Where did Christian Universalism come from? - New or old?
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16. There is next brought before us that declaration uttered by the Saviour in the Gospel: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest they should happen to be converted, and their sins be forgiven them. On which our opponent will remark: If those who shall hear more distinctly are by all means to be corrected and converted, and converted in such a manner as to be worthy of receiving the remission of sins, and if it be not in their own power to hear the word distinctly, but if it depend on the Instructor to teach more openly and distinctly, while he declares that he does not proclaim to them the word with clearness, lest they should perhaps hear and understand, and be converted, and be saved, it will follow, certainly, that their salvation is not dependent upon themselves. And if this be so, then we have no free-will either as regards salvation or destruction. Now were it not for the words that are added, Lest perhaps they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them, we might be more inclined to return the answer, that the Saviour was unwilling that those individuals whom He foresaw would not become good, should understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and that therefore He spoke to them in parables; but as that addition follows, Lest perhaps they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them, the explanation is rendered more difficult. And, in the first place, we have to notice what defense this passage furnishes against those heretics who are accustomed to hunt out of the Old Testament any expressions which seem, according to their view, to predicate severity and cruelty of God the Creator, as when He is described as being affected with the feeling of vengeance or punishment, or by any of those emotions, however named, from which they deny the existence of goodness in the Creator; for they do not judge of the Gospels with the same mind and feelings, and do not observe whether any such statements are found in them as they condemn and censure in the Old Testament.https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/04123.htm
And therefore we are rightly rendered liable to condemnation if we transgress those commandments which we are able to keep. And hence He Himself also declares: Every one who hears my words, and does them, I will show to whom he is like: he is like a wise man who built his house upon a rock, etc. So also the declaration: Whoever hears these things, and does them not, is like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand, etc. Even the words addressed to those who are on His right hand, Come unto Me, all you blessed of My Father, etc.; for I was an hungered, and you gave Me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink, manifestly show that it depended upon themselves, that either these should be deserving of praise for doing what was commanded and receiving what was promised, or those deserving of censure who either heard or received the contrary, and to whom it was said, Depart, you cursed, into everlasting fire. Let us observe also, that the Apostle Paul addresses us as having power over our own will, and as possessing in ourselves the causes either of our salvation or of our ruin: Do you despise the riches of His goodness, and of His patience, and of His long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But, according to your hardness and impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath on the day of judgment and of the revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to every one according to his work: to those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and immortality, eternal life; while to those who are contentious, and believe not the truth, but who believe iniquity, anger, indignation, tribulation, and distress, on every soul of man that works evil, on the Jew first, and (afterwards) on the Greek; but glory, and honour, and peace to every one that does good, to the Jew first, and (afterwards) to the Greek. You will find also innumerable other passages in holy Scripture, which manifestly show that we possess freedom of will. Otherwise there would be a contrariety in commandments being given us, by observing which we may be saved, or by transgressing which we may be condemned, if the power of keeping them were not implanted in us.https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/04123.htm
man·y
/ˈmenē/
determiner · adjective
a large number of.
"many people agreed with her"
Similar:
numerous
a great/good deal of
a lot of
a large/great number of
great quantities of
plenty of
countless
innumerable
scores of
crowds of
droves of
an army of
a horde of
a multitude of
a multiplicity of
multitudinous
numberless
multiple
untold
several
various
sundry
diverse
assorted
multifarious
copious
abundant
profuse
an abundance of
a profusion of
frequent
lots of
umpteen
eleventy
loads of
masses of
stacks of
scads of
heaps of
piles of
bags of
tons of
oodles of
dozens of
hundreds of
thousands of
millions of
billions of
zillions of
shedload
a slew of
gazillions of
bazillions of
gobs of
a swag of
myriad
divers
View 1 vulgar slang word
Opposite:
few
pronoun
a large number of people or things.
"it could be the solution to many of our problems"
noun
the majority of people.
"their vision is that trade is in the interest of the many, not the few"
Synonyms of all
1
a
: the whole amount, quantity, or extent of
needed all the courage they had
sat up all night
b
: as much as possible
spoke in all seriousness
2
: every member or individual component of
all men will go
all five children were present
3
: the whole number or sum of
all the angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles
4
: EVERY
all manner of hardship
5
: any whatever
beyond all doubt
6
: nothing but : ONLY
all work and no play
:
a
: completely taken up with, given to, or absorbed by
became all attention
b
: having or seeming to have (some physical feature) in conspicuous excess or prominence
all legs
c
: paying full attention with
all ears
7
dialect : used up : entirely consumed —used especially of food and drink
8
: being more than one person or thing
I don't know who all is coming.
all
2 of 4
adverb
1
a
: WHOLLY, QUITE
sat all alone
—often used as an intensive
all out of proportion
all over the yard
it wasn't all that funny
b
: selected as the best (as at a sport) within an area or organization —used in combination
all-league halfback
2
obsolete : ONLY, EXCLUSIVELY
3
archaic : JUST
4
: so much
all the better for it
5
: for each side : APIECE
the score is two all
all
3 of 4
pronoun
singular or plural in construction
1
a
: the whole number, quantity, or amount : TOTALITY
all that I have
all of us
all of the books
b
—used in such phrases as for all I know, for all I care, and for all the good it does to indicate a lack of knowledge, interest, or effectiveness
2
: EVERYBODY, EVERYTHING
gave equal attention to all
that is all
17 “My brothers, I know that what you did to Jesus was done because you did not understand what you were doing. And your leaders did not understand any more than you did. 18 But God said these things would happen. Through the prophets he said that his Messiah would suffer and die. I have told you how God made this happen. 19 So you must change your hearts and lives. Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins. 20 Then the Lord will give you times of spiritual rest. He will send you Jesus, the one he chose to be the Messiah.
21 “But Jesus must stay in heaven until the time when all things will be made right again. God told about this time when he spoke long ago through his holy prophets. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will give you a prophet. That prophet will come from among your own people. He will be like me. You must obey everything he tells you. 23 And anyone who refuses to obey that prophet will die, separated from God’s people.’
24 “Samuel, and all the other prophets who spoke for God after Samuel, said that this time would come. 25 And what those prophets talked about is for you, their descendants. You have received the agreement that God made with your fathers. God said to your father Abraham, ‘Every nation on earth will be blessed through your descendants.’[c] 26 God has sent his special servant Jesus. He sent him to you first. He sent him to bless you by causing each of you to turn away from your evil ways.”
@The Learner, it's too much for me to understand.
Of course! Here's a condensed version of the passage that keeps the heart of its argument intact:
Summary:
The Gospel verse “that seeing they may see, and not perceive…” raises a difficult theological question: if Jesus intentionally spoke in parables to prevent understanding, conversion, and forgiveness, does this imply that salvation is not within a person’s control, challenging the concept of free will?
This dilemma is deepened by the phrase “lest they should be converted…” which seems to imply that understanding leads directly to salvation—making it unclear why this understanding would be withheld.
Despite this tension, the passage defends the view that humans do have free will and moral responsibility. Scriptural examples—from Jesus' teachings to Paul’s letters—affirm that individuals are accountable for their choices. Righteous action leads to reward, while disobedience brings consequences. Thus, commandments and judgments make sense only if people have the capacity to choose freely.
The passage also counters claims that the Old Testament paints God as cruel or vengeful, pointing out that similar expressions appear in the New Testament, suggesting a consistent divine approach rooted in justice—not harshness.
Of course! Here's a condensed version of the passage that keeps the heart of its argument intact:
Summary:
The Gospel verse “that seeing they may see, and not perceive…” raises a difficult theological question: if Jesus intentionally spoke in parables to prevent understanding, conversion, and forgiveness, does this imply that salvation is not within a person’s control, challenging the concept of free will?
This dilemma is deepened by the phrase “lest they should be converted…” which seems to imply that understanding leads directly to salvation—making it unclear why this understanding would be withheld.
Despite this tension, the passage defends the view that humans do have free will and moral responsibility. Scriptural examples—from Jesus' teachings to Paul’s letters—affirm that individuals are accountable for their choices. Righteous action leads to reward, while disobedience brings consequences. Thus, commandments and judgments make sense only if people have the capacity to choose freely.
The passage also counters claims that the Old Testament paints God as cruel or vengeful, pointing out that similar expressions appear in the New Testament, suggesting a consistent divine approach rooted in justice—not harshness.
not keeping up concerning Matthew 25:46 if you limit everlasting for punishment then you will have to limit it for life too.
In Matthew 25:46, the Greek phrase "εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον" (eis kolasin aionion) translates to "into everlasting punishment." "Kolasin" is a noun in the accusative singular feminine form, meaning "punishment," while "aionion" is the adjective, also in the accusative singular feminine form, meaning "everlasting" or "eternal." The phrase "eis zoen aionion" ("into eternal life") is also present in the verse, making a direct comparison between the nature of punishment and life.
In Matthew 25:46, the Greek phrase "εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον" (eis kolasin aionion) translates to "into everlasting punishment." "Kolasin" is a noun in the accusative singular feminine form, meaning "punishment," while "aionion" is the adjective, also in the accusative singular feminine form, meaning "everlasting" or "eternal." The phrase "eis zoen aionion" ("into eternal life") is also present in the verse, making a direct comparison between the nature of punishment and life.
| Matthew 25:46 ► |
| Text Analysis Go to Parallel Greek
|
The Greek of Matthew 25:46
Matthew 25:46 does indeed say 'everlasting punishment.' Hard words.
www.daily-bible-study-tips.com
- Now, in some cases in the NT, aionios is coupled with chronos time (e.g., Romans 16:25, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:2), where it means something like “the long lasting ages.” This only occurs when the word is linked with chronos, which it is not in vs. 46.
- In classical usage, the adjective can refer to things “lasting an age,” but also to “eternal” things. Matthew 25 reflects the primary meaning of the word, and the vast majority of usages in the NT: “eternal.” There is no reason in Matthew to translate it anything but “eternal.”
- Another problem is a question of logic, not of grammar. In Matthew 25:46, Jesus refers to both “eternal life” and “eternal punishment.” Dr. Parsenios says, “Are we to believe that the word eternal means everlasting when it refers to life, but that something totally different is in mind when it refers to punishment - with no notice in the text that the meaning of the word has changed? I can't take that possibility seriously.”
- Just to be absolutely certain, Dr. Parsenios looked at the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (ed. G. Kittel), and the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Early Christian Literature (ed. Bauer, et al), and they confirmed what he has said here. He added that the definitive commentary on Matthew by W. D. Davies and Dale Allison doesn’t even raise the question as a possibility, so certain is the translation “eternal.”
- The Greek of Matthew 25:46
"the many" = all
Romans 5:18-19 NIV
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,
so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.
19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners,
so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
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The good news is that one age follows another.
Only one age is needed for the restoration of all things.
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