What was happening when Jesus asked the twelve, "Will you also go away"?

Just before this, many people who had been following Jesus turned back and stopped walking with Him because His teaching about Himself was too hard for them to accept. They struggled with His words about eating His flesh and could not receive the spiritual meaning. When they left, only the twelve disciples remained close to Him. Jesus then turned to these twelve and asked if they also wanted to leave. He did this, not because He was unsure of them, but to strengthen their faith and draw out their open confession of trust in Him.

What does Peter mean by saying, "Lord, to whom shall we go"?

When Peter says, "Lord, to whom shall we go," he is admitting that there is nowhere else to turn if they leave Jesus. He knows there is no other teacher, leader, law, or religious path that can give what Jesus gives. Peter and the others have seen other options, like the religious leaders or even John the Baptist, but they know none of them are the promised Savior. So Peter is saying that leaving Jesus would only lead to emptiness and death. Staying with Jesus is the only way to real life and hope.

What are "the words of eternal life" that Jesus has in this passage?

When Peter says that Jesus has "the words of eternal life," he means that Jesus speaks the message that brings people into life with God forever. Jesus’ words explain what eternal life is, how God gives it freely by grace, and that Jesus Himself is the way to that life. This includes His teaching about believing in Him, feeding on Him by faith, and being drawn by the Father. The words themselves are not just information. Through them, God awakens dead hearts, strengthens weak believers, and leads them along the path that ends in never-ending life with Him.

What does Peter’s confession that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God" mean?

Peter’s confession means he believes Jesus is the long-promised Savior that God spoke about long ago. Calling Him “the Christ” means Peter sees Jesus as the anointed prophet, priest, and king God promised to send. Saying He is “the Son of the living God” shows Peter recognizes Jesus as truly divine, sharing the same life and nature as the Father, not like dead idols. This is not a vague trust. Peter and the others are convinced, from Jesus’ miracles and teaching, that He really is the one sent to save, rule, and bring people to God.

Why does Jesus say, "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil"?

Jesus reminds the twelve that He Himself chose them for their special role as His close followers. Yet He also reveals that one among them is “a devil.” He does not mean that this disciple is literally the devil, but that his heart and actions are like the devil’s: deceitful, murderous, and set on evil. This shows that a person can hold a very high place in religion and still be false inside. Jesus says this both to prepare the others for the shock of Judas’s future betrayal and to warn them not to become proud or careless about their own hearts.

Who is Judas Iscariot in this passage, and what will he do?

Judas Iscariot is one of the twelve disciples whom Jesus chose to be close to Him. He is identified as the son of Simon. Outwardly, he looks just like the others and joins Peter in this confession, but inside he is not sincere. The passage explains that Jesus’ words about “one of you is a devil” refer to Judas. He is the one who will later betray Jesus into the hands of His enemies. This makes his sin worse, because he acts as a traitor from within the inner circle, after seeing Jesus’ ministry and sharing in such a trusted position.

How does this passage show the difference between true disciples and false ones?

In this scene, many people who had followed Jesus turn away when His teaching becomes hard to accept. They liked being near Him for a time, but they did not truly trust Him. The twelve stay, and Peter speaks for them, saying they believe and are sure that Jesus is the Christ and that He alone has the words of eternal life. Yet even among the twelve there is Judas, who is called a devil. So we see two kinds of false disciples: those who walk away when truth is hard, and those who stay outwardly but inwardly do not truly belong to Christ.

Why is this passage important for how we respond to hard teachings from Jesus?

This passage shows that when Jesus’ words feel hard, people often face a choice either to walk away or to cling to Him more closely. Many left because they could not accept what He said. The twelve stayed, not because they understood everything, but because they trusted who He is and knew there was nowhere else to go for life. This helps us see that real faith holds on to Christ even when we wrestle with His words. Instead of judging His teaching or drifting away, we are called to stay with Him and ask for deeper understanding and a steady heart.

What does this teach about God’s grace and human unbelief?

Earlier in this chapter, Jesus said that no one can come to Him unless it is given by the Father. Here we see that truth worked out. Many who heard the same words turned away in unbelief, while the twelve remained and confessed their faith. Even within the twelve, Judas stayed outwardly but had an unbelieving heart. This shows that faith is not produced by human effort alone, but is a gift of God’s grace. It also shows how serious unbelief is, especially when someone has heard the truth clearly and still turns away or pretends while hiding a rejecting heart.

How can a believer apply Peter’s words, "We believe and are sure" in daily life?

Peter’s words give a pattern for how a believer can face doubt, pressure, and confusion. He does not claim to understand everything Jesus has just taught, but he rests on what he does know: who Jesus is and what He gives. In daily life, you can follow this by returning again and again to the clear truths God has shown you about Christ, especially when other things feel unclear. You can say in your heart, “I still trust You, and I know You are the Christ.” That steady trust helps you keep walking with Him when others drift away.

John.6.67

John 6:67

KJV Jesus

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

Peter’s Confession of Faith

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.

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.