John 6:67

The twelve. This is the only time that John refers to the twelve disciples as “the twelve,” and he does so without any previous report of Jesus’ choice of the group. Similarly he introduces Pilate (ch. 18:29) and Mary Magdalene (ch. 19:25) into his narrative without explaining who they were. This seems quite clearly to indicate that John, writing several decades after the other Gospels had come into circulation, was conscious of the fact that those who read his account would already be acquainted through the Synoptic Gospels and other reports with the main personalities involved in Jesus’ life. A realization of this fact makes it easier to understand why the Fourth Gospel does not seek to give the systematic coverage that is found in the Synoptics, but is rather a theological interpretation of certain significant events of Christ’s ministry.

Will ye also go away? The construction of this question in Greek implies a negative answer, so that the force of the sentence is, “You do not wish to go away also, do you?” As John has just stated, Jesus knew who of His followers were true to Him and who were not (v. 64). Consequently this question was not asked for His own information, but rather to test the Twelve as to what their motives were in following Him.