It is contrasted with the inner circle of the faithful, the elect. But this world is over and over again claimed by Christ. “
“ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVES ME SHALL COME TO ME; * * AND THIS IS THE FATHER’S WILL * * THAT OF ALL WHICH HE HAS GIVEN ME * * I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING.” S. John vi. 37-9.
He gives life to it, and His gifts are “without repentance
We have seen that God the Father has given to Christ, not some things, but all things; and here we have the promise of Jesus Christ, that all that has been given to Him shall come to Him, and that nothing shall be lost (S. Jno. vi. 12).
As the Cross draws near, there comes to cheer Him the knowledge that to Him have been given all things, i
Again, it is the world for whose life Christ is to give His flesh. Can He give in vain? His gifts are “without repentance,” i.e., must be finally effective, though they may be resisted.
“AND I, IF I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME.” S. John xii. 32.
The plainest comment is the best. A partial drawing, i.e., a partial salvation makes His words untrue. What our Lord does say is, in the consciousness of power, and using the term applied to the Father’s constraining grace, ch. Vi. 44, is I will (actually) draw all men. He does not say, or imply, I will try to draw, and fail. One reads the comments of good men on this passage, with a feeling akin to despair, as they attempt to make Jesus Christ say that which He did not say, and not say that which He did say. What He does say is exactly given in the following lines:
This is as distinct a statement of Christ’s purpose as is possible; its force can only be evaded by asserting that Christ would fail to accomplish that very thing which He came to do: and this assertion must be installment loans with bad credit Illinois made in the teeth of those explicit passages, which declare the completeness of His triumph.
These words carry us to the very eve of the Passion. “Knowing that His hour was come,” v. 1, Jesus knows, too, that all things have been given into His hands (See ch. iii. 35; xvii 2; S. .Matt. xxviii. 18; xi. 27; Eph. i. 22). Such knowledge at such an hour is deeply significant. e., an assurance of absolute victory.
“AS YOU GAVE HIM AUTHORITY OVER ALL FLESH. THAT WHATSOEVER YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM, TO THEM HE SHOULD GIVE ETERNAL LIFE.” S. John xvii. 2.
Even the revised version fails to bring out with clearness the central fact, that eternal life has been given to all flesh by Christ. Literally the original runs: “You gave to Him authority over all flesh, in order that (as to) ALL which You have given to Him, to them (i.e., to all), He should give eternal life.” The Greek is clear; but our versions fail, in not repeating the emphatic all (repeated in the original), which involves the gift (not the offer) of eternal life to ALL by Christ – thus obscuring the meaning. It is necessary to remark, if we would understand S. JOHN’S teaching, the emphasis laid on the divine SOVEREIGNTY in Redemption, a sovereignty which is love. – (Our recoil from Calvinism has blinded most readers to this truth which pervades all Holy Scripture). Thus the Father disposes all things, and gives all things to Christ, ch. xiii. 3; iii. 35; xvii. 2 (S. Matt. xxviii 18). At the very hour appointed, ch. xvii. 1; ii. 4; xii. 23; xii. 1; each part of the great work is accomplished.