1. That though the act of giving among men does admit of the time past, or the time to come, and is to be spoken of concerning such time, with God it is not so. Things past, or things to come, are always present with God, and with his Son Jesus Christ: He “calleth those things which be not,” that is, to us, “as though they were” (Rom 4:17). And again, “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” All things to God are present, and so is the gift of the Father to the Son, although to us, as is manifested by the word, it is an act that is past (Acts 15:16).
2. Christ may express himself thus, to show, that the Father hath not only given him this portion in the lump before the world was but that those that he had so given, he will give him again; that is, will bring them to him at the time of their conversion; for the Father bringeth them to Christ (John 6:44). As it is said, “She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework,” that is, in the righteousness of Christ; for it is God that imputes that to those that are saved (Psa 45:14; 1 Cor 1). A man giveth his daughter to such a man, first to marry, and this respects the time past, and he giveth her again at the day appointed in marriage. And in this last sense, perhaps, the text may have a meaning; that is, that all that the Father hath, before the world was, given to Jesus Christ, he giveth them again to him in the day of their espousals.
Things that are given among men are often best at first; to wit, when they are new; and the reason is, that all earthly things wax old; but with Christ, it is not so. This gift of the Father is not old, deformed, and unpleasant in his eyes; therefore, it is always new to him. When the Lord spoke of giving the land of Canaan to the Israelites, he said not, that he had given, or would give it to them, but thus: “The Lord thy God giveth thee—this good land” (Deut 9:6). Not but that he had given it to them, while they were in the loins of their fathers, hundreds of years before. Yet he says now he giveth it to them; as if they were now also taking possession when, as yet, they were on the other side of Jordan. What, then, should be the meaning? Why, I take it to be this. That the land should be to them always as new; as new as if they were taking possession thereof, but now. And so is the gift of the Father, mentioned in the text, to the Son; it is always new, as if it were always new.
“All that the Father giveth me.” In these words, you find mention of two persons, the Father and the Son; the Father giving, and the Son receiving or accepting this gift. This, then, in the first place, clearly demonstrates, that the Father and the Son, though they, with the Holy Ghost, are one and the same eternal God; yet, as to their personalities, are distinct. The Father is one, the Son is one, and the Holy Spirit is one. But because there is a mention in this text of two of the three, therefore, a word about these two. The giver and receiver cannot be the same person in a proper sense, in the same act of giving and receiving. He that giveth, giveth not to himself, but to another; the Father giveth not to the Father, to wit, to himself, but to the Son: the Son receiveth not of the Son, to wit, of himself, but of the Father: so when the Father giveth commandment, he giveth it not to himself, but to another; as Christ saith, “He gave me a commandment” (John 12:49). So again, “I bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me” (John 8:18).
Further, here is something implied that is not expressed, to wit, that the Father hath not given all men to Christ; that is, in that sense as it is intended in this text, though in a larger sense, as was said before, he hath given him every one of them; for then all should be saved: he hath, therefore, disposed of some another way. He gives some up to idolatry; he gives some up to uncleanness, to vile affections, and to a reprobate mind. Now these he disposeth of in his anger, for their destruction, that they may reap the fruit of their doings, and be filled with the reward of their own ways (Acts 7:42; Rom 1:24,26,28). But neither hath he thus disposed of all men; he hath even of mercy reserved some from these judgments, and those are they that he will pardon, as he saith, “For I will pardon them whom I reserve” (Jer 50:20). Now these he has given to Jesus Christ, by will, as a legacy and portion. Hence the Lord Jesus says, “This is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (John 6:39).
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