Post 32 - Drawn by the Father: Election in the Gospel of John - Part 5

Recap: In the last post, I proposed that much of sixth chapter of the Gospel of John describes a three-step process of apostolic recruitment and placement, not a description of how we became Christians, as proposed by both Calvinists and non-Calvinists. The three steps uniquely conducted by the Father, included:

(1) teaching - John 6:45,

(2) drawing - John 6:44, and

(3) giving to Jesus - John 6:37, 39

I proposed that these three steps were precursors to the apostles coming to be with Jesus, not normative steps for how Christians come to believe in Jesus.

Last week we saw that the "teaching" by the Father (John 6:45) was really a supernatural revelation given to the apostles by the Father that Jesus was the Messiah (Mat 16:13-17). Today we'll consider the second of God's three-step strategy of apostolic recruitment - the drawing of the apostles to Jesus.

John 6:44

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:44 ESV)

Context

The "Messianic secret" is a term sometimes applied to God's intentional (and often supernatural) control of access to Jesus and of his identity as the Messiah. By controlling access to Jesus, the Father was ensuring that his ultimate plan of redemption would not be derailed. The events in John 6 occur one year before the cross. We see in this chapter a concern that the crowds, if not controlled, could potentially thwart the eternal plan. In John 6:44 Jesus is describing the Father's meticulous control over who could "come to" him (See Post 24) and the start of an intentionally harsh and unsavory teaching about eating his flesh and drinking his blood.

Calvinism: The Calvinist insists that the good news here is that God draws anyone to Jesus. Without God's intercession, they say, everyone, being "dead" in sin, would remain completely unwilling and unable to "come to Jesus" - an expression they believe to be a metaphor for believing. The draw (Gr. helko), they say, is an irresistible, powerful "impulse of the Holy Spirit" given only to the elect (John Calvin, Commentary on the Gospel of John).

Non-Calvinism: Citing John 12:32, the non-Calvinist maintains that, since the cross, there is a general draw by the Holy Spirit of all people to Jesus, not just the elect.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw (Gr. helko) all people to myself" (John 12:32 ESV).

The non-Calvinist maintains that we have the ability to "resist" the draw of the Spirit (Acts 7:51, Heb 10:29), which prevents many from responding positively to the gospel. Only those who believe will ultimately come to Jesus.

For Your Consideration

Note that both camps consign the draw to Jesus as a work of the Holy Spirit. Ignoring the context, both camps believe Jesus to be speaking of a future grace that reveals a working of the Spirit in the lives of believers. Of course, at the time this was spoken, the Holy Spirit was not yet given (John 7:39), leading them to propose that "coming to Jesus" really means "coming to believe in Jesus", rather than "come to be with Jesus."

I believe that both camps disregard one important purpose of Jesus' teaching in this chapter - crowd control. What we see in the sixth chapter of John's Gospel is a ministry that begins with thousands of followers (John 6:10) and ends with only twelve (John 6:66-67). In fact, the sixth chapter of John's Gospel could be sub-titled, "The Crowd-reduction Discourse".

To accomplish this purpose, Jesus first informs/alerts the crowd that only those who were taught, drawn and given to him by the Father could come to him. He then proceeds to tell the crowd that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood to be his disciples. Disgusted with this "hard teaching", the entire crowd abandons Jesus, leaving only "the Twelve", those who have been taught by the Father and who know that Jesus is the one with "the words of eternal life," that he is "the Holy One of God" (John 6:68-69).

The Draw

Much is made about the meaning of the Greek word translated as "draw" in this verse (Gr. helko). I believe that Calvinists generally get this right. The draw of the apostles to Jesus was a powerful impulse put into their hearts by the Father (not by the Holy Spirit, as proposed by John Calvin), that made them desire (irresistibly) to be with Jesus. The impulse was powerful enough to make the apostles immediately leave everything (Mark 1:18, Mat 19:27) and spend three years - day and night - with the man they knew to be the Messiah (John 6:69).

For scriptural support, the Calvinists like to point out that the same Greek word - helko - is used in the following verses:

So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. (John 21:11 ESV)

But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. (Acts 16:19 ESV)

... They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. (Acts 21:30 ESV)

These verses clearly express a powerful action perpetrated upon the recipient apart from his will. Although not common in Scripture, God can (and did) override the "free will" of people in order to achieve his purpose. We see this with Abimelech in Gen 20:6, "... it was I who kept you from sinning against me... ". To be clear, I don't believe the apostles were coerced in any way, but that God kindled a deep desire in the hearts of the apostles to be with Jesus. In this regard, the draw described in John 6:44 was effectively irresistible.

What about John 12:32?

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw (Gr. 'helko') all people to myself." (John 12:32 ESV)

As mentioned, the non-Calvinist will often cite John 12:32 as a counter to the Calvinist belief that the draw in v. 44 was powerful and irresistible. The non-Calvinists believe the verse to describe a gentle, resistible wooing by the Holy Spirit that graciously calls everyone to faith in Jesus, but does not impinge on the person's free will.

In John 12:32, I believe both views are warranted - an irresistible call and a gentle wooing. I believe Jesus intentionally uses a double-entendre to explain a complex spiritual effect of the cross. (See Post 25).

1. While he was on the cross ("lifted up"), he would draw (irresistibly) all of humanity to himself to die with him.

This corresponds to the Calvinists' understanding of an irresistible impulse. Paul tells us that when Jesus died, everyone died (2 Cor 5:14). All were drawn irresistibly.

2. After the cross, when he was exalted ("lifted up") at the right hand of the Father, he would draw (woo) all of humanity to himself to live with him.

This is the resistible, gentle "wooing" that the non-Calvinist sees in the Greek word "helko" in John 6:44. This is the work of the Spirit that has called today's Christian to believe the gospel.

Final Thought

Perhaps we can't conclusively settle the argument about whether "come to Jesus" in verse 44 means "come to believe in Jesus" (figurative), or "come to be with Jesus" (literal), the fact that one focus in this chapter seems to be the final paring down of those with access to Jesus implies that when Jesus spoke of "coming to him", the intended meaning was literal, not figurative/spiritual. When Jesus intentionally restricts the reach of his ministry, we should understand that he is abiding by his Father's directive to ensure the proper and orderly unfolding of the redemptive plan - beginning with the establishment of the "foundation" of the Church - the selection and preparation of the apostles.

"... I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18 ESV).

To learn more, please consider picking up my book - God's Elect: The Chosen Generation

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Next Post: Taught by the Father; drawn by the Father; given to Jesus by the Father. We'll continue to look at the election of the apostles by understanding what it meant to be "given to Jesus" by the Father. Here's a link:

https://www.bibleinsights.net/post/post-33-given-by-the-father-election-in-the-gospel-of-john-part-6a