Joh 6:39-40, 44, 54, 11:24, 12:48 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 39. Father's will . His purpose; desire; intention. As this is the Father's will, and Jesus came to execute his will, we have the highest security that it will be done. God's will is always right, and he has power to execute it. Jesus was always faithful, and all power was given to him in heaven and on earth, and he will therefore most certainly accomplish the will of God. Of all which . That is, of every one who believes on him, or of all who become Christians. See . I should lose nothing . Literally, "I should not destroy ." He affirms here that he will keep it to life eternal; that, though the Christian will die, and his body return to corruption, yet he will not be destroyed . The Redeemer will watch over him, though in his grave, and keep him to the resurrection of the just. This is affirmed of all who are given to him by the Father; or, as in the next verse, " Every one that believeth on him shall have everlasting life." At the last day . At the day of judgment. The Jews supposed that the righteous would be raised up at the appearing of the Messiah. See Lightfoot. Jesus directs them to a future resurrection, and declares to them that they will be raised at the last day--the day of judgment. It is also supposed and affirmed by some Jewish writers that they did not believe that the wicked would be raised. Hence, to speak of being raised up in the last day was the some as to say that one was righteous, or it was spoken of as the peculiar privilege of the righteous. In accordance with this, Paul says, "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead," . (y) "Father's will"

John 6:39-40

Verse 39. Father's will. His purpose; desire; intention. As this is the Father's will, and Jesus came to execute his will, we have the highest security that it will be done. God's will is always right, and he has power to execute it. Jesus was always faithful, and all power was given to him in heaven and on earth, and he will therefore most certainly accomplish the will of God.

Of all which. That is, of every one who believes on him, or of all who become Christians. See Jn 6:37.

I should lose nothing. Literally, "I should not destroy." He affirms here that he will keep it to life eternal; that, though the Christian will die, and his body return to corruption, yet he will not be destroyed. The Redeemer will watch over him, though in his grave, and keep him to the resurrection of the just. This is affirmed of all who are given to him by the Father; or, as in the next verse, "Every one that believeth on him shall have everlasting life."

At the last day. At the day of judgment. The Jews supposed that the righteous would be raised up at the appearing of the Messiah. See Lightfoot. Jesus directs them to a future resurrection, and declares to them that they will be raised at the last day--the day of judgment. It is also supposed and affirmed by some Jewish writers that they did not believe that the wicked would be raised. Hence, to speak of being raised up in the last day was the some as to say that one was righteous, or it was spoken of as the peculiar privilege of the righteous. In accordance with this, Paul says, "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead," Php 3:11.

(y) "Father's will" Mt 18:14, Jn 10:28, 17:12, 18:9, 2Ti 2:19 Verse 40. Everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him. It was not sufficient to see him and hear him, but it was necessary, also, to believe on him. Many of the Jews had seen him, but few believed on him. Jesus had said in the previous verse that all that the Father had given him should be saved. But he never left a doctrine so that men must misunderstand it. Lest it should be supposed that if a man was given to him this was all that was needful, and lest anyone should say, "If I am to be saved I shall be, and my efforts will be useless," he states here that it is necessary that a man should believe on him. This would be the evidence that he was given to God, and this would be evidence conclusive that he would be saved. If this explanation of the Saviour had always been attended to, the doctrine of election would not have been abused as it has been. Sinners would not sit down in unconcern, saying that if they are given to Christ all will be well. They would have arisen like the prodigal, and would have gone to God; and, having believed on the Saviour, they would then have had evidence that they were given to him--the evidence resulting from an humble, penitent, believing heart--and then they might rejoice in the assurance that Jesus would lose none that were given to him, but would raise it up at the last day. All the doctrines of Jesus, as he preached them, are safe, and pure, and consistent; as men preach them, they are, unhappily, often inconsistent and open to objection, and are either fitted to produce despair on the one hand, or presumptuous self-confidence on the other. Jesus teaches men to strive to enter heaven, as if they could do the work themselves; and yet to depend on the help of God, and give the glory to him, as if he had done it all.

(z) "him that sent me" Jn 6:47,54, 3:15,16 (a) "I will raise him up" Jn 11:25

John 6:44

Verse 44. No man can come to me. This was spoken by Jesus to reprove their murmurings--"Murmur not among yourselves." They objected to his doctrine, or murmured against it, because he claimed to be greater than Moses, and because they supposed him to be a mere man, and that what he said was impossible. Jesus does not deny that these things appeared difficult, and hence he said that if any man believed, it was proof that God had inclined him. It was not to be expected that of themselves they would embrace the doctrine. If any man believed, it would be because he had been influenced by God. When we inquire what the reasons were why they did not believe, they appear to have been--

1st. Their improper regard for Moses, as if no one could be superior to him.

2nd. Their unwillingness to believe that Jesus, whom they knew to be the reputed son of a carpenter, should be superior to Moses.

3rd. The difficulty was explained by Jesus (Jn 5:40) as consisting in the opposition of their will; and (Jn 5:44) when he said that their love of honour prevented their believing on him. The difficulty in the case was not, therefore, a want of natural faculties, or of power to do their duty, but erroneous opinions, pride, obstinacy, self-conceit, and a deep-felt contempt for Jesus. The word "cannot" is often used to denote a strong and violent opposition of the will. Thus we say a man is so great a liar that he cannot speak the truth, or he is so profane that he cannot but swear. We mean by it that he is so wicked that while he has that disposition the other effects will follow, but we do not mean to say that he could not break off from the habit. Thus it is said (Gen 37:4) of the brethren of Joseph that they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. Thus (Mt 12:34), "How can, ye, being evil, speak good things?" See Lk 14:33, 1Sam 16:2.

Come to me. The same as believe on me.

Draw him. This word is used here, evidently, to denote such an influence from God as to secure the result, or as to incline the mind to believe; yet the manner in which this is done is not determined by the use of the word. It is used in the New Testament six times. Once it is applied to a compulsory drawing of Paul and Silas to the market-place, Acts 16:19. Twice it is used to denote the drawing of a net, Jn 21:6,11. Once to the drawing of a sword (Jn 18:10); and once in a sense similar to its use here (Jn 12:32): "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." What is its meaning here must be determined by the facts about the sinner's conversion. Jn 6:40. In the conversion of the sinner God enlightens the mind (Jn 6:45), he inclines the will (Ps 110:3), and he influences the soul by motives, by just views of his law, by his love, his commands, and his threatenings; by a desire of happiness, and a consciousness of danger; by the Holy Spirit applying truth to the mind, and urging him to yield himself to the Saviour. So that, while God inclines him, and will have all the glory, man yields without compulsion; the obstacles are removed, and he becomes a willing servant of God.

John 6:54

Verse 54.

(q) "eateth" Jn 6:40

John 11:24

Verse 24. At the last day. The day of judgment. Of this Martha was fully convinced; but this was not all which she desired. She in this manner delicately hinted what she did not presume expressly to declare-- her wish that Jesus might even now raise him up.

(m) "in the resurrection" Jn 5:29

John 12:48

Verse 48. He that rejecteth me. Lk 10:16. The word reject means to despise, or to refuse to receive him.

Hath one. That is, he needs not my voice to condemn him. He will carry his own condemnation with him, even should I be silent. His own conscience will condemn him. The words which I have spoken will be remembered and will condemn him, if there were nothing farther. From this we learn,

1st. That a guilty conscience needs no accuser.

2nd. That the words of Christ, and the messages of mercy which the sinner has rejected, will be remembered by him.

3rd. That this will be the source of his condemnation. This will make him miserable, and there will be no possibility of his being happy.

4th. That the conscience of the sinner will concur with the sentence of Christ in the great day, and that he will go to eternity self-condemned. It is this which will make the pains of hell so intolerable to the sinner.

5th. The word that Christ has spoken, the doctrines of his gospel, and the messages of mercy, will be that by which the sinner will be judged in the last day. Every man will be judged by that message, and the sinner will be punished according to the frequency and clearness with which the rejected message has been presented to his mind, Mt 12:41.