I have mentioned what I believe it means to be drawn to Christ; that it is an opportunity given to a man wherein he can make a decision for or against Christ that is unhindered by the demonic and/or the fact that he was born dead in trespasses and sins.
The same thing you did with the phrase "comes to Me", wherein you actually make it to mean what it leads to and not what the phrase "comes to Me" really mean, you do here with the word "draw". You actually tell what to you ensues when one is drawn to Christ, and not really what the word "draw" really mean. In the Greek, the word translated "draw" in John 12:32 is "helkó" which means to drag, pull, persuade, unsheathe. The context will help the reader to what is meant, either drag, pull, persuade or unsheathe. John 12:32 and John 6:44 have a quite different context which means that the word "draw" in each verse would have a relatively different sense. That in John 12:32 as having more the sense of being pulled towards (attracted) Christ rather than having the sense of being persuaded (convicted) concerning Christ's person and identity. On the other hand, in John 6:44, "draw" there have the sense of being persuaded (convicted) concerning Christ's person and identity, more than having the sense of being pulled towards (attracted) Christ. Context guides us to arrive at that. Context in John 6:45 says " It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me." That speaks regarding the drawing in v.44, which is, through the teaching by God, that the man learns from the Father. And so it says, everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Jesus. That is they have been persuaded (draw, helko) concerning Christ that they come to Him, that is, believe in Him. The reason that they "come to Me (Jesus)" is their having been persuaded (convicted) by the Father.
As for "granted" in John 6:65, I consider that if it is granted to a man that he can come to Jesus, then he may or may not come to Jesus; because of what it says specifically in that verse; that no one can come to Jesus except it be given to him. If it is not granted to him then he cannot come to Him. If it is granted to him, then he is enabled to come to Jesus.
In John 6:65 it is different than in John 6:37. For in John 6:65, no man can come to Jesus except it were given to him of the Father. While in John 6:37, all that the Father giveth to Jesus will come to Him.
While in the intermediary verse, John 6:44, No one can come to Jesus except the Father draws him.
Here, being drawn to Jesus and being given to Jesus are not the same thing.
So, to recap:
No one can come to Jesus unless it is given to them to do so; and unless the Father draws them. (John 6:44, John 6:65)
Those to whom it is given will come (John 6:37; not John 6:65).
Those who are drawn to Jesus may or may not come (John 6:44).
Again, the same thing you did with the phrase "comes to me", wherein you actually make it to mean what it leads to and not what the phrase "comes to Me" really mean, you do here with the word "granted". You actually tell what to you ensues if "granted" to a man and if not "granted" to a man, and not what the word "granted" really mean. In the Greek, the word translated "granted" in John 6:65 is a cognate of "didómi" which basically means to give. In John 6:37, the Greek word translated "given" is also a cognate of "didómi".
With regards John 6:65, what do you say "had been granted" or "dedomenon" to him by the Father? I had in my other post asked you this question, but it seem that it did not catch your attention. Is it not his coming to Jesus? And what does it mean to come to Jesus? Is it not to believe or have faith in Jesus? In other words, that which have been granted to him (to the person) is his believing in Jesus Christ. So that, unless such is granted by the Father to the person, he can not come to Christ, that is, he cannot and will not believe in Christ. The context bears this out. For many of the disciples (followers) could not and effectively then, do not believe in Jesus, in what He was telling them concerning Himself. In the language and words of Jesus, they cannot "come to Me", unless it has been granted to him by My Father.
To me, to come to Jesus Christ, means to come to Him in prayer, asking Him to save you. While this involves faith in Him, it is not specifically faith in Him; but coming to Him in faith, asking Him for forgiveness.
And so there it is. Why we have this disagreement and different understanding on the subject of our discussion (with reference to John 6), is because we take the words "draw", "granted" and the phrase "comes to Me" in verse 37, 44, and 65, differently.
Let me just make some comment on what you now take "to come to Jesus Christ", from having it mean salvation before, to mean now as praying to Him. If I take that to the verses 37, 44, 65 in John 6, we have the following:
John 6:37.....All that the Father gives Me will (come to Me) pray to Me, and the one who (comes to Me) prays to Me, I will by no means cast out.
John 6:44....No one can (come to Me) pray to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:65.... And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can (come to Me) pray to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
Does the context bear that out? Clearly not. Not even a hint about praying to Jesus Christ is anywhere found in the context, even in the whole chapter of John 6.
Tong
R1139