Given by the Father

Given by the Father
The gospels often tell us that God the Father plays an important role in people coming to Jesus. This is an especially frequent theme in the gospel of John, from which are all but one the of the below passages.

Section	Text	Comments
109, 110	JN 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. [36] "But I said to you, that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. [37] "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. [38] "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. [39] "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. [40] "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." JN 6:41 The Jews therefore were grumbling about Him, because He said, "I am the bread that came down out of heaven." [42] And they were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, `I have come down out of heaven'?" [43] Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. [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. [45] "It is written in the prophets, `AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. [46] "Not that any man has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. [47] "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. [48] "I am the bread of life. [49] "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. [50] "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. [51] "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh." JN 6:60 Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?" [61] But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? [62] "What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before? [63] "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. [64] "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. [65] And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father." JN 6:66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. [67] Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" [68] Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. [69] "And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."	In a dialogue between Jesus and the Jews, we learn that Jesus viewed those who believed in him as having been given to him by the Father. In light of Jn 17:6, 17:24, we ought to view this as a matter of stewardship on Jesus' part. But we also should consider just how the Father might "give" people to Jesus. 6:34 illustrates how these people are given to Jesus: people behold the Son and believe in him and be raised at the last day. They are "given" to Jesus because this is the gracious will of the Father. Now to the question of "drawing." Questioned by those who did not believe, he stated that unless the Father "draws" a person, no one can come to Jesus. The Greek term for "draws" is elkuso, and is usually used to describe forcible dragging (e.g. Jn 21:6, 21:11, Ac 16:19, 21:30, Jas 2:6). It is also used once to describe Peter drawing his sword (Jn 18:10). John uses the term two other times-- In Jn 12:32, Jesus says his death would draw all men to himself. This can hardly mean that all men will be converted simply because of the cross. Jesus' prophecy seems fulfilled in that the most prominent fact about Christianity is the cross. But what of "drawing" in Jn 6:44? It seems that the Father is actively involved in individual men coming to faith in Jesus, and without this involvement men cannot come to Jesus. Does this mean that men do not have a free choice? No. God's drawing gives man the choice to learn from the Father and come to Jesus. Does this mean that God decides who will have the opportunity to be saved? Does he create some that will have no opportunity to come to Jesus? If twisted, this text might suggest such an idea. But in context God does his drawing through the Scriptures (6:45). Concerning Christian evangelism, we should observe that in Christ the Father has been working towards the salvation of every man. However, only some heed that call. Like Jesus, we need not put the onus of another's faith upon ourselves, but simply recognize we can only receive from the Father those who believe from our message. While persuasion might be necessary at times, those who have been favorably disposed towards the call of God are the ones who will heed the message.
138	JN 8:43 "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. JN 8:47 "He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."	Those who are "of God" hear and understand God's word. The context of this discussion is the Jews claiming to be descendants of Abraham; Jesus' point is if they were true heirs, they would hear and understand the word.
160	JN 10:26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. [27] "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; [28] and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. [29] "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. [30] "I and the Father are one."	Those who are "Jesus' sheep" believe his word and follow him. The Father has given these sheep to Jesus.
205	MK 13:20 "And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the days. [21] "And then if anyone says to you, `Behold, here is the Christ'; or, `Behold, He is there'; do not believe him; [22] for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order, if possible, to lead the elect astray.	Jesus refers to the "elect" (who might otherwise be known as his "sheep"). He states the coming false Christs and false prophets will be so believable that they might persuade even the faithful.
224	JN 17:6 "I manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. [24] "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which you have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.	Three times in the prayer of John 17, Jesus identifies the eleven as having been given to him by the Father. This suggests the idea of stewardship, that the Father entrusted the eleven to Jesus. Accordingly, Jesus ministered to those who had been entrusted to him.