iThink Biblically | Did Jesus Die For The Sins of the World or Just The Elect? Limited Atonement Is NOTTHE Reformed View @iThinkBiblically | Uploaded July 2022 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
And he has employed the universal term whosoever, both to invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the import of the term World, which he formerly used; for though nothing will be found in the world that is worthy of the favor of God, yet he shows himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all men without exception to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else than an entrance into life. - John Calvin on John 3:16
Since therefore he wishes the benefit of his death to be common to all, an insult is offered to him by those who, by their opinion, shut out any person from the hope of salvation. - Calvin on 1 Timothy 2:6
“And to give his life a ransom for many.” … The word “many” (pollōn) is not put definitely for a fixed number, but for a large number; for he contrasts himself with all others. And in this sense it is used in Romans 5:15, where Paul does not speak of any part of men, but embraces the whole human race. - Calvin on Mark 10:45
I approve of the ordinary reading, that he alone bore the punishment of many, because on him was laid the guilt of the whole world. It is evident from other passages, and especially from the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, that “many” sometimes denotes “all.” - Calvin on Isaiah 53:12
Reformed Genevan Confession 1556 (signed by John knox) states that Christ “offered up himself as the only sacrifice to purge the sins of all the world.”
The First Helvetic Confession (reformed): “Christ gave (his whole nature) up unto death for the expiation of all sin.”
The Second Helvetic Confession (1566):
Chapter 14: “We teach that Christ alone, by his death or passion, is the satisfaction, propitiation, or expiation of all sins.”
Chapter 15: For Christ took upon himself and bore the sins of the world, and satisfied divine justice.
Chapter 11: For we teach and believe that this Jesus Christ our Lord is the unique and eternal Savior of the human race, and thus of the whole world
Chapter 21: ... the Lord was given and his blood shed, not only for men in general, but particularly for every faithful communicant
Martin Luther
“Christ has taken away not only the sins of some men but your sins and those of the whole world. The offering was for the sins of the whole world, even though the whole world does not believe.” - Luthers Lectures on Galatians
You may say: “Who knows whether Christ also bore my sin? I have no doubt that He bore the sin of St. Peter, St. Paul, and other saints; these were pious people.” … Don’t you hear what St. John says in our text: “This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”? And you cannot deny that you are also a part of this world, for you were born of man and woman. You are not a cow or a pig. It follows that your sins must be included, as well as the sins of St. Peter or St. Paul.… Don’t you hear? There is nothing missing from the Lamb. He bears all the sins of the world from its inception; this implies that He also bears yours, and offers you grace. - Luthers comments on John 1:29 in one of his sermons.
Lutheran Confessions
“was crucified, dead, and buried, that he might reconcile the Father unto us, and might be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of men.” - The Augsburg Confession 1530
Anglican Catechism of 1553.
“Then He truly died and was truly buried, that by His most sweet sacrifice He might pacify His Father’s wrath against mankind.”
Athanasius
Thus, taking a body like our own, because all our bodies were liable to the corruption of death, He surrendered His body to death in the place of all, and offered it to the Father.
Augustine
“As one man brought sin into the world, that is, upon the whole human race, so one man was to take away the sin of the world.” Augustine, “Enchiridion,” in NPNF, 3:253.
What account art thou making of their price, if thou disregard the purchase? Consider for how great a price was the purchase made. “Through thy knowledge,” saith the Apostle, “shall the weak brother perish;” … In this knowledge the weak brother perishes. And lest thou should pay no regard to the weak brother, he added, “for whom Christ died.” If thou would disregard him, yet consider his Price, and weigh the whole world in the balance with the Blood of Christ. - Augustine, “Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament: Sermon XII,” in NPNF, 6:301.
For he threw down the price of silver, for which by him the Lord had been sold; and he knew not the price wherewith he had himself by the Lord been redeemed. This thing was done in the case of Judas. - Augustine, “Exposition on the Book of Psalms,” in NPNF, 8:309.
And he has employed the universal term whosoever, both to invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the import of the term World, which he formerly used; for though nothing will be found in the world that is worthy of the favor of God, yet he shows himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all men without exception to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else than an entrance into life. - John Calvin on John 3:16
Since therefore he wishes the benefit of his death to be common to all, an insult is offered to him by those who, by their opinion, shut out any person from the hope of salvation. - Calvin on 1 Timothy 2:6
“And to give his life a ransom for many.” … The word “many” (pollōn) is not put definitely for a fixed number, but for a large number; for he contrasts himself with all others. And in this sense it is used in Romans 5:15, where Paul does not speak of any part of men, but embraces the whole human race. - Calvin on Mark 10:45
I approve of the ordinary reading, that he alone bore the punishment of many, because on him was laid the guilt of the whole world. It is evident from other passages, and especially from the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, that “many” sometimes denotes “all.” - Calvin on Isaiah 53:12
Reformed Genevan Confession 1556 (signed by John knox) states that Christ “offered up himself as the only sacrifice to purge the sins of all the world.”
The First Helvetic Confession (reformed): “Christ gave (his whole nature) up unto death for the expiation of all sin.”
The Second Helvetic Confession (1566):
Chapter 14: “We teach that Christ alone, by his death or passion, is the satisfaction, propitiation, or expiation of all sins.”
Chapter 15: For Christ took upon himself and bore the sins of the world, and satisfied divine justice.
Chapter 11: For we teach and believe that this Jesus Christ our Lord is the unique and eternal Savior of the human race, and thus of the whole world
Chapter 21: ... the Lord was given and his blood shed, not only for men in general, but particularly for every faithful communicant
Martin Luther
“Christ has taken away not only the sins of some men but your sins and those of the whole world. The offering was for the sins of the whole world, even though the whole world does not believe.” - Luthers Lectures on Galatians
You may say: “Who knows whether Christ also bore my sin? I have no doubt that He bore the sin of St. Peter, St. Paul, and other saints; these were pious people.” … Don’t you hear what St. John says in our text: “This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”? And you cannot deny that you are also a part of this world, for you were born of man and woman. You are not a cow or a pig. It follows that your sins must be included, as well as the sins of St. Peter or St. Paul.… Don’t you hear? There is nothing missing from the Lamb. He bears all the sins of the world from its inception; this implies that He also bears yours, and offers you grace. - Luthers comments on John 1:29 in one of his sermons.
Lutheran Confessions
“was crucified, dead, and buried, that he might reconcile the Father unto us, and might be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of men.” - The Augsburg Confession 1530
Anglican Catechism of 1553.
“Then He truly died and was truly buried, that by His most sweet sacrifice He might pacify His Father’s wrath against mankind.”
Athanasius
Thus, taking a body like our own, because all our bodies were liable to the corruption of death, He surrendered His body to death in the place of all, and offered it to the Father.
Augustine
“As one man brought sin into the world, that is, upon the whole human race, so one man was to take away the sin of the world.” Augustine, “Enchiridion,” in NPNF, 3:253.
What account art thou making of their price, if thou disregard the purchase? Consider for how great a price was the purchase made. “Through thy knowledge,” saith the Apostle, “shall the weak brother perish;” … In this knowledge the weak brother perishes. And lest thou should pay no regard to the weak brother, he added, “for whom Christ died.” If thou would disregard him, yet consider his Price, and weigh the whole world in the balance with the Blood of Christ. - Augustine, “Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament: Sermon XII,” in NPNF, 6:301.
For he threw down the price of silver, for which by him the Lord had been sold; and he knew not the price wherewith he had himself by the Lord been redeemed. This thing was done in the case of Judas. - Augustine, “Exposition on the Book of Psalms,” in NPNF, 8:309.
