John 6:68-69

John 6:68-69. Simon Peter answered him. In accordance with the earlier records Peter stands forth as the spokesman of the Twelve, and in answer to the question of Jesus makes a confession of their faith.

Lord, to whom shall we go away? thou hast words of eternal life. (John 6:69) And we have believed, and we know that thou art the Holy One of God. The confession consists of three parts (1) ‘Thou hast words of eternal life' (see John 6:63); (2) ‘And we have believed' (in contrast with John 6:64,‘there are of you some that believe not'); (3) ‘And we know,' etc. These disciples have answered the revelation of Jesus by the faith which it demands; and now they ‘know' with the practical knowledge of experience that Jesus is the Sent of God. The expression which Peter uses is ‘the Holy One of God.' A similar phrase occurs in Psalms 106:16 in regard to Aaron, who is called ‘the holy one of Jehovah.' In the case of the human priest and in that of his antitype our Lord, the general meaning is the same, the consecrated one of God, or, in other words, He whom the Father sealed, He whom God has sent. The meaning of the word used here, ‘holy,' must receive special consideration in other passages: see the notes on John 10:36; John 10:17. It is hardly necessary to say that the confession of Peter does not seem to be the same as that related in Matthew 16.