What does it means, “no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65)?
Granted what?
Some might say that Jesus is talking to disciples and here is the context when God is choosing the disciples, God grants disciples a way to Jesus. There were twelve disciples, and God choose them to be with Christ. Others might say that Jesus here is talking about how God is revealing the revelation to people, but they need to believe in Him first; person needs to shows interest in Jesus, then God grants him or aproves his desire. But when we look at the context, non of these two ideas supported by these verses. Jesus is having a dialog with people who showed interest in him but they can’t understand and believe what Jesus is saying. And second, this text never mentions about person interest in God following with God's approval. But we see the opposite, those who do show interest in Jesus are those who Father brings to Christ. The meaning of the text is self explanatory, when we see the story and the dialog between Jesus and the crowd.
At the beginning of chapter six, Jesus feeds about five thousand men (vv. 10). The results are, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!.” That’s how crowd responded to Jesus' miracle, calling and proclaiming to each other that this man is the Prophet—miracle drew the crowd. This crowd even desired to take Jesus by force and make him the king (vv. 15).
The next day, this same crowd went out to see Jesus, but this time they called Jesus a teacher: “Rabbi, when did you come here?” (vv. 25) asking Jesus a question since Jesus was on the other side of the lake. But Jesus explains them why they show interest in Him: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (vv. 26). The free food was the magnet for them to continue following Jesus.
While this crowd was around Jesus, Jesus took the opportunity and spoke to them about who he was. “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (35). And right away applying their faith towards the message that He spoke: “But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe” (36). In other words, the main reason why people need to follow Jesus was not because he gives out free food but because he is the bread of life.
But Jesus does not stops here, He goes forward and reveals them why would someone believe in Him. Right after verse 36, Jesus says: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (37). We know this is one of the main points Jesus is speaking because he repeats this truth through out the whole conversations. We have to ask our self a question: why do people come to Christ? In verse 36, Jesus says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me.” Coming to Christ is the result of the Father who gives these people to Christ. Jesus is not talking about they might come or they should come, but the verb "will" states that’s the result of God the Father interfering with a human mind and will and brings them to Jesus. Why do people show interest in Jesus Christ or believe in Him as he is the Son of God?
The crowds response was an interesting one, when Jesus told them who He was, they grumbled towards what Jesus had said (vv. 41). “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,” said Jesus in response (43-44). Why should these people not grumble about who Jesus was? The answer follows, “No one can come to me unless the Father who set me draws him.” It’s an interesting response but that’s what Jesus says. Another words, it’s like Jesus saying, don’t complain about what I said, since it is my Father who brings people to me, they will believe in me. John chapter 17 verse 6 and 7 says this, “Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.” Yours they were, said Jesus to His father (vv. 20).
This crowd that stood before Christ, had a hard time comprehending the words that Jesus spoke (52). They even said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (60). Another words, the truth that Jesus spoke about Himself, was something that they could not understand. After all the complaining, Jesus reminds them one more time about what he had already mentioned to them: “this is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (vv. 65, italics added).
So we ask ourselves, what does the father grants people? The answer is simple, faith in Jesus Christ. The problem that these people had is not that they didn’t wanted to follow Jesus, which they were to a degree, but that they couldn’t believe that he was the bread of life—the problem was in their faith. God gives faith to people and they come to Christ.
Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14 writes, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” Another words, an unbeliever can not understand God’s truth because of his nature.
That is why when Apostle Paul writes how God works among people, he comes to this conclusion:
“‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’ Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:34-36).
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Granted what?
Some might say that Jesus is talking to disciples and here is the context when God is choosing the disciples, God grants disciples a way to Jesus. There were twelve disciples, and God choose them to be with Christ. Others might say that Jesus here is talking about how God is revealing the revelation to people, but they need to believe in Him first; person needs to shows interest in Jesus, then God grants him or aproves his desire. But when we look at the context, non of these two ideas supported by these verses. Jesus is having a dialog with people who showed interest in him but they can’t understand and believe what Jesus is saying. And second, this text never mentions about person interest in God following with God's approval. But we see the opposite, those who do show interest in Jesus are those who Father brings to Christ. The meaning of the text is self explanatory, when we see the story and the dialog between Jesus and the crowd.
At the beginning of chapter six, Jesus feeds about five thousand men (vv. 10). The results are, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!.” That’s how crowd responded to Jesus' miracle, calling and proclaiming to each other that this man is the Prophet—miracle drew the crowd. This crowd even desired to take Jesus by force and make him the king (vv. 15).
The next day, this same crowd went out to see Jesus, but this time they called Jesus a teacher: “Rabbi, when did you come here?” (vv. 25) asking Jesus a question since Jesus was on the other side of the lake. But Jesus explains them why they show interest in Him: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (vv. 26). The free food was the magnet for them to continue following Jesus.
While this crowd was around Jesus, Jesus took the opportunity and spoke to them about who he was. “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (35). And right away applying their faith towards the message that He spoke: “But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe” (36). In other words, the main reason why people need to follow Jesus was not because he gives out free food but because he is the bread of life.
But Jesus does not stops here, He goes forward and reveals them why would someone believe in Him. Right after verse 36, Jesus says: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (37). We know this is one of the main points Jesus is speaking because he repeats this truth through out the whole conversations. We have to ask our self a question: why do people come to Christ? In verse 36, Jesus says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me.” Coming to Christ is the result of the Father who gives these people to Christ. Jesus is not talking about they might come or they should come, but the verb "will" states that’s the result of God the Father interfering with a human mind and will and brings them to Jesus. Why do people show interest in Jesus Christ or believe in Him as he is the Son of God?
The crowds response was an interesting one, when Jesus told them who He was, they grumbled towards what Jesus had said (vv. 41). “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,” said Jesus in response (43-44). Why should these people not grumble about who Jesus was? The answer follows, “No one can come to me unless the Father who set me draws him.” It’s an interesting response but that’s what Jesus says. Another words, it’s like Jesus saying, don’t complain about what I said, since it is my Father who brings people to me, they will believe in me. John chapter 17 verse 6 and 7 says this, “Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.” Yours they were, said Jesus to His father (vv. 20).
This crowd that stood before Christ, had a hard time comprehending the words that Jesus spoke (52). They even said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (60). Another words, the truth that Jesus spoke about Himself, was something that they could not understand. After all the complaining, Jesus reminds them one more time about what he had already mentioned to them: “this is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (vv. 65, italics added).
So we ask ourselves, what does the father grants people? The answer is simple, faith in Jesus Christ. The problem that these people had is not that they didn’t wanted to follow Jesus, which they were to a degree, but that they couldn’t believe that he was the bread of life—the problem was in their faith. God gives faith to people and they come to Christ.
Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14 writes, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” Another words, an unbeliever can not understand God’s truth because of his nature.
That is why when Apostle Paul writes how God works among people, he comes to this conclusion:
“‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’ Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:34-36).
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