John 6 - The Apostolic Exegesis

I think my new counsel to each and every Augustinian/Calvinist/Monergist is to study Historical Theology because again and again, they demonstrate they are ignorant of the earliest Christian exegesis of John 6 and other passages the Calvinists use to support their particular doctrines.

Hearing again about a recent debate between Leighton Flowers (from Soteriology 101) and Gabe Hughes (from WWUTT) on John 6 and Hughs (who argues for the Calvinist interpretation) begins immediately arguing for how the text would have been understood to those that first heard it/received it. 

What Hughes obviously doesn't realize is that instead of arguing for the "Apostolic Exegesis" of the text, articulates Augustine's 5th Century understanding which was FIRST FOUND amongst the Gnostic heretics (late 2nd and 3rd centuries) and later the Gnostic Manichaeans (late 3rd and 4th centuries).

If only the Calvinist Exegetes (the term I'll use to refer to all of them) would study early Church history, they would quickly realize that the doctrines they hold to are in fact ones that originate with the heretics. And to the man, every single early Church writer is arguing for the Arminian/Free Will Theist/Provisionist perspective. I know it is anachronistic to use these terms, but because they communicate and are understood, I will use them. (and yes, technically, I know Reformed Arminians would read John 6 very similar to a Calvinist on the issue of total inability/deadness).

I continue to challenge any and every Calvinist I know to READ the Early Church Fathers for themselves - not the "cherry-picked" quotes of some who try to go back and find Calvinism where it simply does NOT exist! If they would focus on studying early Christian historical theology, they would quickly abandon their Calvinist ideas realizing that they are standing with Gnostics and Manichaeans (along with pagan Platonists and Stoics) and NOT with the sub-Apostolic and entire Ante-Nicean Church (and the Post-Nicean Church as well until Augustine). 

By God's grace, such Calvinists would abandon their heretical exegesis and embrace the Apostolic exegesis which was preserved and passed on by the Early Church.

For a quick overview, I would highly recommend Ken Wilson's, The Foundation of Augustinian-Calvinism.