1) Those who came to Jesus whom the Father did not draw.
2) Those who came to Jesus whom the Father did draw.
The main focus of the gospel of John is to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel. (See Note A) This is basic to the doctrine of Christ. Jesus came to reveal the Father (Note B). Israel had been worshiping God through the Law of Moses for 1500 years when Jesus came, but they did not know him as Father. Those of Israel were now faced with believing the claims of Christ and the evidence presented to them and having eternal life or rejecting him and remaining in their sins. However one thinks that Israel obtained eternal life during the centuries before the physical coming of Christ, it was not by believing the same thing that was presented in the gospels accounts. They must believe that this one man was the Son of God who came down from heaven (Note C). God gave four distinct witnesses to the veracity of his claims.
1) John The Baptist - Note D
2) The Father Himself - Note E
3) The Miracles - Note F
4) The Scriptures - Note G
This is the method and the means by which the Father drew the Jews to his Son. There is no other way given in the scriptures. There is evidence in the scriptures that most of the Jews, particularly the rulers, willingly and with malice and forethought, rejected all four of these witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Note A -
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Note B
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Note C
Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Note D
Joh 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
Joh 1:32 And John bare record, saying,..........
Joh 1:34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Note E
Joh 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
Joh 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure [unto him].
Note F
Joh 5:36 But I have greater witness than [that] of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Note G
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Lu 24:44 And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Contrasting the Jews of Jn 6 who came to Jesus but were not drawn by the Father with those who were drawn by the Father.
1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles (plural) which he did on them that were diseased.
These were drawn of the Father by the miracles. They were impressed with his miracles of healing diseased people
Joh 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle (singular) that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
These are the men whom the Father did not draw. The miracle they were impressed with is the feeding of the five thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.
These are the men who relentlessly seek for Jesus but not because the Father was drawing them.
22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;
23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks)
24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
These are the ones who found him in the synogogue at Capernaum. Below is what Jesus said to them.
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
This statement of Jesus distinguishes the two categories of jews and why they came to him. Notice that Jesus said they did not come because they saw the miracles (plural; the healings of diseases), but because of the miracle (the satifying of their flesh). This is the reason they came to Jesus and it was not by means of any of the witnesses stated above, according to Jesus. You see, a contrast is being made between two groups of people. One is drawn because this is what the scriptures says the Messiah will do for them in the prophets and the other drawn by their self interests. One group will believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Note H) and one group will not, in spite of the witnesses (Note I)
Note H -
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Note I
Joh 6:41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. (These are the Jews who ate of the loaves and fishes the day before and crossed the sea seeking for him and came to him there)
42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
Joh 6:52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?
Every one in the gospel of John who believed Jesus was the Son of God was justified. These the Father gave to his Son. Everyone in the gospel of John who was justified believed that Jesus was the Son of God. See note J
Note J
John Baptist - Joh 1:34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Nathaniel - Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
The man born blind - Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
The disciples - Joh 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Martha - Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John - Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
For the Jews to believe that Jesus was the Son of God was defined by their coming to him, believing the testimony of the 4 witnesses. I trust everyone who believes in the person and work of Jesus Christ will be saved.