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No.6.
The goal of the Mediatorial kingdom.
pp. 70 - 73
"All in all." What is the extent of this second word "all"? Is it the entire universe
both of men, angel and spirit? Is it all men without exception? Is it all men without
distinction? How can we discover the meaning of such a word? We know that it has
one exception "It is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him", so
that we can safely say that the word "all" is never used in its widest and fullest sense, but
that where we have the entire universe in view, there is nevertheless an exception to be
made. This is important, for if `all' in such a context does not and cannot be used in its
full universal sense, that may be true in other passages where the circumference is
smaller. The word `all' is universal, but the word cannot be used alone, the context
supplying the things that are comprehended within its embrace. The idea of the word
`all' can be likened to a circle, but the size of the circle will vary according to the things
spoken of; but however large or small the number of things there may be, the shape of
the circle never changes; all, means, universality, but a universality of specified things.
It is therefore of the utmost importance that `the things' should be correctly stated,
otherwise wild, fanatical and evil doctrine will arise. Let us consider the following
pronouncement, "All men are sinners." If we know what we mean by "all men", the
statement can stand; but strictly speaking it does not discriminate enough. Let us see,
"All men are sinners
Christ was a man
Therefore . . . . ."
We cannot, we dare not, take this statement to its logical conclusion. This is no
criticism of logic, but it shows that a logical statement forces us to re-examine our
premises, whenever the conclusion arrived at is untrue. We must therefore recast the
opening term.
"All men descended by natural generation from Adam are sinners" and we can then
go on to prove that Christ was not such a man because He was holy and did not sin. One
circle can enclose another, the `all' of redemption, being much larger in scope than the
`all' of the membership of the church of the Mystery. One circle may intersect another,
because the things spoken of may be considered from more than one point of view. Let
us now consider the usage of the word `all' in I Cor. 15: 24-28, "All rule and all
authority and power" are to be put down (I Cor. 15: 24), but it is manifest that the rule,
authority and power of God Himself is not in view, else it would defeat the very object of
this subjugation. If we read on to verse 25, we shall come to the inspired comment `For';
this is a logical connective, and is prefaced to what follows and links it with what has
already been said, "For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet". The
rule, authority and power therefore of verse 24 are not universal, they refer to enemies,
and when thus limited, the `all' again assumes its universality, not some enemies, but all
enemies are comprehended in this subjection. As a further explanation, the nature of
these enemies is revealed by the statement "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is