Tuesday, February 15, 2022

John 6:60-69 Annotated

This translation is from the English Standard Version. Other translations can be accessed at the bolded hyperlink below. The entire chapter is linked in order to provide context. 

Information about the meaning the original Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue.  

Portions highlighted in yellow at the end of this post tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. 

Portions in green text at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us to do.

Portions in red text  at the end of this post tell us about something God does not want us to do

John 6:60-69

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 

61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”  68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 

listens = κοω = akouō  Blue Letter Bible  harkin to; to attend to, consider what is or has been said; to understand, perceive the sense of what is said; to give eartoa teaching or a teacher; to comprehend; to perceive anyone's voice; to yield to, hear and obey; have regard to; to perceive the distinct words of a voice; to yield obedience to the voice; to perceive in the soulHenry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon  hearken, give ear; listen to; obey; hear and understand 

grumbling = γογγζω = gongyzō  Blue Letter Bible  to mutter, murmur, grumble, say anything in a low tone;of those who confer secretly together; of those who discontentedly complain; Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon mutter, murmur, grumble   

take offense = σκανδαλζω = skandalizō  Blue Letter Bible offend; stumble; a stumbling block or impediment in the way; to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey;to cause to fall away; to be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority; to cause one to judge unfavorably or unjustly of another; to cause one displeasure at a thing; to make indignant; to be displeased, indignant;entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure;  Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon cause to stumble, give offence or scandal

 

Spirit = πνεμα = pneuma  Blue Letter Bible  Breath, wind; the vital principal by which the body is animated; a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and actingthe third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son; never referred to as a depersonalized force; God's power and agency;  Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon  blast, wind; breeze or influence; breathed air, breath; breath of life; divine inspiration

 

life = ζοποιω = zōopoieō  Blue Letter Bible   to cause to live, make alive, give life; by spiritual power to arouse and invigorate; to restore to life; to give increase of life: thus of physical life; quickening as respects the spirit, endued with new and greater powers of life; metaph., of seeds quickened into life, i.e. germinating, springing up, growing; to reanimate

 

flesh = σρξ = sarx Blue Letter Bible  the complete person; a living creature (because possessed of a body of flesh);  Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon the whole body

 

believe = πιστεω = pisteuō  Blue Letter Bible to be persuaded of, and hence, to place confidence in, to trust, signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence; to entrust, commit to; to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in; the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul; credit; to have a faith directed unto, believing or in faith to give oneself up to; to commit oneself trustfully;Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicontrust, put faith in, rely on; comply; feel confident that a thing is

come = ρχομαι = erchomai  Blue Letter Bible denoting either "to come, or to go," signifies the act, of coming from one place to another; to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence; to come to a thing; to goHenry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon  start, set out; come or go; to go a journey; any kind of motion 

granted = δδωμι = didōmi  Blue Letter Bible bestow, the implied idea being that of giving freely; grant; offer; yield, produce; to supply, furnish, necessary things; to furnish, endue; to cause, profuse, give forth from one's self; minister; to give one to someone to care for his interests; give up for; Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon  give freely, to be ready to give, offer; provide well for

walked = περιπατω = peripateō  Blue Letter Bible  to make one's way, progress;  “to walk,” is sometimes used of the state in which one is living, or of that to which a person is given; to regulate one's life;to conduct one's self; to pass one's life; deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary);go, be occupied with;to make a due use of opportunities; to frequent, stay in; the garment one is clothed in; to associate with one, to be one's companion, used of one's followers and votaries; the standard according to which one governs his life;Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexiconwalk up and down,as in a cloister; traverse; walk about while teaching, discourse

life= ζω= zōē  Blue Letter Bible  the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate;of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical; life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed

know =γινσκω =ginōskō  Blue Letter Bible represents knowledge as the effect of experience; perceive, feel; "to be taking in knowledge, to come to know, recognize, understand," or "to understand completely"; in its past tenses it frequently means "to know in the sense of realizing";"to know by observation and experience," is translated "to learn;"to become acquainted with;to come to know; idiom: to have sexual relations with;  Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon  come to know, perceive; now by reflection, know by observation;discern, distinguish, recognize; perceive; feel

What does this Scripture tell us about God/His ways?

Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this

It is the Spirit who gives life

The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life

no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father

Lord, to whom shall we go? 

You have the words of eternal life

you are the Holy One of God

What does this scripture tell us to do?

listen

believe

believe

come to [Jesus]

walk[] with him

believed

come to know

 

What does this scripture tell us not to do?

grumbling

take offense 

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