Here is some interesting facts about John 12:32
Here are various uses of the phrase all men as appears in various commentaries
I have yet to find one that does not affirm universality for the phrase all men in one place or another
2:11 Paul asserted, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” The New Testament concept of “the grace of God” is his beneficial activity on behalf of humans (both corporately and individually). God’s grace toward us is based solely on his love and our total inability to meet God’s standards. God’s grace is a gift we do not deserve and cannot earn. Without God’s grace, there can be no salvation since grace is foundational to salvation (Eph 2:4–9). The NIV renders the adjective
sōtērios, “that brings salvation,” as modifying “the grace of God,” with which it agrees in case, number, and gender (cf. also KJV). However,
sōtērios may be understood as modifying “all men” (
pasin anthropois), thus rendering “that brings salvation to all men” (cf. RSV, NASB). Either translation is acceptable, though perhaps the arguments for the latter rendering are slightly more convincing. Neither rendering implies universalism (i.e., that all people are saved). Rather, the point is that salvation is universally offered to all without exception
[1] New American Commentary 1 & 2 Timothy
5:18–19. In these verses Paul concludes his basic parallelism between Adam and Jesus Christ begun in verse 12 and the contrasts between them in verses 15–17. Paul reduced the contrast to the briefest possible statement.
Consequently (lit., “so then”),
just as the result of one trespass (
paraptōmatos, “false step”; cf. vv. 15–17, 20)
was condemnation (
katakrima, “punishment”; cf. v. 16)
for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. The “one righteous act” (lit. Gr.) was Christ’s death on the cross. One trespass (Adam’s sin) is contrasted with one righteous act (Christ’s sacrifice). The result of Adam’s sin (everyone under God’s condemnation) is contrasted with the result of Christ’s work (justification offered to all). One brought death; the other brings life. Once again the “all men” in the first half of the sentence includes the entire human race (cf. “all men” in v. 12, and “the many” in the first half of v. 15). This implies the same dimensions for the “all men” in the second half of the verse (cf. “many” in the second halves of vv. 16, 19). The provision in the one righteous act, therefore, is potential and it comes to the entire human race as the offer and opportunity which are applied only to “those who receive” (v. 17).
[2] Bible Knowledge commentary Romans 5:18,19
1, 2. I exhort, first of all. This chapter contains some directions concerning public worship. Paul probably means that, first in order, prayers should be offered for all men, etc. So says Conybeare and Howson, and many others. Thus should the worship open.
Supplications, prayers, intercessions. It is difficult to distinguish between these three words. “Perhaps the idea in ’supplication’ is that of want; in ’prayers’ that of solemn devotion, and in ’intercessions’ that of individual petitions to God.”—
Plumptree. 2. For kings, and for all that are in authority. For all rulers over us. This duty is not dependent on the righteousness of the rulers. The Roman emperors were intensely wicked. Jews were enjoined to pray for their heathen rulers (Jer. 29:7; Ezra 6:10).
That we may lead, etc. The special object of these prayers is that the earthly rulers may be so overruled that Christians shall live and worship in peace. Wars, seditions and persecutions would be injurious to the saints.
3, 4. For this. This custom of praying for rulers. Our prayers should be as comprehensive as the will of God to save.
4. Who will have all men to be saved. The Scriptures uniformly represent it as the divine will that all should come to life. But he does not will to save men irrespective of the conditions of salvation. They must, in order to be saved,
come to a knowledge of the truth. In other words, must hear, receive, and obey the gospel.
5–7. For there is one God. One God of all men, not many gods. Hence the One God desires equally the salvation of all his creatures.
And one mediator. For all men. The gospel scheme is universal.
The man, Christ Jesus. Taking upon himself manhood in order to be the Savior of all men.
6. Who gave himself a ransom for all. Not for an elect nation, like the Jews, or for the elect individuals arbitrarily selected, but for all men. All men have been redeemed by his blood, if they will accept the ransom
[4] People’s new testament
1 Timothy 4:10
To this end (εἰς τουτο [
eis touto]). The godliness (εὐσεβεια [
eusebeia]) of verse 8. See 2 Cor. 6:10 as Paul’s own commentary.
We labour (κοπιωμεν [
kopiōmen], Col. 1:29)
and strive (και ἀγωνιζομεθα [
kai agōnizometha], Col. 1:29). Both Pauline words.
Because we have set our hope (ὁτι ἐλπικαμεν [
hoti elpikamen]). Perfect active indicative of ἐλπιζω [
elpizō] (Rom. 15:12).
Saviour of all men (σωτηρ παντων ἀνθρωπων [
sōtēr pantōn anthrōpōn]). See 1:1 for σωτηρ [
sōtēr] applied to God as here. Not that all men “are saved” in the full sense, but God gives life (6:13) to all (Acts 17:28).
Specially of them that believe (μαλιστα πιστων [
malista pistōn]). Making a distinction in the kinds of salvation meant. “While God is potentially Saviour of all, He is actually Saviour of the πιστοι [
pistoi]” (White). So Jesus is termed “Saviour of the World” (John 4:42). Cf. Gal. 6:10.
[5] Word pictures in the New testament
First, prayers are to be offered
for everyone (1). Secondly, God our Saviour
wants all men (nrsv ‘desires everyone’)
to be saved (3–4). Thirdly, Christ Jesus
gave himself as a ransom for all men (6, nrsv ‘for all’). Fourthly, Paul was
a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles (7), that is, to all the nations or to everyone. There can be no doubt that this repetition is deliberate. These four truths belong together in Paul’s mind. It is because God’s desire and Christ’s death concern everybody that the church’s prayers and proclamation must concern everybody too.
[6]
The message of 1Timothy and Titus John stott
1 Timothy 4:10
Who is the Saviour of all men] Who has provided salvation for the whole human race, and has freely offered it to them in his word and by his Spirit.
[7] Adam Clarke
unto all men—The duty of Christian conduct towards
all men is the proper consequence of the universality of God’s grace to all men, so often set forth in the pastoral Epistles.
[9]JFB
1 Timothy 2:3
He who is “our Saviour”
is willing that all should be saved (1 Ti 2:4; Ro 5:18); therefore we should meet the will of God in behalf of others, by praying for the salvation of all men.
1 Timothy 2:4
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).
1 Timothy 2:5
The one Mediator is mediator between God and all men potentially (Ro 3:29; Eph 4:5, 6; Heb 8:6; 9:15; 12:24).
1 Timothy 2:7
The universality of his commission is an appropriate assertion here, where he is arguing to prove that prayers are to be made “for
all men” (1 Ti 2:1).
1 Timothy 4:10
He is the Saviour of all men
potentially (1 Ti 1:15); of believers alone
effectually.
2 Timothy 2:22
We are to
love all men, but it is not possible to be at
peace with all men, for this needs community of purpose and opinion; they alone who call on the Lord sincerely (as contrasted with the false teachers who had only the form of godliness, 2 Ti 3:5, 8; 2 Ti 3:5, 8, Tit 1:15, 16) have this community [Theodoret].
[10] JFB
The best that can be stated the interpretation is context sensitive but pretty much all commentaries include a universal application especially at critical texts Like 1T1 2:-6, 1Ti 4:10 1John 2:2 etc
