different without Jesus’ death on the Cross. The chief offense of the Cross is that we’re all sinners so no one is right with God, and no one can make themselves right with God, either, but they need Him even to do that, and to pay their penalty for sin. The crowds that came to Jesus, and even many who followed Him (and one of the Twelve, too, Judas), weren’t “seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness,” so after not responding to Jesus’ miracles , but listening to their flesh instead, Jesus judged them.
Okay, consider this passage:
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” (1 Corinthians 1:23)
The offense of the Gospel to the Jews was and is the Messiah, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, dying to make atonement for the sins of mankind. And I’m grateful for the Lord revealing more of this truth through the conversation here. Reading John 6 in this light makes it that much clearer. The crowds were looking for the Victorious King, and Jesus told them what they were doing and warned them, but when they responded with unbelief, He judged them. And some disciples didn’t believe in Him, either, and then Jesus turned to the Twelve, and He knew one of them didn’t believe also.