Jesus points out that coming to Him isn't just about hearing His words; it requires a deeper, internal pull from the Father. This "drawing" isn't forceful coercion, but rather a powerful, gracious attraction that makes a person want to follow, highlighting that true belief is ultimately a gift.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is responding to the grumbling Jews who are questioning his claims after he fed the five thousand and spoke of himself as the bread of life. They can't reconcile his divine statements with his humble earthly origins, so Jesus explains that true understanding and coming to him isn't about intellectual argument but about a divine drawing by the Father. He assures that those the Father draws, he will ultimately bring to eternal life.
Why does Jesus say 'no one can come' to Him? Is it a statement about human inability, or something else entirely?
Jesus declares that coming to Him is impossible for anyone unless the Father draws them. This isn't about God forcing people against their will. Think of it like a powerful attraction, a compelling invitation that aligns a person's desires with God's truth.
Jesus links our coming to Him with a future promise. What does this assurance mean for believers?
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The second part of the verse, 'And I will raise him up on the last day,' is not a casual add-on; it's a profound assurance tied directly to the Father's drawing and our coming.
Understand the original words
helkyō · Greek Verb
Used here in the sense of the irresistible, enabling power of God the Father by which He draws sinners to faith in the Son; it implies a divine initiative that precedes human response.
eschatē hēmera · Greek Noun phrase
Refers to the final judgment and the culmination of history, where the dead in Christ will be resurrected to eternal life.
prophētai · Greek Noun
The authoritative body of Old Testament prophetic writings, viewed by the New Testament authors as the inspired Word of God.
didaktos · Greek Adjective
Referring to the inner, spiritual transformation by the Holy Spirit whereby God imparts divine knowledge and understanding of the truth to the believer.
The Gospel of John was likely written decades after Jesus' earthly ministry, during a time when early Christians were solidifying their theology and identity. This context helps explain the profound theological depth and focus on divine initiative in verses like John 6:44, as the author and audience navigated the implications of Jesus' identity and God's plan in a post-Temple world.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple. This event marked a profound crisis for Judaism, forcing a re-evaluation of religious practice and identity.
c. 90-100 AD— this verse
Writing of the Gospel of John
The Gospel of John was written during a period of significant transition for early Christianity, following the destruction of the Temple and as the separation between Judaism and Christianity became more pronounced.
c. 2nd Century AD
Development of Early Christian Theology
Theologians began to grapple with complex doctrines like divine sovereignty and human free will, often in response to emerging heresies and internal debates.
This Old Testament passage speaks of God drawing His people to Himself through steadfast love, echoing Jesus' claim that the Father draws people to Him.
Ezekiel 36:26The promise of God giving a new heart and a new spirit directly relates to the Father's enabling work, making it possible for individuals to 'come' to Jesus.
Matthew 11:27Jesus states that all things have been handed over to Him by the Father, and that only those to whom the Son reveals the Father can truly know Him, highlighting the Father's initiative in revealing Jesus.
Romans 8:14This passage emphasizes that those led by the Spirit of God are sons of God, connecting the Father's 'drawing' to the Holy Spirit's active guidance in a believer's life.
1 Corinthians 2:14This verse explains that the natural person cannot accept the things of the Spirit of God, reinforcing Jesus' point that a divine 'drawing' or illumination is necessary for genuine coming.
barnesJohn 6:44: "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."
No man can come to me - This was spoken by Jesus to reprove their complaints - "Murmur not among yourselves." They objected to his doctrine, or complained 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 t…
calvinJohn 6:41-45: "The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven."
- The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which have come down from heaven. 42. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How therefore doth he say, I have come down from heaven? 43. Jesus therefore answered, and said to them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44. No man can come to me, unless the Father, who hat…
Jesus points out that coming to Him isn't just about hearing His words; it requires a deeper, internal pull from the Father. This "drawing" isn't forceful coercion, but rather a powerful, gracious attraction that makes a person want to follow, highlighting that true belief is ultimately a gift.
Jesus is responding to the grumbling Jews who are questioning his claims after he fed the five thousand and spoke of himself as the bread of life. They can't reconcile his divine statements with his humble earthly origins, so Jesus explains that true understanding and coming to him isn't about intellectual argument but about a divine drawing by the Father. He assures that those the Father draws, he will ultimately bring to eternal life.
Jesus is responding to the grumbling Jews who are questioning his claims after he fed the five thousand and spoke of himself as the bread of life. They can't reconcile his divine statements with his humble earthly origins, so Jesus explains that true understanding and coming to him isn't about intellectual argument but about a divine drawing by the Father. He assures that those the Father draws, he will ultimately bring to eternal life.
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—" — Jesus points out that coming to Him isn't just about hearing His words; it requires a deeper, internal pull from the Father. This "drawing" isn't forceful coercion, but rather a powerful, gracious at…
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Last reviewed October 2026
