Note 11 at Jn. 12:39: Verses 38-40 could be interpreted as teaching the ultimate in predestination. That interpretation would be that these people were never given the opportunity to believe because of Isaiah's prophecies. However, the Word of God makes it clear that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13); "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20); and "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). No one has ever been denied the opportunity to accept salvation (Ti. 2:11).

Mark 6:5 says that "he (Jesus) could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them." In that instance, it is evident that the reason Jesus couldn't do any mighty work was not because He didn't possess the power, but because He chose not to use that power against a person's will (see note 2 at Mk. 6:5, p. 163). He couldn't perform the mighty works because of His decision to be holy and just and to uphold our freedom of choice.

Likewise, these Jews could not believe because of their choice to reject Jesus (see note 1 at Mt. 13:11, p. 134). The same Greek work is used in Mark 6:5 to say that Jesus could do no mighty work as is used in this verse to say that these Jews could not believe. They could not believe because they chose not to believe. "They stumbled at that stumblingstone" (Rom. 9:32), which was Jesus.

Isaiah did not predestine them to this fate, but rather saw that very few would receive the report (Isa. 53:1) about the Messiah, and would therefore be kept from the knowledge of salvation because they rejected Him in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found (Col. 2:3). This is what Isaiah prophesied, and it came to pass.