Everlasting life is the ultimate dream idea for many people.  It is a treasured goal, and so religious people offer different keys to unlock its secret - pious behaviour, religious ritual, good works, fasting, pilgrimage, prayer, giving money.  Their assumption is that if we are good enough and do enough to please God, then He will let us into His heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9).  But Jesus did not agree with that, because it is not true.  What pleases God is to believe in Jesus, who He is and what He has done (John 6:28-29).

Although God has given us great creativity, we cannot understand things that are totally outside our experience.  The words of Jesus about Him coming down from heaven ... raising believers from the dead ... eating His flesh and drinking His blood ... simply didn't make sense to the disciples (John 6:35-40).  Their reaction was to say that it was too hard to think about it, outside of their reach, and to grumble.  But Jesus diagnosed the problem in their heart - they were offended and could not move on.

Many people, who used to follow Jesus, had gone away from Him (John 6:66).  They had wanted Him to fulfil their agenda for religious, social and political change, but Jesus refused to play their game or be patronised by them.  So, He asked the Twelve disciples if they also wanted to leave Him.  It was a test of their faith as well as their personal loyalty.  If He was not going to be the political revolutionary that some wanted, were they willing to continue with Him in His mission of salvation?

Jesus did not seek publicity.  He did not want His ministry to be validated by what people thought of Him.  Jesus only wanted to please His Heavenly Father (John 5:41-44).  About six months had elapsed since the events in John Chapter 6.  During that time Jesus had been in the northern province of Galilee, away from the religious leaders in the south who wanted Him dead and were personally willing to kill Him by stoning (John 5:18: John 8:59).