To my knowledge, Philip Towner is not a Calvinist, so his interpretation cannot be chalked up to partisan sympathies:
“The purpose of the reference to ‘all people,” which continues the theme of universality in this passage, is sometimes misconstrued. The reference is made mainly with the Pauline mission to the Gentiles in mind (v7). But the reason behind Paul’s justification of this universal mission is almost certainly the false teaching, with its Torah-centered approach to life that included either an exclusivist bent or a downplaying of the Gentile mission,” The Letters to Timothy & Titus (Eerdmans 2006), 177.
“Paul’s focus is on building a people of God who incorporate all people regardless of ethnic, social, or economic backgrounds,” ibid. 178.
“The possibility that this text expresses a thoroughgoing ‘universalism’…is removed by the consistent emphasis on faith for salvation in 1 Tim (1:16; 3:16; 4:10; cf. 2 Tim 1:5),” ibid. 178, n.38.
It's also worth noting that this letter mentions myths and endless genealogies. These were hallmark doctrines of Elkeasites, who insisted, among other things, that only Jews could be saved. So, 1 Tim. 2:4 emphasizes that not only Jews, but Gentiles, off all social classes could be saved.
ReplyDeleteFinding a universal salvific will for all men without exception in this passage makes other parts of the letter not make sense. Elsewhere we're told that money is the root of all evil. If that is so, then greed lays at the root of every evil act that has been or ever will be perpetrated by man. Now, on the one hand, that true so far as man is trying to usurp God's rights over him through every sin, but that text is specifically about money and riches, and the NASB, I might adds is taking a liberty to translate twV kakoV as "all sorts of evil." So, following the logic that interprets "all men" here as "all person without exception" the Fall must have been about money.
This and John 3:16 are the verses I hear the most from people trying to shrug off Calvinism.
ReplyDeleteAnywhere you could direct me to read more about the following proposal?
ReplyDelete>> God does desire all men to be saved, but He desires more to give all men the opportunity to reject, and thus to make a real choice. Thus He doesn't "fail to save" anyone (as I often hear 5-point Calvinists say, as if it makes a lot of sense to me as a non-5-PC or accurately describes my thoughts) but does grieve a la Luke 10:13 when they turn away, not b/c HE failed to save them but b/c they wouldn't come.
Any input or references are much appreciated.
Once again, respectfully,
ALAN