Crowds can be fickle, switching quickly from enthusiasm to rejection and even violence. Sometimes these dramatic swings are triggered by just a few words. Jesus’ hard teaching in John 6 shows that his words can trigger rejection or lead to life.

As Jesus’ reputation grew, the crowds of people around him dramatically increased. Why? Because he was a wonder worker. Just a day or two earlier, Jesus had fed a huge crowd of several thousand people (John 6:1-15). But while the crowds were drawn to his miraculous works, they didn’t always like his surprising teachings. At the synagogue in Capernaum, he had told the crowd that if they wanted to have eternal life, they had to eat his body and drink his blood (6:53-59). Turned off by that imagery, many people rejected Jesus and left.

Jesus asked his closest disciples if they wanted to leave too. Speaking on behalf of them all, Peter asked, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” And then he made this bedrock confession: “You have the words of eternal life.”

When the Holy Spirit softens our hearts and opens our eyes to faith in Christ, we can see Jesus for who he really is, just as Peter did. Jesus is the Son of God, our only truth for faith and life. And then, like Peter, we can also trust him as we live and serve.