Who does the word 'all' refer to in 2 Corinthians 5:14 when it says one died for all?
The word 'all' in 2 Corinthians 5:14 refers to the whole human race. It encompasses every human being descended from Adam, all of whom are spiritually dead due to inherited Adamic nature. That includes all people, not just Israel, because the gospel has gone to the whole world.
Les explains that in 2 Corinthians 5:14, 'if one died for all' means Christ died for the entire human race. He ties this to the universal fall in Adam: when Adam fell, every human being inherited the Adamic nature and became a child of Adam, part of a fallen race that is spiritually dead. The 'all' is not limited to Israel; Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, constantly emphasized that Christ did not now deal only with Israel, but the gospel has gone to the whole world. The crucified and resurrected Christ becomes the object of faith, not the Jesus of Nazareth in His earthly ministry, though He is the same person. Our gospel is based on what was revealed after His resurrection and ascension.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
What does 'if one died for all, then are all dead' mean in 2 Corinthians 5:14?
Paul's doctrine is that all people were spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. Christ's death for all demonstrates that the whole human race is dead, and that dead condition remains until Christ moves in with His life-giving power, which is triggered by faith in the Gospel.
Who did Christ die for?
Christ died for every man, woman, and child born into Adam's family—the whole human race. He did not die only for the small percentage who become believers. Scripture declares He tasted death for every man, and Paul writes that He died for all.
More Questions
What does Paul conclude in 2 Corinthians 5:14 about one dying for all?
In 2 Corinthians 5:14 Paul draws the conclusion (or judges) that if one died for all, then all were dead.