John 10:28

I give unto them Not - willgive." Here as in John 3:15; John 5:24 and often, the gift of eternal life is regarded as already possessed by the faithful. It is not a promise, the fulfilmentof which depends upon man's conduct, but a gift, the retentionof which depends upon ourselves.

they shall never perish This is parallel to John 8:51 (see note there); shall certainly not perish for ever, being the literal meaning, But the negative belongs to the verb, not to -for ever;" and the meaning is, not -they may die, but shall not die for ever," but -they shall never die for all eternity." Comp. John 11:26.

neither shall any man pluck them Better, and no one shall snatch them. -No one" rather than -no man" (as in John 10:18), for the powers of darkness are excluded as well as human seducers. -Snatch" rather than -pluck," for in the Greek it is the same word as is used of the wolf in John 10:12, and this should be preserved in translation.

This passage in no way asserts the indefectibility of the elect, and gives no countenance to ultra-predestinarian views. Christ's sheep cannot be taken from Him against their will; but their will is free, and they may choose to leave the flock.

out of my hand "His hand protects, bears, cherishes, leads them." Meyer.