The three responses to

Jesus

The religious people

Could not think of God doing something different

The ordinary people Could not cope

with the challenge

The disciples Perplexed but

faithful

John 6:45-51 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by

God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No-one has seen the Father

except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has

everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they

died But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the

world.“ Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to

eat?"

John 6:60-61On hearing it, many of

his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who

can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about

this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you?

John 6:66-71From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the

words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the

Holy One of God." Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen

you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of

the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

John 6:62-65The Spirit gives life; the flesh

counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus

had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you

that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled

them.”

The Primacy of the Spirit

The words of Jesus

He is never caught out

The need for divine help

Matthew 16:13-17When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea

Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say

John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I

am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in

heaven.

Exodus 16:4-5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I

will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test

them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other

days.”