All Men?

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Joh 12:32 KJV And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

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Here we have an "if, then" statement. If "X" is true, then "Y". Jesus said if He is lifted up from the earth, speaking of the method of His death, even as Moses lifted the serpent from the earth (Joh 3:14), THEN He will draw all men to Him. He was lifted up, but where is the drawing of all men?

When He was crucified, some men were drawn to the event, and some of those were drawn to Him, but the Biblical record does not reflect that all of them were drawn to Him (such as the othe theif on the cross). Even if all those who were drawn to the event were also drawn to Jesus, the number of them was certainly short of all men if all men means all men of the world.

Since God will accomplish all that He speaks, no word of His shall return unto Him void, and it is not possible for any to fail (Num 23:19; Isa. 55:11; Mat 5:18), it is clear that "all men" cannot mean every person in the world. This was made clear at the crucifixion, and is repeatedly proven through time as many reject the Gospel to their own destruction. Prophecy itself proves that not all men of the world will be drawn to Jesus. So, what does "all men" mean?

Jesus' use of the term must mean all groups of mankind. This includes rich and poor, healthy and sick, young and old, and more importantly, Jews and Gentiles, and within the Gentiles, all races, tribes, and kindred. Consider God's promise to Abraham that in his seed shall all NATIONS of the earth be blessed (Gen 22:18; Gen 26:)) and the definition of his seed being Christ (Gal 3:16).

The apostle Paul used this phrase in 1Co 9:22 when he said he became all things to all men. In the verses immediately preceeding, he defines "all men" as particular groups of men, not as every man (1Co 9:20-22). He also states in 1Co 10:33 that he pleased all men. We can trace through the book of Acts the many men he did not please, so we again find that all men does not mean every single person.

Why does this matter? It matters because hermanuetics requires that we use the same method of interpreting Scripture throughout the Bible. Many believe that because Jn 3:16 says that God so loved the world, it means that He loved every person in the world in every time. While that could be one definition, it clearly does not fit with the whole of Scripture. Consider the following passages:

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Mat 7:22-23 KJV22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Rom 9:10-13 KJV10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

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In the first, Jesus says He never knew a group of people. Since God is omniscient He cannot mean that he never knew of them, or that he was not better acquainted with their manners, actions, thoughts and intents than even they were. The only possible definition of this saying is that he never had the intimate, loving relationship that a husband and wife have. He can only mean that He did not love them with the saving love wherewith He loves others.

In the second God clearly spells it out. He loves Jacob, He did not love Esau. What's more, God chose to love the one, and hate the other for no reason other than the good pleasure of His own will (Eph 1:5; Deu 7:7-8) evidenced by the fact that this love and hate was spoken before they were born, and more specifically, before they could do good or evil. The fact God emphasizes the doing of good or evil rules out the theory that God looked into the future and saw who would do good and evil, and therefore choose them. The choice was made so that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works (vs. 11). Even if God did look into the future, (which He decreed and determined rather than observes) the works He saw had no bearing in His choice.

Let your soul be raptured in the wonder and awe of the fullness of the grace of God extended to you in salvation.

2Pe 3:18 KJV But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.