1When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. (John 17:1-2)
So begins Jesus's high priestly prayer in John 17. This chapter was part of my reading a few mornings ago, and it occurred to me to ask myself what the person who believes in universal atonement - the concept that Jesus gave his life for all people so that all have the opportunity to be saved) as opposed to a particular redemption, wherein God the Father acts to redeem His elect by giving His Son Jesus as a substitute for them - does with this passage. If the idea is that God the Father intended that all be covered by the blood of Christ, how can John 17:2 make any sense at all? I've never been able to understand how this passage can be read by those who take the universal approach to the atonement... all problems with that view aside, I just want to zoom in on John 17:2. I wonder if it's just ignored.
