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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_6:60-65
60Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?" 61But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? 62What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."
Joh_6:60 "Therefore many of His disciples" This use of the term "disciple" has a wide connotation. In John this term and "believe" are used of both (1) true followers (Joh_6:68) and (2) temporary followers (Joh_6:64, cf. Joh_8:31-47).
▣ "heard. . .listen" There is a play on the word "hear" (akouô). They heard Jesus' words, but they did not understand them and act on them. In this sense this Greek term functions like the Hebrew shema (cf. Deu_4:1; Deu_5:1; Deu_6:3-4; Deu_27:9-10).
Joh_6:62 This is an incomplete first class conditional sentence with no conclusion. The implication is they would see it (cf. Acts 1). After Jesus' death/resurrection/ascension and the coming of the Spirit, much of Jesus' teachings and acts would make sense to them.
▣ "ascending to where He was before" This is the continuing emphasis on Jesus as "coming down out of heaven." It speaks of His pre-existence with the Father in heaven and His intimate fellowship with the Father in heaven (cf. Joh_17:5; Joh_17:24).
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Joh_6:63 This verse, because of the larger context of chapter 6, may relate to a contrast between old covenant versus new covenant, Moses versus Jesus (cf. Joh_6:58; 2Co_3:6, see the comparisons of the two covenants in the book of Hebrews).
▣ "the Spirit who gives life" This is one of many phrases that are used for both Jesus and the Spirit.
1. the Spirit is life-giving water (Joh_7:38-39)
2. Jesus is the living water (Joh_4:10-14)
3. the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (Joh_14:17; Joh_15:26; Joh_16:13)
4. Jesus is the truth (Joh_14:6)
5. the Spirit is paraclete (Joh_14:16; Joh_14:26; Joh_15:26; Joh_16:7)
6. and Jesus is paraclete (1Jn_2:1)
See Special Topic at the Joh_14:16.
Notice in this verse that "spirit" (pneuma) is used in two specialized senses.
1. the Holy Spirit (cf. Joh_1:32-33; Joh_3:34; Joh_7:39; Joh_14:17; Joh_15:26; Joh_16:13)
2. spiritual (cf. Joh_4:24; Joh_11:33; Joh_13:21)
In Joh_3:5-6; Joh_3:8 it is hard to know which is meant. Being John, possibly both.
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Joh_6:64 This group of apparent but false followers is reduced to the false follower- Judas (cf. Joh_6:70-71; Joh_13:11. There is surely mystery involved in levels of belief.
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Joh_6:65 This expresses the same truth as Joh_6:44. Fallen mankind does not seek God on its own initiative (cf. Rom_3:9-18 for a series of OT quotes which emphasize mankind's sinfulness and rebellion).