Andy Mangus Supporter I am a Christian since October 1979 & devoted truth seeker.

They 'fell away' as some would call it, but to me the answer to this question is that "they never truly believed that Jesus Christ was "God in the flesh"; born of a virgin, and whom God sent to be our sacrifice for all our sins, just as Jesus taught that He would do when it was time for him to "Go to the Father". Those 'fallen away' disciples just simply didn't have 'faith and belief' in Him that He was whom He said He is(was), so they ended up making the wrong choice!

Praise God that We have a Savior! And, His name is Jesus Christ! 
---Andy---

March 05 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

Why did many disciples turn back from following Jesus during his ministry on Earth?

Many disciples turned from Jesus because His teachings became challenging and radical, particularly in John 6, where He spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, which sounded like cannibalism and clashed with their expectations of a conquering Messiah, not a suffering one, highlighting a lack of true faith and spiritual understanding beyond material allegiance or good works. 

Read John Chapter 6, verses 48, 5,8 and then note verse 60 as to the reason why people left from following Jesus:

1: Challenging Teachings (John 6:60-66): Jesus' discourse on being the "Bread of Life," requiring people to "eat His flesh and drink His blood" for eternal life, was seen as a "hard saying" and literally interpreted as cannibalism by many.

2: Lack of True Faith: Jesus noted that some who left "had not come to believe," indicating their discipleship was superficial, based on His miracles or promises of earthly benefits, not a genuine, profound belief in Him as God's Son.

3: Spiritual Blindness: They struggled to grasp the spiritual meaning behind His words, focusing on the physical impossibility rather than the more profound truth about spiritual sustenance and union with Him.

4: Cost of Discipleship: Following Jesus demanded radical commitment, often involving hardship and rejection, which proved too much for those seeking an easy path or material gain. 

5: Unmet Expectations: Many followed Jesus, hoping for a political or military Messiah to overthrow Rome and establish Israel; His focus on spiritual truth, suffering, and eternal life, rather than earthly power, disappointed them.

The Significance of John 6:

This event served as a test, revealing the shallow faith of many followers and prompting Jesus to ask the Twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" John 6:67-68, to which Peter responded with the iconic affirmation of faith, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." 

During the "Bread of Life" discourse, Jesus stated that one must "eat his flesh and drink his blood" to have eternal life. Many listeners took this literally, finding it offensive, blasphemous, or even cannibalistic, especially given Jewish dietary laws prohibiting the consumption of blood.

This turning point resulted in such a significant exit that Jesus famously asked his core twelve apostles, "Do you also want to leave?" to which Peter replied that Jesus alone had the "words of eternal life."

Literal Interpretation of "Eating Flesh": Many disciples took Jesus's words literally, viewing them as cannibalistic and a violation of Old Testament laws against consuming blood (Leviticus 17:10-14).

Spiritual vs. Material Focus: They were accustomed to Jesus providing physical miracles like the feeding of the 5,000 and expected a political Messiah, not a spiritual one who demanded deep, sacrificial faith,

1 day ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report