John 6:66
in John 6From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
KJV
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
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This verse in John 6
Commentary
19 notes on this verseMany of his disciples went back - They no longer associated with him, nor professed to acknowledge him as the Messiah. None of these were of the twelve. Christ had many others who generally attended his ministry, and acknowledged him for the Messiah.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him." Went back, but after Satan, not after Christ. For our Lord Christ once addressed Peter as Satan, rather because he wished to precede his Lord, and to give counsel that He should not die, He who had come to die, that we might not die for ever; and He says to him, "Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men." He did not drive him back to go after Satan, and so called him Satan; but He made him go behind Himself, that by walking after his Lord he should not be a Satan. But these went back in the same manner as the apostle says of certain women: "For some are turned back after Satan." They walked not further with Him. Behold, cut off from the body, for perhaps they were not in the body, they have lost life. They must be reckoned among the unbelieving, notwithstanding they were called disciples. Not a few, but "many went back." This happened, it may be, for our consolation. For sometimes it happens that a man may declare the truth, and that what he says may not be understood, and so they that hear it are offended and go away. Now the man regrets that he had spoken that truth, and he says to himself, "I ought not to have spoken so, I ought not to have said this." Behold; it happened to the Lord: He spoke, and lost many; He remained with few. But yet He was not troubled, because He knew from the beginning who they were that believed and that believed not. If it happen to us, we are sorely perplexed. Let us find comfort in the Lord, and yet let us speak words with prudence.
And from that time many of the disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. (Tr. xxvii. 8) Being cut off from the body, their life was gone. They were no longer in the body; they were created among the unbelieving. There went back not a few, but many alter Satan, not alter Christ; as the Apostle says of some women, For some had already turned aside after Satan. (1 Tim. 5:15). Our Lord says to Peter, Get thee behind Me. He does not tell Peter to go after Satan. (Tr. xxvii. 8) And perhaps this took place for our consolation; since it sometimes happens that a man says what is true, and what He says is not understood, and they which hear are offended and go. Then the man is sorry he spoke what was true; for he says to himself, I ought not to have spoken it; and yet our Lord was in the same case. He spoke the truth, and destroyed many. But He is not disturbed at it, because He knew from the beginning which would believe. We, if this happens to us, are disturbed. Let us desire consolation then from our Lord's example; and withal use caution in our speech.
Let the chaff of a fickle faith fly off as much as it will at every blast of temptation, all the purer will be that heap of corn that shall be laid up in the garner of the Lord. Did not certain of the disciples turn back from the Lord himself when they were offended? Yet the rest did not therefore think that they must turn away from following him. But because they knew that he was the Word of Life and had come from God, they continued in his company to the very last, after he had gently inquired of them whether they also would go away. It is a comparatively small thing that certain men, like Phygelus, and Hermogenes, and Philetus and Hymenaeus, deserted his apostle: the betrayer of Christ was himself one of the apostles. We are surprised at seeing his churches forsaken by some people, although the things that we suffer after the example of Christ himself show us to be Christians. "They went out from us," says [John], "but they were not of us. If they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us."
Let the chaff of a fickle faith fly off as much as it will at every blast of temptation, all the purer will be that heap of corn which shall be laid up in the garner of the Lord. Did not certain of the disciples turn back from the Lord Himself, When they were offended? Yet the rest did not therefore think that they must turn away from following Him, but because they knew that He was the Word of Life, and was come from God, they continued in His company to the very last, after He had gently inquired of them whether they also would go away.
A commentator
Cyril of AlexandriaCommentary on the Gospel of John, Book 4 · Written before 444.
proposed
Hard indeed is ever wisdom to the unwise, and what one thinks will yield them no slight profit, is often seen to be even hurtful. For as to them who are diseased in their bodily sight, the light of the sun is an enemy, and it is pleasant to them to sit in dark places; so to the sick in mind, the more difficult doctrines are hateful, and those that are obscured by hard meanings are an abomination, even though the benefit be great: and petty things are pleasant, and more acceptable, even though sometimes no advantage accrue. Shall we not find this true in the present case? when Christ was laying before them the great and Divine Mystery, and through varied thought was laying open the understanding of it, and all but gathering up now the veil of the temple, and unveiling the inner tabernacle, they loath the so wise and heavenly word, they turn aside again to their brutish unlearning, and went bade, as the Evangelist saith, and refuse to walk any more with Him. For this is in truth, falling back. Wherefore by the Prophet Jeremiah He says again to the senseless and obstinate Jerusalem, the nurse of unbelievers, THOU forsookest Me, saith the LORD, and shalt go backward. For of a truth backward falling follows the rejection of good things: and God is All Good. Therefore the miserable men went back, and have fallen backwards, not walking with the Saviour any more, but turning as it were to other paths, and dragged down to their wonted passions. But let us see again, whether we do not find the type of this too in the books of Moses. When then they had travelled through long ways and traversed that wild desert and were now at the very land of promise, Joshua the son of Nun and certain others with him were sent by Divine command to espy it. But when they had spied out the whole land and were returned again to Moses, some of them began speaking bitter things to the synagogue. […]
13 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers3 voices
"From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him." Rightly hath the Evangelist said, not that they "departed," but that they "went back"; showing that they cut themselves off from any increase in virtue, and that by separating themselves they lost the faith which they had of old. But this was not the case with the twelve; wherefore He saith to them, "Will ye also go away?"
(Hom. xlvi. 2) But it may be asked, what reason was there for speaking words to them which did not edify, but might rather have injured them? It was very useful and necessary; for this reason, they had been just now urgent in petitioning for bodily food, and reminding Him of that which had been given to their fathers. So He reminds them here of spiritual food; to show that all those miracles were typical. They ought not then to have been offended, but should have enquired of Him further. The scandal was owing to their fatuity, not to the difficulty of the truths declared by our Lord.
The medical men called surgeons pass for being cruel but really deserve pity. For is it not pitiful to cut away the dead flesh of another person with merciless knives without being moved by his pain? Is it not pitiful that the one who is curing the patient is callous to his sufferings and has to appear as his enemy? Yet this is the order of nature. While truth is always bitter, a pleasant disposition waits upon evildoing. Isaiah goes naked without blushing as a type of the captivity to come.
The Medieval Church3 voices
"Many of the disciples went back"; that is, having separated from Him, they did not go toward something better, but returned back, that is, to unbelief. For truly, whoever separates from Christ goes back, while whoever, like Paul, "is joined unto the Lord" (1 Cor. …
Here the falling back of the unbelievers is touched upon: whence he says: "After this," that is, following this, or "from this," that is, on the occasion of this rebuke and instruction, "many of his disciples went back," not through imitation, as was said to …
Our Lord next mentioned the cause of their unbelief, which was the withdrawal of attracting grace. Thus he said: This is why I said to you. As if to say: Thus it was necessary to tell you what I told you before: that no one …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The place and time where and when this miracle was wrought, which are noted for the greater evidence of the truth of the story; it is not said that it was done once upon a time, nobody knows where, but the circumstances are specified, that the fact might be enquired into. The country that Christ was in (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
From that time many of his disciples went back,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
These verses form a sorrowful conclusion to the famous discourse of Christ which occupies the greater part of the sixth chapter. They supply a melancholy proof of the hardness and corruption of man's heart. Even when the Son of God was the preacher, many seem to have heard in vain. Let us mark in this passage what an old sin apostasy is. We read that when our Lord had explained what He meant by "eating and drinking his flesh and blood,"—"After this, many of his disciples quit following him and did not accompany him any longer."
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, we believe that the righteous shall hold on his way and he that has clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger. We also believe that he that believes in Christ "has everlasting life" and, consequently, must live forever. The living water which Christ gives a man shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. Our Lord has said of His sheep that they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of His hands.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
These verses form a sorrowful conclusion to the famous discourse of Christ which occupies the greater part of the sixth chapter. They supply a melancholy proof of the hardness and corruption of man's heart. Even when the Son of God was the preacher, many seem to have heard in vain. Let us mark in this passage what an old sin apostasy is. We read that when our Lord had explained what He meant by "eating and drinking his flesh and blood,"—"After this, many of his disciples quit following him and did not accompany him any longer." The true grace of God no doubt is an everlasting possession. From this men never fall away entirely, when they have once received it. "The foundation of God stands sure." "My sheep shall never perish." (2 Tim. 2:19; John 10:28.) But there is counterfeit grace and unreal religion in the Church, wherever there is true; and from counterfeit grace thousands may, and do, fall away. Like the stony ground hearers, in the parable of the sower, many "have no root in themselves, and so in time of trial fall away." All is not gold that glitters. All blossoms do not come to fruit. All are not Israel which are called Israel. Men may have feelings, desires, convictions, resolutions, hopes, joys, sorrows in religion, and yet never have the grace of God. They may run well for a season, and bid fair to reach heaven, and yet break down entirely after a time, go back to the world, and end like Demas, Judas Iscariot, and Lot's wife. It must never surprise us to see and hear of such cases in our own days. If it happened in our Lord's time and under our Lord's teaching, much more may we expect it to happen now. Above all, it must never shake our faith and discourage us in our course. On the contrary, we must make up our minds that there will be apostasy in the Church as long as the world stands.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, we believe that the righteous shall hold on his way and he that has clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger. We also believe that he that believes in Christ "has everlasting life" and, consequently, must live forever. The living water which Christ gives a man shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. Our Lord has said of His sheep that they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of His hands. Yet we know that if any man draws back, the Lord will have no pleasure in him, and we are sure that, "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Therefore we very heartily sing the verse in one of our hymns— "We ha ve no fear that You should lose One whom eternal love could choose; But we would never this Grace abuse, Let us not fall! Let us not fall! We consider that it would be an abusing of this Grace if we were to grow careless, presumptuous, high-minded and imagine that for ourselves, personally, it would not be possible to become apostates, or even to turn aside a little from the right way. We believe the Truth of God of the Final Perseverance of the Saints concerning the true people of God, but the question comes to our heart, Are we such? Is there in us the incorruptible Seed which lives and abides forever? And how are we to know that we are such but by this very perseverance which, while it is an effect of Grace, is also one of the most certain tokens of it, for there is not the true Grace of God in the heart where there is no perseverance in Grace even unto the end.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Many of his disciples - Many who had followed him professedly as his disciples and as desirous of learning of him. See the notes at Joh 6:60. Went back - Turned away from him and left him. From this we may learn, 1. Not to wonder at the apostasy of many who profess to be followers of Christ. Many are induced to become his professed followers by the prospect of some temporal benefit, or under some public excitement, as these were; and when that temporal benefit is not obtained, or that excitement is over, they fall away. 2. Many may be expected to be offended by the doctrines of the gospel. Having no spirituality of mind, and really understanding nothing of the gospel, they may be expected to take offence and turn back. The best way to understand the doctrines of the Bible is to be a sincere Christian, and aim to do the will of God, Joh 7:17. 3. We should examine ourselves. We should honestly inquire whether we have been led to make a profession of religion by the hope of any temporal advantage, by any selfish principle, or by mere excited animal feeling. If we have it will profit us nothing, and we shall either fall away of ourselves, or be cast away in the great day of judgment.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐκ | ek | From | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τούτου | toutou | that [time] | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| πολλοὶ | polloi | many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαθητῶν | matheton | disciples | G3101 → | 260 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀπῆλθον | apelthon | went away | G565 → | 115 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀπίσω | opiso | back | G3694 → | 35 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὐκέτι | ouketi | no longer | G3756 →G2089 → | 140 times |
| μετ᾽ | met᾽ | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περιεπάτουν.¶ | periepatoun | were walking. | G4043 → | 94 times |
ἐκFrom
ekG1537 →911 times
τούτουthat [time]
toutouG3778 →1381 times
πολλοὶmany
polloiG4183 →367 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
μαθητῶνdisciples
mathetonG3101 →260 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἀπῆλθονwent away
apelthonG565 →115 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ὀπίσωback
opisoG3694 →35 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὐκέτιno longer
μετ᾽with
met᾽G3326 →461 times
αὐτοῦHim
autouG846 →5565 times
περιεπάτουν.¶were walking.
periepatounG4043 →94 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 9:62Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
it leads to
- Philippians 3:13
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
- Hebrews 10:38
But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
- 2 Peter 2:20–22
If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse…
- Luke 17:31–32
On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind.
- James 1:6–8
But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
- Philippians 3:13
Through
John 8:31So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.
it leads to
- 2 John 1:9
Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son.
- John 15:4–9
Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.
- 2 Timothy 3:14
But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them.
- 2 John 1:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies28
- Bread
- The Bronze Serpent
- Cut Off from Among His People
- Eternal Life
- Eternal Security, and the Five Warnings of Hebrews
- Feeding the Five Thousand, John 6:1-15
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Show the next 6 titles
About John
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on John 27; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 6; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1646: “A Home Question and a Right Answer” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 4; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jerome, LETTER 40.1; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 47; John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, PRESCRIPTIONS AGAINST HERETICS 3; Tertullian, The Prescription Against Heretics; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.