Can we say that all those who the Father draws are those who Jesus draws unto himself by his death?

Upvote:3

It is possible and fair to render the 'all' (παντας) of John 12:32, and others like 1 Timothy 2:4, as "all kinds of", or "all manner of".

This relieves us of the Scriptural impossibility of believing that literally all men will be drawn to the crucified Christ and it is in keeping with the range of definition for παντος (pantos):

About half of its occurrences can be translated with "all" — albeit often with added nuances such as "all of them" or "the whole of it" or "every one" or "all kinds of", and so on — and the rest expresses a wholeness for which English has specific terms, such as "great" (patience/humility/endurance) or "complete" and even "none" or "nothing". - Abarim Publications

In this way we have only those whom the Father draws able to come to Jesus (John 6:44) and, those who are drawn are 'all kinds of' men (John 12:32), rather than just Jews, for example.

Upvote:5

Various verses in John's gospel show that the key point is that - first - the Father has given certain ones to Christ. And Jesus said that all whom the Father had given him would be saved. None would be lost.

In his prayer to the Father, before going to the cross, Jesus said this:

"As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him... I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word... they have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them. I pray now for the world. but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine... Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word." John 17:2-20 KJV

My answer is that all those whom the Father gave to Jesus [notice the past tense] are drawn - and will be drawn - to an uplifted Christ, and that to be so drawn to Christ is to believe the Father, who sent the Son. This is verified by these other statements Jesus made in John chapters 6 & 7:

"He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life... And ye will not come to me, that you might have life... This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent... All that the Father giveth me shall come to me: and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cat out... No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day... he that believeth on me hath everlasting life... Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."

See how impossible it is to separate the Father giving certain ones to Jesus, from those ones believing him to be sent by the Father? See how impossible it is to come to Christ without believing what the Father says of the Son? See how impossible it is to separate believing on Christ from believing the Father? See how impossible it is to have everlasting life without coming to Christ?

We can say that not one whom the Father has given to Christ will fail to be drawn to Christ.

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