"All" Doesn't Always Mean "All"

As we study the Bible to gain a better understanding of the truths contained therein, we need to be aware of some essential principles. First, the Bible was written in a human language that man can understand. God, as the transcendent Creator of the universe, has created man in His image, which includes the ability to have meaningful communication. Second, since God’s main means of communicating with man is through words, we must acknowledge that the meaning of words matters. Third, the meaning of words from God is always connected to the context in which they are written in the Bible.

The position that holds that the infinite God cannot communicate with finite man, because of who God is and who man is, is not a biblical teaching. In fact, it is precisely because of who God is that genuinely understood communication is both possible and has been achieved via the word revelation of Scripture. This does not always mean that understanding the Bible is easy, although much of the Bible is quite straightforward in its meaning. We still must apply ourselves to diligent study and exegesis of God’s Word.

Occasionally, a word is used in the Bible where the context gives it a meaning that seems inconsistent with the meaning of the actual word. This does not happen very often, but it does occur from time to time. One such example from the Bible is the word all.

As we would expect from such a common word, the main Greek word translated all is used hundreds of times in the New Testament. In the overwhelming majority of those uses, the word means “whole, entire, every, total” as in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” Sometimes, all is used representatively to refer to all in a particular group (Matthew 5:15). Occasionally, all is used in a relative sense rather than an absolute one. For example, Matthew 3:5 says, “Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him” (ESV used throughout). Here all does not mean every person; rather, it is meant to refer to a large number.

When Jesus had His encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4, she tells the people of Sychar, “Come see a man who told me all that I ever did” (John 4:29). Did Jesus tell her every sin she had ever committed? Of course not. However, Jesus revealed enough about her life, things He should not have been able to know, that caused her to realize Jesus knew all about her. Clearly, the context often decides how the word all should be understood and applied. This is the interpretive concept we are addressing in this article.

One of the most misunderstood and misused verses in the Bible is Philippians 4:13. The Apostle Paul writes, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” In this passage, all does not mean all, as in “whole, every, entire, total.” We cannot do all things, anything, or everything through Christ. Of course, everything we do should be done with our Lord in mind, through His strength, and to honor Him; however, there are many things we cannot do even in Christ. I cannot heal someone who is sick. I cannot reach every lost soul in the world for Christ. I cannot be sinlessly perfect in this life (even though I am striving each day to be holy). Of course, there is the more ridiculous; I cannot be six foot four or play golf like Scottie Scheffler (the number one golfer in the world, if you did not know). There are many things in this life that we cannot accomplish even with the help and strength Christ provides.

In the context of Philippians 4:10-20, Paul is talking about how he had learned to be content no matter the circumstances of his life. Paul knew what it was like to have plenty and to be in need. He lived through times in his life when he was brought low (had little), and when he abounded (had much). In whatever material circumstances he found himself, Paul knew he could be content with the strength Christ provides. Therefore, the meaning of verse 13 is “I can learn to be content no matter the circumstances of life because of Jesus.” It does not mean I can do everything or anything through Jesus, who gives me strength.

Let’s look at another example. In Matthew 10:5ff, Jesus is sending out the twelve Apostles on a preaching campaign. He is giving them instructions and warnings to help them on their way. While speaking of the persecution that would come upon them, Jesus tells the Apostles in Matthew 10:22, “and you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.” Does Jesus really mean all, as in every single person will hate the Apostles? Certainly, we understand this is not the case. Jesus meant for them to understand that in doing His work, they would encounter a great amount of opposition. When we read the New Testament documents about the work of the Apostles, we find these words of Jesus to be true.

Matthew 19:16-30 provides another example. This is Matthew’s account of the encounter between Jesus and the rich young ruler. Since we are familiar with this narrative, we will give only a brief synopsis of the text. The rich young ruler came to Jesus, asking what he needed to do to obtain eternal life. Jesus knew what was lacking in this upstanding Jewish man’s life. Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. Sadly, this wealthy young man could not give up his riches. The grip of greed and the desire for wealth were his focus in life. When this man went away sorrowful, Jesus said something to His disciples that surprised them. He talked about the difficulty of the rich entering the kingdom of heaven, which is encapsulated in the famous quote of Jesus in verse 24, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

The immediate response of the disciples was, “Who then can be saved?” The Jewish mind often associated great wealth with God’s favor. If the rich have trouble entering the kingdom, what hope is there for the rest of us? Jesus responds in verse 26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

“With God all things are possible” means that God can save anyone who comes to Him for salvation, whether rich or poor. It does not mean that everything that could be done is possible with God. It also does not mean that God Himself could do anything and everything. It is all tied to a specific context, and it is the context that tells us how the word all should be understood and applied.

It is easy for us to understand the idea that we human beings cannot do anything and everything possible. This point has been made above. However, many people assume that God can do anything possible. This is not the case.

God can certainly do whatever is in accordance with His purposive will and which is consistent with His nature. He can accomplish what He wills to accomplish (and has). Actually, when God purposes to do something, no one can stop Him. However, there are things that not even God can do. He cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2). God cannot do wrong (Job 34:10). He cannot be unjust (Hebrews 6:10). God cannot be unfaithful to His Word or the promises contained therein (1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Timothy 2:13). God cannot change in His nature and being (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Since He is both all-powerful and eternal (Psalm 90:2; 93:4), and has life in Himself (John 5:26), God cannot die. God cannot be tempted with evil, and He does not tempt anyone (James 1:13).

Although God knows the past and the future with perfect knowledge (Psalm 139:1-2; Isaiah 46:10; Romans 11:33), not even God can go back in time or forward in time. The past is past, even with God, and the future is still future, even though the omniscient God knows what is going to happen. This is a part of the nature of reality as God created it, and God is the God of reality. The theologian Roger Chambers once said, “Not even God can make two plus two equal five. He can take two of something and make two more of it.” But he cannot go against such matters of reason and reality. The whole of Matthew 19:26 means that God can save anyone who comes to Him for salvation. It does not mean that every conceivable thing is possible with God.

As we continue to invest ourselves in searching the Scriptures, let’s remember that words matter and so does the context in which words appear. May we be careful to understand God’s word aright, even if that means seeing that all doesn’t always mean all.

Paul Ponchot has been the evangelist with the Cumberland County Christian Church in Vineland, New Jersey, since 1994. He is a 1987 graduate of Cincinnati Bible College. He and his wife, Ronda, have three children: Jillian (and husband Jonathan), Chris (and wife Grace), and Kayla, and three granddaughters. Paul is also the Director of South Jersey Evangelism.