept words of wisdom unless You tell him what he desires (Prov 18:2).

985. Next, at but Jesus, knowing that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: does this scandalize you?, we see the kindly way Christ dispelled their difficulty.

First, he takes notice of and mentions the scandal;

second, he removes its cause, at what if you shall see the Son of man ascending to where he was before?

Third, he mentions what the cause was, at but there are some of you who do not believe.

986. He had noticed that they were scandalized because they had said, although privately, so he could not hear, this saying is hard. But Christ, who in virtue of his divinity knew that they had said this, mentions it. And this is what he says: but Jesus, knowing that his disciples murumured at this, that is, that his disciples were grumbling about this—because he did not need anyone to give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man (John 2:25); God searches into the hearts and loins of men (Ps 7:10)—said to them, does this scandalize you? As if to say: you should not be scandalized at this. Or, it can be understood less strongly, as meaning: I know that you are scandalized at this. He will be our sanctification, i.e., those who believe in Christ, but a stumbling-stone to the two houses of Israel, to the grumbling disciples and the crowds (Isa 8:4).

987. But since teachers should avoid creating difficulties for those who are listening to them, why did our Lord mention those things that would upset the people and have them leave?

I answer that Christ had to mention such things because his teaching required it. For they had pleaded with him for material food, when he had come to strengthen their desire for spiritual food; and so he had to make known to them his teaching on spiritual food. Nevertheless, their difficulty was not caused by any defect in what Christ was teaching, but by their own unbelief. For if they had not understood what our Lord was saying, because of their own earthly mindedness, they could have questioned him, as the apostles had done in similar circumstances. According to Augustine, however, our Lord purposely permitted this situation, to give teachers a reason for consolation and patience with those who belittle what they say, since even the disciples presumed to disparage what Christ said.

988. Then, at what if you shall see the Son of man ascending to where he was before? he takes away the occasion of their scandal so far as concerns the person speaking and what he said, as Chrysostom says.

First, he deals with the person who was speaking;

second, with what he said at it is the spirit that gives life.

989. The occasion for their scandal was when they heard our Lord say divine things about himself. And so, because they believed that he was the son of Joseph, they were upset at what he said about himself. God takes away this reason by showing them his divinity more openly, and says: you are upset over the things I have said about myself; what if you should see the Son of man ascending to where he was before? What would you say then? As if to say: You can never deny that I came down from heaven, or that I am the one who gives and teaches eternal life.

He did the same thing before with Nathanael. When Nathanael said to him, you are the King of Israel (John 1:49) our Lord, wanting to lead him to more perfect knowledge, answered him: you shall see greater things than these (John 1:50). And here too, our Lord reveals to them something greater about himself which would happen in the future, saying, what if you see the Son of man ascending to where he was before? Indeed, he did ascend into heaven in the sight of his disciples (Acts 1:9). If, therefore, he does ascend to where he was before, then he was in heaven before: and no man has ascended into heaven, except he who descended from heaven (John 3:13).

990. Let us note that Christ is one person: the person of the Son of God and the person of the Son of man being the same person. Still, because of his different natures, something belongs to Christ by reason of his human nature, that is, to ascend, which does not belong to him by reason of his divine nature, according to which he does not ascend, since he is eternally at the highest summit of things, that is, in the Father. It is according to his human nature that it belongs to him to ascend to where he was before, that is, to heaven, where he had not been in his human nature. This is in opposition to the teaching of Valentinus, who claimed that Christ had assumed a heavenly body. Thus, Christ ascended in the sight of his apostles to where he was before according to his divinity; and he ascended, by his own power, according to his humanity: I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world: again I leave the world, and I go to the Father (John 16:28).

991. Augustine understands this passage differently. He said that the disciples were scandalized when our Lord said that he would give him them his flesh to eat because they understood this in a material minded way, as if they were literally to eat this flesh, just like the flesh of an animal. Our Lord rejected this interpretation and said: what if you shall see the Son of man ascending, with his entire body, to where he was before? Would you say that I intended to give you my flesh to eat like you do the flesh of an animal?

992. Then, at it is the spirit that gives life, he settles the offense they took at what he said. And, as Chrysostom says, he distinguished two ways in which his words could be understood. And second, he showed which way was appropriate here, at the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

With respect to the first, we should note that Christ’s words can be understood in two senses: in a spiritual way, and in a material way. Thus he says, it is the spirit that gives life, that is, if you understand these words according to the spirit, i.e., according to their spiritual meaning, they will give life. The flesh profits nothing, that is, if you understand them in a material way, they will be of no benefit to you, they will, rather, be harmful, for if you live according to the flesh you will die (Rom 8:13). What our Lord said about eating his flesh is interpreted in a material way when it is understood in its superficial meaning, and as pertaining to the nature of flesh. And it was in this way that the Jews understood them. But our Lord said that he would give himself to them as spiritual food, not as though the true flesh of Christ is not present in this sacrament of the altar, but because it is eaten in a certain spiritual and divine way. Thus, the correct meaning of these words is spiritual, not material.

So he says, the words that I have spoken to you, about eating my flesh, are spirit and life, that is, they have a spiritual meaning, and understood in this way they give life. And it is not surprising that they have a spiritual meaning, because they are from the Holy Spirit: it is the Spirit who tells mysteries (1 Cor 14:2). And therefore, the mysteries of Christ give life: I will never forget your justifications, because through them you have brought me to life (Ps 118:93).

993. Augustine explains this passage in a different way, for he understands the statement, flesh profits nothing, as referring to the flesh of Christ. It is obvious that the flesh of Christ, as united to the Word and to the Spirit, does profit very much and in every way; otherwise, the Word would have been made flesh in vain, and the Father would have made him known in the flesh in vain (1 Tim 4). And so we should say that it is the flesh of Christ, considered in itself, that profits nothing and does not have any more beneficial effect than other flesh. For if his flesh is considered as separated from the divinity and the Holy Spirit, it does not have different power than other flesh. But if it is united to the Spirit and the divinity, it profits many, because it makes those who receive it abide in Christ, for man abides in God through the Spirit of love: we know that we abide in God and God in us, because he has given us his Spirit (1 John 4:13). And this is what our Lord says: the effect I promise you, that is, eternal life, should not be attributed to my flesh as such, because understood in this way, flesh profits nothing. But my flesh does offer eternal life as united to the Spirit and to the divinity. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:25). And so he adds, the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life, i.e., they must be understood of the Spirit united to my flesh; and so understood they are life, that is, the life of the soul. For as the body lives its bodily life through a bodily spirit, so the soul lives a spiritual life through the Holy Spirit*: send forth your Spirit, and they will be created* (Ps 103:30).

994. Then, at but there are some of you who do not believe, he indicates the reason why they were upset, that is, their unbelief. As if to say: the cause of your difficulty is not the hardness of what I have just said, but your own unbelief.

And so first, he mentions their unbelief;

second, he excludes an incorrect interpretation; and

third, he gives the reason for their unbelief.

995. Our Lord indicated their infidelity when he said, but there are some of you who do not believe. He did not say, who do not understand. He did more than this, for he gave the reason why they did not understand: they did not understand because they did not believe. If you do not believe, you will not understand, as we read in another version (Isa 7:9). He said, some, in order to exclude his disciples: all do not have faith (2 Thess 3:2); all do not obey the Gospel (Rom 10:16); they did not believe what he said (Ps 105:24).

996. The Evangelist then rejects an incorrect interpretation when he adds, for Jesus knew. As if to say: Jesus did not say, that there are some of you who do not believe, because he just recently learned it, but because Jesus knew from the beginning, i.e., of the world, those who believed and who would betray him. All things are naked and open to his eyes (Heb 4:13); all things were known to the Lord God before they were created (Sir 23:29).

997. Our Lord next mentioned the cause of their infidelity which was the withdrawal of attracting grace. Thus he said: I therefore said to you. As if to say: thus it was necessary to tell you what I told you before: that no man can come to me, i.e., through faith, unless it is given to him by my Father. It follows from this, according to Augustine, that the act of believing itself is given to us by God.

Why it is not given to everyone we discussed above, where our Lord used almost the same words (John 6:44). They are repeated here for two reasons. First, to show that Christ received them in the faith more for their advantage and benefit than for his own: it has been granted to you to believe in him (Phil 1:29). As if to say: it is good for you to believe. Thus Augustine says: it is a great thing to believe: rejoice, because you have believed. Second, to show that Christ was not the son of Joseph, as they thought, but of God, for it is God the Father who draws men to the Son, as is clear from what has been said.

998. Then, at after this many of his disciples departed, we see the stubbornness of the disciples: for although our Lord had rebuked them and had taken away the cause of their difficulty so far as it concerned himself, they still would not believe. Thus he says, after this many of his disciples departed. He did not say, that they left, but they departed, i.e., from the faith, which they had in a virtuous way; and cut off from the body of Christ, they lost life, because perhaps they were not in the body, as Augustine says. There are some who turn back in an absolute way, that is, those who follow the devil, to whom our Lord said, go back, satan (Matt 4:10). We also read of certain women that some turned back after satan (1 Tim 5:15). But Peter did not turn back in this way; he rather turned after Christ: follow after me, satan (Matt 16:23). But the others followed after satan.

Then follows: and did not walk anymore with him, that is, even though we are required to walk with Jesus: I will show you man what is good, and then it continues on, to walk attentively with your God (Mic 6:8).

999. Then, at then Jesus said to the twelve: will you also go away? our Lord examined those disciples who remained with him.

First, we see this in the question he asked them;

second, Peter’s answer shows the devotion of those who remained, at and Simon Peter answered him; and

third, our Lord corrects Peter’s answer, at Jesus answered them: have not I chosen you twelve?

1000. Our Lord examined the Twelve who remained as to their willingness to stay on; and then Jesus said to the Twelve that is, to the Apostles, will you also go away? He asked them this for two reasons. First, so that they would not take pride, thinking it was due to their own goodness, in the fact that they stayed on while the others left, and think that they were doing Christ a favor. And so he showed that he did not need them by holding them off, but still giving them strength: if you live rightly, what do you give him, or what does he receive from your hand? (Job 35:7).

Second, it sometimes happens that a person would really prefer to leave another but is kept from doing so by shame or embarrassment. Our Lord did not want them to stay with him because they were forced to do so out of embarrassment (because to serve unwillingly is not to serve at all), and so he took away any embarrassment in their leaving or necessity for their staying, and left it to their own judgment whether they wanted to stay with him or leave, because God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7).

1001. Then, from Peter’s answer, we see the devotion of those who did not leave. For Peter—who loved the brethren, who guarded his friendships, and had a special affection for Christ—answered for the whole group, and said, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have believed.

Here he did three things.

First, he extolled the greatness of Christ;

second, he praised his teaching; and

third, he professed his faith.

1002. He extolled the greatness of Christ when he said, Lord, to whom shall we go? As if to say: are you telling us to leave you? Give us someone better to whom we can go. But then, there is no one like you among the strong, O Lord (Exod 15:11); who is like God (Ps 88:7). And so you will not tell us to go. Where can I go that is away from your spirit? (Ps 138:7). Further, according to Chrysostom, Peter’s words show great friendship; for to him, Christ was more worthy of honor than father or mother.

1003. He praised his teaching when he said, you have the words of eternal life. Now Moses, and the prophets, also spoke the words of God; but they rarely had the words of eternal life. But you are promising eternal life. What more can we ask? He who believes in me has eternal life (John 6:47); he who believes in the Son has eternal life (John 3:36).

1004. He professed his faith when he said, and we have believed and known, that you are the Christ, the Son of God. For in our faith there are two things above all that must be believed: the mystery of the Trinity, and the incarnation. And these two Peter professed here. He professed the mystery of the Trinity when he said, you are the Son of God: for in calling Christ the Son of God he mentioned the person of the Father and that of the Son, along with the person of the Holy Spirit, who is the love of the Father and of the Son, and the bond or nexus of both. He professed the mystery of the incarnation when he said, you are the Christ: for in Greek, the word Christ means anointed; anointed, that is, with the invisible oil of the Holy Spirit. He was not anointed according to his divine nature, because one who is anointed by the Holy Spirit is made better by that anointing. But Christ, so far as he is God, is not made better. Thus, Christ was anointed as man.

He said, we have believed and known, because believing comes before knowing. And therefore, if we wanted to know before believing, we would neither know nor be able to believe, as Augustine says, and as in another version of Isaiah: if you do not believe, you will not understand (Isa 7:9).

1005. Our Lord corrected Peter’s answer when he said, have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

First, we have the Lord’s reply:

second, the Evangelist’s explanation of it, at and he meant Judas Iscariot.

1006. Because Peter was great-hearted and included all in his answer, we have believed and known, that you are the Christ, the Son of God, it seemed that all of them would arrive at eternal life. And so our Lord excluded Judas from this community of believers. This trust was commendable in Peter, who did not suspect any evil in his companions; but we must also admire the wisdom of our Lord, who saw what was hidden. Thus he says, have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil; not by nature, but by imitating the devil’s malice: death came into the world by the envy of the devil; his disciples imitate him (Wis 2:24); after the morsel, satan entered into him (John 13:27), because Judas became like him in malice.

1007. But if Christ chose Judas, who was later to become evil, it seems that our Lord made a mistake in choosing him.

First, we might answer this as Chrysostom does, and say that this choice was not for predestination, but for some task, and in reference to a condition of present justice. Sometimes a person is chosen this way, not in relation to the future, but according to present realities; for being chosen in this way does not destroy one’s free choice or the possibility of sinning: hence we read, let him who thinks that he stands, take heed so he will not fall (1 Cor 10:12). And so our Lord did choose Judas, but not as evil at that time; and being so chosen did not take away his possibility of sinning.

Second, we could answer with Augustine, who said that our Lord did chose Judas as evil. And although he knew that he was evil, because it is characteristic of a good person to use evil for good, God made good use of this evil in allowing himself to be betrayed in order to redeem us.

Or, we could say that the choice of the Twelve does not refer here to the persons, but rather to the number; as if to say: I have chosen Twelve. For this number is fittingly set apart for those who would preach the faith of the Holy Trinity to the four corners of the world. And indeed, this number did not pass away, because Matthias was substituted for the traitor.

Or, according to Ambrose, Jesus chose Judas as evil so that when we read that our Lord and Master was betrayed by his disciple, we might be consoled if sometimes our friends betray us.

1008. We could ask here why the disciples did not say anything after our Lord said, one of you is a devil; for later on, when he says, one of you will betray me (John 13:21), they reply, is it I, Lord? (Matt 26:22).

I answer that the reason for this is that our Lord was speaking here in a general way when he said that one of them was a devil; for this could mean any kind of malice, and so they were not disturbed. But later on, when they heard of such a great crime, that their Master would be betrayed, they could not keep quiet.

Or, we could say that when our Lord said this, each of them had confidence in his own virtue, and so none feared for himself; but after he said to Peter, follow after me, satan (Matt 16:23), they were afraid, and realized their own weakness. That is why they asked in that indecisive way, is it I, Lord? (Matt 26:22).

1009. Finally, what our Lord had just said privately is explained by the Evangelist when he says, now he meant Judas Iscariot, as events proved and which will be clear below (John 13).