Joh_6:67-69. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
IT was said of our Lord by the aged patriarch who took him in his arms at his presentation in the temple, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be spoken against; that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed:” and this discovery of men’s characters was universally produced by his ministrations. Nor was it occasioned by his doctrines only, but frequently by the manner in which they were promulgated. His discourses abounded much in parabolical and figurative representations, which cast a veil of obscurity over them and served as a touchstone to try the spirits of those who heard him. His statement of the new birth was for a time a stumbling-block to Nicodemus, who knew not what interpretation to put upon his words: and in like manner, his discourse respecting “eating his flesh and drinking his blood” offended many; insomuch that “they went back, and walked no more with him.” His own Apostles scarcely knew how to receive his word; so that it seemed as if they also would depart from him. But they were of a more humble and teachable spirit; and therefore, when our Lord asked, if they also intended to forsake him, they expressed their abhorrence of such an idea, and their determination to adhere to him at all events.
I.
The question which our Lord put to his Disciples demands our first consideration—
Though it related to one particular occasion, it is suited to convey much general instruction. It shews us,
1.
That the best of men are liable to depart from God—
[This is a truth of infinite importance, which yet many are very averse to hear. But who can doubt it in reference to himself? Who does not feel that he himself may fall, and that too into grievous sin, and into final condemnation? Advocates for human systems may say what they please on this subject; but there is not an humble Christian in the universe who does not feel this to be true in reference to himself: and if any choose to deny it, we shall oppose to him the example of the Apostle Paul, who “kept his body under, and brought it into subjection, lest by any means, after having preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away [Note: 1Co_9:27.].” In ourselves we are weak as new-born babes: it is God alone “that can keep us from falling;” and if ever we be saved at all, we must be “kept by the power of God unto salvation [Note: Jude, ver. 24. 1Pe_1:5.].”
But there is not that opposition between this doctrine and that of the perseverance of the saints that some imagine. A mother’s care is a pledge for the security of her child: but that does not set aside the liability of the child to perish by hunger or cold, or a thousand other accidents; any of which things may at any time occur by the carelessness or death of its nurse. Thus our security is not in ourselves, but in our God: if left to ourselves for one moment, we should perish: and all our hope is in the tender care and mercy of our God. The only difference between the child and us is, that its guardian is weak and mortal; whereas ours is the almighty and unchangeable Jehovah, in whose power and fidelity alone our advantage consists.]
2.
That the defection of some endangers the stability of others—
[We are easily wrought upon by the influence of bad example. “The mixed multitude in the wilderness fell a lusting,” and soon drew after them the whole nation of Israel [Note: Num_11:4.]. In the Gospels too we have many melancholy instances of the readiness even of good men to follow each other in what is evil. Peter, full of self-confidence, presumed to declare, that “though he should be called to die with his Lord, he would not deny him:” and then we are told, “Likewise also said all the Disciples [Note: Mat_26:35.];” so speedily were they led away by his example. On another occasion, we find them all “murmuring and full of indignation” about the expense which had been incurred for the purpose of honouring their Lord: and, when we come to inquire whence it originated, we trace it all to Judas, who was a thief, and wanted to steal the money for his own use [Note: One Evangelist mentions only in general terms that “some” were thus affected: Mar_14:4-5. Another tells us who they were, even all “the Disciples:” Mat_26:8. And another tells us who was the first instigator, and by what principle he was actuated. Joh_12:4-6.]. The instance of Barnabas also, and other Jewish Christians, who were led away by Peter’s dissimulation, is precisely in point. Indeed, who that is at all conversant with the Christian world, has not seen, on many occasions, how rapidly a bad spirit in one diffuses itself through a whole Church? Good instruction and example operate very slowly and partially; but that which is evil spreads apace: “a little leaven will soon leaven the whole lump.” It becomes us then to be on our guard against the contagion of evil. Doubtless these apostates thought that they had reason enough to forsake our Lord: but if we were left, like Paul, unsupported and unacknowledged by the whole Christian world [Note: 2Ti_4:16.], it would become us, like him, to maintain our steadfastness, and to “cleave unto Christ with full purpose of heart.”]
3.
That we ought to watch the first motions and tendencies of our own hearts to evil—
[The twelve had evidently participated in the feelings of the other Disciples, though not to the same extent. This our Lord saw; and therefore bade them come to a decision. Happy was it for them that the bias of their minds was the right way: and happy for them that they were called upon to decide, before the evil had got too deep a root in their minds. Had they been left to “go back, and walk no more with Jesus,” how bitterly would they have lamented it to all eternity! Let us then be aware of the tendency of evil thoughts, and guard against their first introduction into the mind. If we be tempted for a moment to account any thing “a hard saying,” or to turn aside in the smallest degree from the path of duty, let us remember, that they who draw back, “draw back unto perdition;” and that “if any man draw back, God’s soul shall have no pleasure in him [Note: Heb_10:38-39.].”]
Such was the instructive nature of our Lord’s question: and,
II.
The answer of Peter was worthy of an inspired Apostle—
Peter was forward on all occasions to speak his mind; and often spoke hut unadvisedly at best. But on this occasion he returned, both for himself and all his brethren, an answer fraught with wisdom. Two grounds he states for the determination which all of them had formed to adhere to Christ;
1.
The insufficiency of the creature—
[The conviction of his mind on this subject was very strong; insomuch that he ventured even to appeal to Christ himself, and to defy, if I may so speak, Omniscience itself to tell him, where any other refuge could be found, or any other source of solid good: “Lord, to whom shall we go?” ‘We are in pursuit of instruction: who can give it us, if we turn our back on thee? We are in pursuit of happiness: where can we find it, but in thee? We are bent upon the attainment of heaven: who can bring us thither, but thyself? If we go back to the world and cast off all care for these things, nothing but everlasting destruction awaits us: and if we go to the Scribes and Pharisees, we have had evidence enough what kind of teachers they are, “blind leaders of the blind.” To whom then can we go, with the smallest prospect of attaining what we are seeking after?’
Now this part of Peter’s answer furnishes us with a good reply to all who would turn us from the Lord. “To whom, or what, would you turn me?—to the world? I have found its emptiness. To sin? I know its bitterness. To formality? I have felt its incompetency to satisfy my mind and conscience. My God tells me that “Christ is all:” and I am constrained from daily experience to say to him, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee” Whatever advantages were proposed to us as an inducement to turn back from Christ, we should regard the proposal as absurd and impious as that which was made by the Israelites of old [Note: Num_14:3-4.]—]
2.
The all-sufficiency of Christ—
[Our Lord had frequently asserted in the foregoing discourse, that “he would give eternal life to those who should eat his flesh and drink his blood.” Peter, in his answer, refers to that; and professes confidently, in the name of all the other Apostles, that the words of Christ pointed out the only true way to life, and that Christ himself was that very Messiah, who was authorized and commissioned to bestow life: “Thou hast the words of eternal life; and we believe, &c.”
This was a glorious confession, and an ample reason for the determination they had formed to remain firm in his cause. Whither should they go for water, when they had the fountain near them? “True it was, that at the present it was, in a measure, a fountain sealed;” yet not so sealed, but that it always afforded them an abundant supply for their present necessities; and in due time it would be opened to the whole world, and flow unto the ends of the earth. They were persuaded that he would impart to them living water; and that, “if only they drank of the water that he should give them, they should never die.” O that every Christian in this day felt the same confident persuasion! In vain would the world, and the flesh, and the devil combine their efforts to destroy him: he would determine with Joshua, that though the whole world should become servants to them, “he and his house would serve the Lord [Note: Jos_24:15.].”]
Application—
Who amongst you are disposed to walk with Jesus?
[This may be done now in the exercise of faith and prayer, precisely as Enoch and Noah “walked with God” in the days of old. It is every Christian’s privilege to do so [Note: 1Jn_1:3.]. Be assured, that, however the world may be offended at Christ, he is an able Instructor, a kind Master, a faithful Friend, and an all-sufficient Saviour — — —]
Are there any amongst us that have turned back from him?
[Alas; there are apostates now, as well as in former times. But what has any one gained by departing from Christ? Is he happier than he was when he sat at the Saviour’s feet and heard his words? There is but one testimony on this head from all the children of men: “In observing lying vanities, they have forsaken their own mercies [Note: Jon_2:8.]” — — — Think then from whence ye are fallen, and say, “I will return unto my first husband, for then it was better with me than now [Note: Hos_2:7.]” — — —]
To those who are walking steadily with him,
[We would address those words of the Apostle, “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.” If even the Apostles were ready to start aside, who has not need to watch and pray lest he also enter into temptation? Awful is that admonition of our Lord, “Remember Lot’s wife.” If you would endure unto the end, you must be teachable as little children; and be determined, through God’s assistance, to “die with Christ, rather than forsake him.”]
DISCOURSE: 1644
NO SAVIOUR BUT THE LORD JESUS
Joh_6:67-69. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that them art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
NOTHING is more common than for persons to take offence at the word of God itself. Sometimes its strictness offends them; sometimes its harshness and severity; sometimes its mysteriousness and sublimity. Nicodemus could not receive what was spoken to him about the new birth: the Samaritan woman could not comprehend the idea of living water: and the hearers of our Lord were altogether indignant, when he discoursed to them about giving them his flesh to eat. Indeed, this saying appeared to them so hard, so strange, and so absurd, that a great number of them departed from him, and walked no more with him. Even the Apostles themselves were evidently stumbled at it; insomuch, that our Lord, with a mixture of surprise and pity, asked them, “Will ye also go away?” The answer which St. Peter gave him, in the name of all the rest, will lead me to shew you the grounds of a Christian’s adherence to Christ. He determinately cleaves to Christ,
I.
Because there is salvation for him in no other—
[We may conceive the Apostle speaking to this effect: “Lord, to whom shall we go? We are seeking after salvation: we are desiring to obtain peace with God: we want to find rest for our souls. Whither can we go for any of these things?”
Now, in like manner, may every Christian say, ‘To whom shall I go, to remove the burthen of my sins? If I go to the world, it may dissipate my thoughts for a moment; but it can bring no solid peace to my soul. Its cares, its pleasures, its company, can do nothing towards healing the pangs, or silencing the accusations, of a guilty conscience: they may suspend, but can never remove, my sorrows: or rather, if they cause me to forget my sins for a little time, it is only that they may press upon me afterwards with an accumulated weight, and leave me a more awful prey to guilt and shame and misery. If I go to the Law, and seek to pacify my mind by an obedience to its commands, I find no success. I feel a consciousness that I can never atone for the sins I have already committed: I am sensible, too, that, in spite of all my endeavours, I cannot fulfil its demands: I come short in every thing I do: and I hear it thundering out its anathemas against me; saying, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them.” I perceive that I can never establish such a righteousness as shall avail for my acceptance before God. I am therefore shut up to that way of salvation which thou, my Lord, hast revealed. Nothing but fear or terror haunts me, whether I endeavour to forget my sins, or to make an atonement for them: and I can find none but Jesus that can afford me the desired relief.’]
A further ground on which a Christian adheres to Christ is,
II.
Because he is both able and willing to save—
[“Thou hast the words of eternal life,” said this blessed Apostle. The preceding discourse alone abundantly warranted this assertion: for, in it, Jesus had declared, in the strongest terms, that “he would give eternal life [Note: ver. 27.];” that “whosoever should come to him, and believe in him, should never hunger, never thirst [Note: ver. 35.];” that “of those who should come to him, he would never cast out one [Note: ver. 37.];” that “all who should see him and believe in him should assuredly have everlasting life [Note: ver. 40.];” yea, that they were at that very moment in actual possession of it [Note: ver. 47.]; that he had come down from heaven on purpose to bestow it on all who would seek it through him [Note: ver. 51.]: that, as the Jews had subsisted upon manna in the wilderness, so all who would eat his flesh, and drink his blood, should subsist by him [Note: ver. 54–56.], and that not for a time only, but for ever [Note: ver. 58.]. Now what could all this mean? Could any declaration be more full, more rich. more suitable to men sojourning in this dreary wilderness?
Thus, then, may every believer say: for the whole Scripture teems with invitations and promises from this adorable Saviour, and especially to those who feel their need of mercy at his hands. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!” “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls: for my yoke is easy, and my burthen is light [Note: Mat_11:28-30.].” “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink: and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water [Note: Joh_7:37-38.]. Here is no exception: the only requisite for acceptance with him is, that we feel our need of him, and come to him to quench our thirst.
What can we want more? Let our wants be ever so great, he has a fulness adequate to the supply of them: and let our unworthiness be ever so great, our sense of that unworthiness shall be our best recommendation to him: nor shall our incapacity to offer him any thing in return for these benefits be any bar to our acceptance: since they are all offered freely, “without money and without price [Note: Isa_55:1.].” Shall we then decline going to him? or, having gone to him, shall we ever depart from him? God forbid!]
But the Christian will yet more determinately adhere to him,
III.
Because he is expressly appointed to that very office—
[Of this the Apostles were assured: “We believe, and are sure, that thou art that Christ, the Son of the Living God.” It had been foretold that the Messiah should appear, on purpose “to finish transgression, to make an end of sin, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in an everlasting righteousness” for his believing people [Note: Dan_9:24.]. This person was to be no other than “the Son of the Living God [Note: Psa_2:7.].” And that Jesus was this very person, the Apostles had no doubt. They had seen the miracles which Jesus had wrought in confirmation of his divine mission, those very miracles to which Jesus himself had appealed in proof of his Messiahship [Note: Mat_11:2-5.]: and they could not doubt but that he was the very person to whom all the Law and the Prophets had borne witness, as the appointed Saviour.
Now, if the Apostles at that time “were sure” of this truth, how much more may we be assured, who have seen his whole work completed, in his death upon the cross, his resurrection from the dead according to his word, his ascension into heaven, and his sending down of the Holy Spirit, to testify of him, and to establish his kingdom in the world? Methinks we might as well doubt our own existence, as call in question his Messiahship, and his express ordination of God to be the Saviour of the world.
Shall we, then, look out for any other? or, having believed in him, shall we for a moment suffer any other to stand in competition with him? No, Lord: we believe, and are sure, that thou art sent of God to this very office; and we will know none but Thee, none but Thee.]
Here I would put a question or two, by way of bringing home the subject more fully to our souls. Having taken for granted that we all are following the Lord Jesus, I have forborne hitherto to inquire respecting it. Let me, however, entreat you to supply that defect, and to examine carefully whether you have ever come to Christ aright? Deceive not yourselves, I pray you, in relation to this matter: for the everlasting salvation of your souls depends upon it. Have you seen that there is no hope for you in any thing but in his atoning blood? Have you renounced all dependence upon your own righteousness; and are you trusting altogether in his obedience unto death? — — — Unless this be clearly ascertained, you are not prepared to enter on the consideration of the questions which I would wish to propose to you. But, supposing that you are indeed believers in Christ, I ask,
1.
Will you depart from him?
[Whom or what will you place in competition with him? — — — Perhaps you are not at present tempted in any particular way to depart from him. But be assured that you will he: for there is not any true follower of Christ who does not, sooner or later, meet with trials to prove his sincerity. You may not be called to “resist unto blood:” but you cannot fail to meet with smaller persecutions, such as contempt and ridicule, and the hatred of an ungodly world, perhaps too even of your nearest friends. What, then, is the state of your minds in reference to these things? Are you enabled, through grace, to honour Christ, and to set at defiance all your enemies? If you see others turning back, (for what age is there which does not witness many apostasies?) are you the more determined, through grace, to “cleave unto him with full purpose of heart?” Are you saying, as Ruth to Naomi, “Nothing but death (no, nor death itself) shall part between thee and me.” You must not indeed be making resolutions, and, in dependence on your own strength, be saying, “Though all men forsake thee, yet will not I:” but your daily prayer must be, that you may be kept steadfast unto the end: for it is only by being “faithful unto death, that you can ever attain a crown of life.”]
2.
Will you not endeavour to bring all you can to him?
[Surely, if you are fully persuaded that “there is no other name under heaven but his, whereby man can be saved,” you will labour according to your ability to bring men to the knowledge of him. You cannot but pity the poor deceived world, who are going after lying vanities, whilst you have found a refuge for your souls. Go, look around you: go and see what empty cisterns men hew out to themselves, whilst your thirst is quenched at the fountain-head. Go to the places of public resort, and see what a poor vain portion the worldlings have. Verily, their best pleasures are but as the crackling of thorns under a pot; a fire that blazes for a moment, and then expires in smoke and melancholy. Have compassion on them, and tell them of the Saviour you have found: and, whilst you labour to instruct the ignorant, exert yourselves to the utmost to confirm the wavering, and to bring back the sheep that have been driven away.
Extend your views, also, to the heathen world. Alas! to what refuges of lies have they recourse! Behold their idols of wood and stone, that cannot so much as move themselves, much less assist their votaries! Behold the painful and cruel rites which they observe, in order to recommend themselves to the favour and approbation of their imaginary deities! Can you be acquainted with the Saviour, and not wish to make him known to them? Can you be in possession of “the words of eternal life,” and not endeavour to put into their hands that blessed volume in which they are contained [Note: If this were for a Mission Society, or Bible Society, here would be the place for enlargement on the subject.]? Surely, next to a personal adherence to him, this must be your duty: and, if you are his Disciples indeed, I feel no doubt but that you will engage in this blessed work with an affectionate solicitude for the welfare of your fellow-creatures, and an ardent zeal for the honour of your God [Note: This was written at the distance of many years from that which precedes it, and without the slightest recollection that the text had ever been treated before. But the two are so entirely different from each other, the one being more scientific, (if it may be so called) and the other altogether popular, that they are both inserted as specimens of two very different ways of treating the same text, and as answering in a slight degree the end which is more studiously consulted in the four skeletons at the end of Claude’s Essay.].]
