Conventional wisdom tells us that bigger numbers are better, and we might find support for this understanding in the Bible. God’s commission to Adam and Eve was to be fruitful and multiply, and the great commission echoes the idea of multiplication. The math is simple: more people equals more success and more resources to reach even more people. It makes all the sense in the world to us. It would follow that small numbers are bad. If we have less people and resources we cannot expand our reach to more people. If numbers are going down, we must be failing the mission. So, in John 6:66 we are confronted with a major crisis in the earthly ministry of our Lord according to our common-sense understanding. Earlier in the chapter a massive number of people were following the Lord with enough dedication to sail across the Sea of Galilea, and now they are dispersed.
John 6:6: “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”
We would expect a dynamic leader like Jesus to spring into action seeking to course correct and win back the recent losses, but instead, He asks a question of the remaining followers in John 6:67: “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?”
Following the Numbers of Christ?
He does not try to convince them not to leave, he does not ask them to stay. He isn’t concerned about the sudden drop in numbers at all. He is concerned with something else entirely. He asks a question that probes deep into the disciples’ understanding. You see, from John 6:26-65 the Lord had been instructing the crowd on a critical issue of salvation, the sole sufficiency of Christ.
Now, He will reveal whether His remaining disciples have understood what was said and what was meant by it. Let us remember that Jesus knew perfectly well what the answer was, and undertook this question for the benefit of His disciples then and now.
Simon Peter answered him in John 6:68-69: “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.”
Peter speaks the critical truth for all believers: there is simply nowhere else to go, Jesus alone gives life. Apart from the person and work of Jesus as clearly communicated in Scripture there is nothing. Jesus is utterly unique fully man, and at the same time fully God without sin a perfect and infinite sacrifice to satisfy the gnawing hunger of man for true and lasting righteousness bringing reconciliation with the thrice Holy Trinity.
The question we are left with is why the crowd departs from the presence of the Bread of Life? Why turn away from the offer of eternal satisfaction?
This is a vexing question for us. The crowd we are told followed Jesus because He had miraculously provided for their physical hunger. See John 6:11-14, 26-27:
- John 6:11-14: “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”
- John 6:26-27: “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”
There is nothing inherently sinful in wanting a good meal, and were we there that day our instinct undoubtedly would have been to provide food for the crowd so that we might have their attention to our message. Such was the Lord’s heart in verse 5. This, however, Jesus flatly refuses to provide food. You see He has discerned that they are interested only in the perishable food, and so out of love, He sends them away.
Yes, you read that last line correctly, it was the loving thing to send the crowd away hungry for more bread and fish. Otherwise, they might remain satisfied, and make their way comfortably deluded towards eternal destruction. They do not need Jesus Christ as a food dispenser they need Him as the only Savior and Lord.
They are sent on their way having never truly been walking the narrow way. It is not unlike the famous incident with the rich young ruler of Mark 10:17-27: “And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
Jesus wants everyone to come to a saving knowledge of who He is, and He will gladly watch the numbers go down in order to uphold the Gospel truth.
We do not have the level of discernment or understanding that which our Lord possessed. We cling to the notion of attracting the lost, and holding their attention in the name of having the opportunity to present the Gospel. Perhaps that is truly our aim, but we cannot deny that inflated numbers serve our own selfish desires as well. Whatever the motivation the pursuit itself will always be directed toward compromise.
See 2 Timothy 2:3-4: “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
Giving lost people what they want will always hinder the cause of giving them Christ crucified, for as we see in John 6 and many other places inside and outside of Scripture, they do not want Christ crucified. This is why Jesus never gave a quota in the great commission. This is why the rate of growth is not emphasized in the teaching about the Church. This is why numbers are never the focus, but the life-giving truth of Christ’s atoning work is.
Here then is our predicament: we are trained to yearn for higher numbers, and everything in the world around us is geared to generate increase. We see clearly how numbers affect our lives and ministries. We know no simpler, easier way to measure our success than to track the numbers as they climb.
At Lord’s Library, we look at page views, and site traffic, and seek to raise both through the application of SEO (Search engine Optimization) practices. The goal is to reach more people with the truth. However, if we let the numbers drive the operation, we will soon find ourselves reaching more and more people with lies. The same is true of any ministry. The nature of Christianity is this, if we lose the truth we cease to exist. Editor’s note: Amen!
This is why we need creeds and confessions to moor ourselves to the truth of Scripture and anchor our practices to the central convictions that keep the mission Gospel-centered and Biblically faithful. The great commission is to bring the Gospel truth to all people, to give them what they need rather than what they want. This means we must love the truth more than we love big numbers. To put it another way, we must love actual people more than the representation of people.
And what of these people? If we do not hold them fast, and cater to their wants how shall we meet their ultimate need? The text of John 6 provides us with an entirely satisfactory answer. It will be echoed throughout the Book of Acts and will reverberate again in the greatest moments of Church history. See John 6:44: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Our mission in the great commission is to tell the truth as we go along our way, to throw out the seeds, and it is God who will cause those seeds to spring up and grow. We are responsible for our actions and not the actions of others: a truth deluded when we measure success by numbers. Our success is judged by faithfulness. The cost of compromise is always too great. Obscuring the Gospel mission and weakening our doctrinal integrity is never helpful in presenting Christ to the unbelieving world.
Numbers can be helpful stewardship, but they should never be an idol we worship under the pretense of worshipping Christ. And of course, we want every true and faithful church to prosper in every way.
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