δίδωμι

Summary

δίδωμι ("to give") is the theological anchor of John 6 soteriology. The present tense in John 6:37 ("All that the Father gives Me") indicates an ongoing process of giving, not an eternal past decree. The Father is presently and continuously giving people to Jesus as they respond to His teaching — devastating to the Calvinist reading of a fixed list from eternity past.

Central Role in John 6 Soteriology

This verb is the theological anchor of Cheryl Schatz's "The Giving" blog. In John 6, δίδωμι appears in multiple forms describing the Father's act of "giving" people to Jesus, Jesus' act of giving eternal bread, and the Father's act of "granting" the ability to come.

Key Occurrences in John 6

1. John 6:27 — δώσει (future active indicative): "The Son of Man will give to you" — Jesus promises to give eternal bread to the unbelieving crowd. Future tense = certain future act.

2. John 6:32 — δίδωσιν (present active indicative): "My Father gives you the true bread out of heaven" — present tense, the Father is actively giving the true bread to the crowd.

3. John 6:37 — δίδωσίν (present active indicative): "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me" — THE key usage. Present tense = ongoing action, not an eternal past decree. The Father is presently and continuously giving people to Jesus.

4. John 6:39 — δέδωκέν (perfect active indicative): "All that He has given Me" — perfect tense = completed past action with present ongoing results. Refers to the disciples already entrusted to Jesus' care.

5. John 6:51 — δώσω (future active indicative): "The bread which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh" — future tense, referring to the cross.

6. John 6:65 — δεδομένον (perfect passive participle): "Unless it has been granted him from the Father" — perfect passive = God's completed act of granting/enabling.

BDAG Definition for John 6:37

The BDAG lexicon gives the meaning for δίδωμι in John 6:37 as: "to entrust someone to another's care." Those given to Jesus are entrusted to His care — this is relational language of trust and guardianship, not mechanical language of decreed transfer.

Theological Significance

The tense variation across John 6 tells a story: - Present (v.37): The Father is currently giving — an ongoing process - Perfect (v.39): Some have already been given — the disciples - Future (v.27, 51): Jesus will give — the cross and its benefits

The present tense in v.37 is devastating to the Calvinist reading of an eternal decree. The giving is happening NOW, in real time, as people respond to the Father's teaching. It is not a fixed list from eternity past.