Since each verse is a stand-alone lesson, I want
to begin this lesson of 1 Timothy 2:4 with the same
commentary from Barclay's Commentary as verse 4 is
continuing the thought began in verses 1-3.
In Barclay's Commentary for 1 Timothy 2:1-7 we read,
'Few passages in the New Testament so stress the
universality of the gospel. Prayer is to be made for
all; God is the Saviour who wants all to be saved;
Jesus gave his life a ransom for all. As Walter Lock
writes in his commentary: 'God's will to save is as
wide as his will to create.'
"The end and intent of the Scripture is to declare
that God is benevolent and friendly-minded to
mankind; that he that declared that kindness in and
through Jesus Christ, his only Son; the which
kindness is received by faith. That is why prayer
must be made for all. God wants all men and women,
and so, therefore, must his Church."
The first 8 verses of Chapter 2 are clearly speaking
to everyone getting an opportunity at Salvation and
the admonition that we should be looking at everyone
we encounter knowing they will have this opportunity
and treating them accordingly.
Let us get into the meaning of this verse and what
God is telling us and all of mankind ultimately.
Who will have all men to be
saved - That is, it is in accordance with his
nature, his feelings, his desires. The word “will”
cannot be taken here in the absolute sense, denoting
a decree like that by which he willed the creation
of the world, for then it would certainly be done.
But the word is often used to denote a desire, wish,
or what is in accordance with the nature of anyone.
Thus it may be said of God that he “wills” that his
creatures may be happy - because it is in accordance
with his nature, and because he has made abundant
provision for their happiness - though it is not
true that he wills it in the sense that he exerts
his absolute power to make them happy. God wills
that sickness should be relieved, and sorrow
mitigated, and that the oppressed should go free,
because it is agreeable to his nature; though it is
not true that he wills it in the sense that he
exerts his absolute power to produce it. A parent
wills the welfare of his child. It is in accordance
with his nature, his feelings, his desires; and he
makes every needful arrangement for it. If the child
is not virtuous and happy, it is his own fault. So
God wills that all people should be saved. It would
be in accordance with his benevolent nature. He has
made ample provision for it. He uses all proper
means to secure their salvation. He uses no positive
means to prevent it, and if they are not saved it
will be their own fault.
This passage cannot mean, as many have supposed,
that God wills that all kinds of people should be
saved, or that some sinners of every rank and class
may be saved, because:
(1) the natural and obvious interpretation of the
language is opposed to such a sense. The language
expresses the desire that “all men” should be saved,
and we should not depart from the obvious sense of a
passage unless necessity requires it.
(2) prayer and thanksgiving 1 Timothy 2:1 are
directed to be offered, not for some of all ranks
and conditions, but for all mankind. No exception is
made, and no direction is given that we should
exclude any of the race from the expressions of our
sympathy, and from an interest in our supplications.
The reason given here for that prayer is, that God
desires that all people should be saved. But how
could this be a reason for praying for all, if it
means that God desired only the salvation of some of
all ranks?
(3) in 1 Timothy 2:5-6 the apostle gives reasons
showing that God wished the salvation of all people,
and those reasons are such as to prove that the
language here is to be taken in the most unlimited
sense. Those reasons are:
(a) that there is one God over all, and one Mediator
between God and people - showing that God is the
Father of all, and has the same interest in all;
and,
(b) that Christ gave himself a ransom for all -
showing that God desired their salvation.
This verse proves:
(1) that salvation is provided for all - for if God
wished all people to be saved, he would undoubtedly
make provision for their salvation; and if he had
not made such provision, it could not be said that
he desired their salvation, since no one can doubt
that he has power to provide for the salvation of
all;
(2) that salvation should be offered to all people -
for if God desires it, it is right for his ministers
to announce that desire, and if he desires it, it is
not proper for them to announce anything contrary to
this;
(3) that people are to blame if they are not saved.
If God did not wish their salvation, and if he had
made no provision for it, they could not be to blame
if they rejected the gospel. If God wishes it, and
has made provision for it, and they are not saved,
the sin must be their own - and it is a great sin,
for there is no greater crime which a man can commit
than to destroy his own soul, and to make himself
the eternal enemy of his Maker.
And to come unto the knowledge
of the truth - The truth which God has
revealed; the “truth as it is in Jesus.” notes,
Ephesians 4:21.
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and
have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Now the commentary for Ephesians 4:21
Ephesians 4:21
If so be that ye have
heard him - If you have listened
attentively to his instructions, and learned
the true nature of his religion. There may
be a slight and delicate doubt implied here
whether they had attentively listened to his
instructions. Doddridge, however, renders
it,
“Seeing ye have heard him;” compare notes on
Ephesians 3:2.
And have been taught by him - By his Spirit,
or by the ministers whom he had appointed.
As the truth is in Jesus - If you have
learned the true nature of his religion as
he himself taught it. What the truth was
which the Lord Jesus taught, or what his
principles implied, the apostle proceeds to
state in the following verses. ~Barnes
Notes. |
Let us now continue in the commentaries on 1
Timothy 2:4:
Who will have all men to be
saved - Because he wills the salvation of all
men; therefore, he wills that all men should be
prayed for. In the face of such a declaration, how
can any Christian soul suppose that God ever
unconditionally and eternally reprobated any man?
Those who can believe so, one would suppose, can
have little acquaintance either with the nature of
God, or the bowels [the
seat of pity or the gentler emotions] of
Christ. ~Adam Clarke
Who will have all men to be saved - “Imitate God.”
Since He wishes that all should be saved, do you
also wish it; and if you wish it, pray for it. For
prayer is the instrument of effecting such things [Chrysostom].
Paul does not say, “He wishes to save all”; for then
he would have saved all in matter of fact; but “will
have all men to be saved,” implies the possibility
of man’s accepting it (through
God’s prevenient grace) or rejecting it (through
man’s own perversity). Our prayers ought
to include all, as God’s grace included all.
~ Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
And to come unto the knowledge of the truth - The
truth - the Gospel of Christ, should be proclaimed
to them; and it is the duty of all who know it, to
diffuse it far and wide, and when it is made known,
then it is the duty of those who hear it to
acknowledge and receive it. This is the proper
import of the original word, that they may come, to
the acknowledgment of the truth - that they may
receive it as the truth, and make it the rule of
their faith, the model and director of their life
and actions. ~Adam Clarke
The Matthew Henry did not seem clear on the first
part of the verse but here is their read on the
second part:
As a reason why we should in our prayers concern
ourselves for all men, he shows God's love to
mankind in general, 1 Timothy 2:4.
1. One reason why all men are to be prayed for is
because there is one God, and that God bears a good
will to all mankind. There is one God (1Timothy
2:5), and one only, there is no other, there can be
no other, for there can be but one infinite. This
one God will have all men to be saved; he desires
not the death and destruction of any (Ezekiel
33:11), but the welfare and salvation of all. Not
that he has decreed the salvation of all, for then
all men would be saved; but he has a good will to
the salvation of all, and none perish but by their
own fault, Matthew 23:37. He will have all to be
saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth, to
be saved in the way that he has appointed and not
otherwise. It concerns us to get the knowledge of
the truth, because that is the way to be saved;
Christ is the way and the truth, and so he is the
life.
Quoted verses:
Ezekiel 33:11
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have
no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the
wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye
from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of
Israel?
Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the
prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee,
how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not!
2. There is one Mediator, and that mediator gave
himself a ransom for all. As the mercy of God
extends itself to all his works, so the mediation of
Christ extends itself thus far to all the children
of men that he paid a price sufficient for the
salvation of all mankind; he brought mankind to
stand upon new terms with God, so that they are not
now under the law as a covenant of works, but as a
rule of life. They are under grace; not under the
covenant of innocence, but under a new covenant: He
gave himself a ransom. Observe, The death of Christ
was a ransom, a counter-price. We deserved to have
died. Christ died for us, to save us from [the
second death]; he gave himself a ransom voluntarily,
a ransom for all; so that all mankind are put in a
better condition than that of devils. He died to
work out a common salvation: in order hereunto, he
put himself into the office of Mediator between God
and man. A mediator supposes a controversy. Sin had
made a quarrel between us and God; Jesus Christ is a
Mediator who undertakes to make peace, to bring God
and man together, in the nature of an umpire or
arbitrator, a days - man who lays his hand upon you
both, Job 9:33. He is a ransom that was to be
testified in due time; that is, in the Old Testament
times, his sufferings and the glory that should
follow were spoken of as things to be revealed in
the last times, 1 Peter 1:10-11. And they are
accordingly revealed, Paul himself having been
ordained a preacher and an apostle, to publish to
the Gentiles the glad tidings of redemption and
salvation by Jesus Christ. This doctrine of Christ's
mediation Paul was entrusted to preach to every
creature, Mark 16:15. He was appointed to be a
teacher of the Gentiles; besides his general call to
the apostleship, he was commissioned particularly to
preach to the Gentiles, in faith and truth, or
faithfully and truly. Note,
(1.) It is good and acceptable in the sight of God
and our Saviour that we pray for kings and for all
men, and also that we lead a peaceable and quiet
life; and this is a very good reason why we should
do the one as well as the other.
(2.) God has a good will to the salvation of all; so
that it is not so much the want of a will in God to
save them as it is a want of will in themselves to
be saved in God's way. Here our blessed Lord charges
the fault: You will not come unto me that you may
have life, John 5:40. I would have gathered you, and
you would not.
(3.) Those who are saved must come to the knowledge
of the truth, for this is God's appointed way to
save sinners. Without knowledge the heart cannot be
good; if we do not know the truth, we cannot be
ruled by it.
(4.) It is observable that the unity of God is
asserted, and joined with the unity of the Mediator.
(5.) He that is a Mediator in the New Testament
sense, gave himself a ransom. Vain then is the
pretence of the Romanists that there is but one
Mediator of satisfaction, but many of intercession;
for, according to Paul, Christ's giving himself a
ransom was a necessary part of the Mediator's
office; and indeed this lays the foundation for his
intercession.
(6.) Paul was ordained a minister, to declare this
to the Gentiles, that Christ is the one Mediator
between God and men, who gave himself a ransom for
all. This is the substance of which all ministers
are to preach, to the end of the world; and Paul
magnified his office, as he was the apostle of the
Gentiles, Romans 11:13.
(7.) Ministers must preach the truth, what they
apprehend to be so, and they must believe it
themselves; they are, like our apostle, to preach in
faith and verity, and they must also be faithful and
trusty.
Quoted verses:
Job 9:33
Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might
lay his hand upon us both.
1 Peter 1:10-11
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and
searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace
that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit
of Christ which was in them did signify, when it
testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and
the glory that should follow.
Mark 16:15
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature.
John 5:40
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
Romans 11:13
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the
apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.
~Matthew Henry
Let us finish as we do in the Treasury of
Scriptural Knowledge for both parts of the verse:
Who will have all men to be
saved:
Isaiah 45:22
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the
earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Isaiah 55:1
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,
and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat;
yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and
without price.
Ezekiel 18:23
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should
die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should
return from his ways, and live?
Ezekiel 18:32
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that
dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn
yourselves, and live ye.
Ezekiel 33:11
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have
no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the
wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye
from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of
Israel?
John 6:37
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and
him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Romans 3:29-30
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of
the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the
circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through
faith.
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us
to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the
world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation.
Titus 2:11
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men,
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as
some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.
and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth.
Luke 24:47
And that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem.
Romans 10:12-15
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and
the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto
all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have
not believed? and how shall they believe in him of
whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them
that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad
tidings of good things!
Revelation 14:6
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, and people,
Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of
the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
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