Who Can Hear It?

    In John 6:60 the scripture declares, “When many of his followers heard this, they said, this is a hard saying; who can hear it?” or “Who can be expected to listen to such teaching?”

    What had they heard? They heard our Lord declare his deity (Vs. 35). They heard our Lord declare his divine sovereignty in salvation (Vs. 37-39). They heard our Lord declare man's inability to come to God or even to desire to come to God (Vs. 44-45). They heard our Lord declare that true salvation is Christ in us, received in us as one eats bread and drinks liquid; true salvation is a living union with our Lord (Vs. 53-54).

    These people heard him speak, and they understood his words. His language was not unintelligible; he meant exactly what he said, and he said exactly what he meant to say. But the religious people found it to be a hard saying because what he said was irreconcilable with their own view of salvation by law and works. “Who can hear it?” Only those who by grace have been taught of God and learned of the Father (Vs. 44-45).