My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
My Father, which gave [rather, 'hath given' dedooken (G1325 )] them me (see the notes at John 6:37-39 ) is greater than all - with whom no adverse power can contend (Isaiah 27:4).
And none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. The bearing of this statement on what is called by divines the perseverance of the saints has not escaped the notice of candid and reverential expositors, even of those churches which repudiate that doctrine. In this view the following remarks of Olshausen on these words of our Lord have special value: 'The impossibility of true believers being lost, in the midst of all the temptations which they may encounter, does not consist in their fidelity and decision, but is founded upon the power of God. Here the doctrine of predestination is presented in its sublime and sacred aspect; there is a predestination of the holy, which is taught from one end of the Scriptures to the other; not, indeed, of such a nature that an "irresistible grace" compels the opposing will of man'-of course not-`but so that that will of man which receives and loves the commands of God is produced only by God's grace.' But the statement of John 10:29 is designed only to introduce that of John 10:30.
I and my Father, [ Egoo (G1473 ) kai (G2532 ) ho (G3588 ) Pateer (G3962 )]. (It should be 'I and the Father') are one, х hen (G1520) esmen (G2070)]. Our language admits not of the precision of the original in this great saying, 'We (two Persons) are One (Thing).' Perhaps 'one interest' expresses nearly, though not quite, the purport of the saying. There seemed to be some contradiction between His saying they had been given by His Father into His own hands, out of which they could not be plucked, and then saying that none could pluck them out of His Father's hands, as if they had not been given out of them. 'Neither they have,' says He: 'Though He has given them to Me, they are as much in His own almighty hands as ever-they cannot be, and when given to Me they are not, given away from Himself; for HE AND I HAVE ALL IN COMMON.' Thus it will be seen, that, though oneness of essence is not the precise thing here affirmed, that truth is the basis of what is affirmed, without which it would not be true. And Augustine was right in saying the "We are" condemns the Sabellians, who denied the distinction of Persons in the Godhead, while the "one" condemns the Arians, who denied the unity of their essence. (Bengel, in his terse and pithy way, thus expresses it: Per sumus refutatur Sabellius; per unum, Arius.)