John 6:44

John 6:43-45 (see also John 7:17; John 12:39-40)

Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 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.

Jesus wasn’t making fun of them, but helping them to see the problem, which is especially evident at John 10:37-38. Jesus was pointing out that these who were rejecting Him, were doing so because they were not right with the Father (i.e. not saved), because those who are right with God (i.e. those who have “heard and learned from the Father”), were coming to Him, as a factor of being given and drawn by the Father. So this passage does not mean what Calvinists think that it means. The problem is that Calvinists have proof-texted it, without consideration of the context.

Calvinist, James White: “If the overall discourse is ignored, an improper interpretation of individual texts can be offered. This is one of the most oft-missed elements of correct exegesis, normally due to the presence of traditions in the reader’s thinking.” (Scripture Alone, p.87, emphasis mine)

That’s what hurts the Calvinist interpretation, since it is proof-texted without any regard to the dialogue. This is the drawing of believing Jews who had “heard and learned from the Father” (v.45), as the faithful remnant of Israel whom God was drawing to His Son, starting from the ministry of John the Baptist. Jesus states: “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47) Jesus adds, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.” (John 8:42) They were not of God. If they were, He would have gladly given and drawn them to His Son, since that was His desire for Israel, having spread out His hands all day long for them. (Isaiah 65:2) Nevertheless, God warned what He would do if they refused to repent (Jeremiah 18:1-13), which was prophesied at Isaiah 6:9-10, and fulfilled at John 12:37-43, being a temporary and partial hardening of the Jews until the times of the Gentiles are complete. (Romans 11:25) So the Father’s drawing of John 6:44 is not speaking of humanity in general, or of a special class of the Calvinistically elect, but of the Father’s drawing of the already covenant believers and sheep, to His Son, which is not to be confused with the Son’s later post-Calvary drawing of all men in general. (John 12:32)

John Calvin comments: “What this statement amounts to is this: we should not be surprised if many people refuse to embrace the Gospel, since no one is ever able of himself to come to Christ unless God first comes to him by his Spirit. So it follows from this that not everyone is drawn, but that God gives this grace to those whom he has elected.” (John: Calvin, The Crossway Classic Commentaries, p.164, emphasis mine)

Rather, God gave this grace to those who were of Him. This passage has nothing to do with Calvinism. It’s a dialogue between Jesus and the unbelieving Jews. The Jews insisted that they were right with God, and Jesus declared the opposite: “I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.”  (John 5:42) “He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.” (John 7:28) “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” (John 8:19) “You are from below.” “You are of this world.” (John 8:23) “You will die in your sins.” (John 8:24) “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham.” (John 8:39) “You are of your father the devil.” (John 8:44) “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47) “You have not come to know Him.” (John 8:55) Jesus diagnosed their problem: They rejected Him because they rejected the Father. “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me.” (John 5:43) That’s the “reason” why they rejected the Son. If they had received the Father, they would have received His Son, and would not have rejected He and all of the prophets before Him: “It cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:33) That’s why Jesus repeatedly invoked the Father in His dialogue with them. At John 5:19, He pointed out that His message was exclusively the Father’s, and that if indeed they had heard and learned from the Father, then they would have come to Him. (John 6:45) At John 7:17, Jesus pointed out that if indeed they did really wish to do the Father’s will, then they would know whether His message was from God. At John 8:42, Jesus pointed out that if indeed God was their Father, as they had proclaimed (John 8:41), then they would have loved the Son, whom they instead tried to kill. (John 8:59) At John 10:26, Jesus pointed out that the only reason why they rejected Him, was because they were not of His sheep, and He and the Father were One. (John 10:30) They were not of His sheep, because they were not of the Father’s sheep, either. If they were of the Father’s sheep, then the Father would have gladly given (John 6:37) and drawn them to His Son. (John 6:44) This passage has nothing to do with Calvinism.

Chad from oldtruth.com points out: “Christ has told us how it goes at all times in John 6:44. The only way anyone can come to Christ, pre or post Calvary is that if the Father Draws him. I do not accept the ‘sheep transfer’ idea.” (Dialogue on John 6:44 with oldtruth.com, emphasis mine)

Jim from oldtruth.com adds: “When we read things like ‘no one can come unless’ - it would seem to apply to mankind in general, but you insist on restricting the scope of this entire John 6 passage to a certain set of Jews.” (Dialogue on John 6:44 with oldtruth.com, emphasis mine)

Calvinists are not looking at the dialogue, as if the context was completely irrelevant. What’s ironic is that when you bring 1st Timothy 2:4 or 2nd Peter 3:9 to the attention of a Calvinist, suddenly the context is important to consider. Go figure.

http://www.examiningcalvinism.com/files/Gospels/John6_44.html