These are some of the notes for my debate with Turretinfan on the whether the Holy Bible teaches limited atonement. I will be citing Calvinist scholars, including John Calvin, all of whom acknowledge that the texts which I quote conclusively prove that Christ died for the sins of the entire human race, for every single individual, and not just for the elect. All emphasis is mine.

2 PETER 2:1

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them (kai ton agorasanta autous despoten ‘arnoumenoi), bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”

JOHN CALVIN

Even denying the Lord that bought them. Though Christ may be denied in various ways, yet Peter, as I think, refers here to what is expressed by Jude, that is, when the grace of God is turned into lasciviousness; for Christ redeemed us, that he might have a people separated from all the pollutions of the world, and devoted to holiness and innocency. They, then, who throw off the bridle, and give themselves up to all kinds of licentiousness, are not unjustly said to deny Christ BY WHOM THEY HAVE BEEN REDEEMED. Hence, that the doctrine of the gospel may remain whole and complete among us, let this be fixed in our minds, that we have been redeemed by Christ, that he may be the Lord of our life and of our death, and that our main object ought to be, to live to him and to die to him. He then says, that their swift destruction was at hand, lest others should be ensnared by them. (164) (Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible (John Calvin), Chapter 2; bold and capital emphasis mine)

Calvin was alluding to the following verse from Jude:

“For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (kai ton monon Despoten kai Kyrion hemon ‘Iesoun Christon ‘arnoumenoi).” Jude 1:4

And here’s what he wrote in respect to this text:

The only Lord God, or, God who alone is Lord. Some old copies have, “Christ, who alone is God and Lord.” And, indeed, in the Second Epistle of Peter, Christ alone is mentioned, and there he is called Lord. (194) But He means that Christ is denied, when they WHO HAD BEEN REDEEMED BY HIS BLOOD, become again the vassals of the Devil, and thus RENDER VOID as far as they can THAT INCOMPARABLE PRICE. That Christ, then, may retain us as his peculiar treasure, we must remember that he died and rose again for us, that he might have dominion over our life and death. (Chapter 1; bold and capital emphasis mine) 

GALATIANS 5:12

“I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!”

CALVIN

Would that they were even cut off. His indignation proceeds still farther, and he prays for destruction on those impostors by whom the Galatians had been deceived. The word, “cut off,” appears to be employed in allusion to the circumcision which they pressed. “They tear the church for the sake of circumcision: I wish they were entirely cut off.” Chrysostom favors this opinion. But how can such an imprecation be reconciled with the mildness of an apostle, who ought to wish that ALL SHOULD BE SAVED, and that NOT A SINGLE PERSON SHOULD PERISH? So far as men are concerned, I admit the force of this argument; for it is the will of God that we should seek the salvation OF ALL MEN WITHOUT EXCEPTION, AS CHRIST SUFFERED FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD. But devout minds are sometimes carried beyond the consideration of men, and led to fix their eye on the glory of God, and the kingdom of Christ. The glory of God, which is in itself more excellent than the salvation of men, ought to receive from us a higher degree of esteem and regard. Believers earnestly desirous that the glory of God should be promoted, forget men, and forget the world, and would rather choose that the whole world should perish, than that the smallest portion of the glory of God should be withdrawn. (Chapter 5) 

COLOSSIANS 1:14

“in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

CALVIN

14. In whom we have redemption. He now proceeds to set forth in order, that all parts of our salvation are contained in Christ, and that he alone ought to shine forth, and to be seen conspicuous above all creatures, inasmuch as he is the beginning and end of all things. In the first place, he says that we have redemption (300) and immediately explains it as meaning the remission of sins; for these two things agree together by apposition (301) For, unquestionably, when God remits our transgressions, he exempts us from condemnation to eternal death. This is our liberty, this our glorying in the face of death — that our sins are not imputed to us. He says that this redemption was procured through the blood of Christ, for by the sacrifice of his death ALL THE SINS OF THE WORLD HAVE BEEN EXPIATED. Let us, therefore, bear in mind, that this is the sole price of reconciliation, and that all the trifling of Papists as to satisfactions is blasphemy. (302) (Chapter 1)

HEBREWS 9:28

“so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

CALVIN

To bear, or, take away sins, is to free from guilt by his satisfaction those who have sinned. He says the sins of many, THAT IS, OF ALL, as in Romans 5:15. It is yet certain that all receive no benefit from the death of Christ; but this happens, BECAUSE THEIR UNBELIEF PREVENTS THEM. At the same time this question is not to be discussed here, for the Apostle is not speaking of the few or of the many to whom the death of Christ may be available; but he simply means that he died for others and not for himself; and therefore he opposes many to one. (161) (Chapter 9)

HEBREWS 10:29

“How much worse punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as defiled the blood of the covenant by which HE was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

CALVIN

The blood of the covenant, etc. He enhances ingratitude by a comparison with the benefits. It is the greatest indignity to count the blood of Christ unholy, by which OUR holiness is effected; this is done by those who depart from the faith. For our faith looks not on the naked doctrine, but on the blood by which our salvation has been ratified. He calls it the blood of the covenant, because then only were the promises made sure to us when this pledge was added. But he points out the manner of this confirmation by saying that WE ARE sanctified; for the blood shed would avail us nothing, except we were sprinkled with it by the Holy Spirit; and hence come OUR expiation and sanctification. The apostle at the same time alludes to the ancient rite of sprinkling, which availed not to real sanctification, but was only its shadow or image. ⁽¹⁸⁵⁾

(185) The words “covenant,” and “sanctified,” and “unclean” or “unholy,” are derived from the old dispensation. “The blood of the covenant” was the blood shed on the cross; and the reference to it is not as sprinkled for the ratifying of the covenant, but as the blood of atonement, as “the blood of the New Testament, or rather covenant, “shed for many for the remission of sins,” Matthew 26:28. Then “sanctified” HAS THE SAME MEANING HERE AS IN Hebrews 10:10 and in Hebrews 2:11, expiated or atoned for; “by which he has expiated.” HE WHO PROFESSES the Christian faith, PROFESSES TO BELIEVE IN the atoning sacrifice of Christ, that Christ shed his blood for many for the remission of sins. As to “unholy,” or rather unclean, such was the blood of a malefactor or impostor, and as such Christ was counted by the Jews and by every Jew who returned to Judaism. — Ed. (Chapter 10; bold and capital emphasis mine)

THOMAS SCHREINER

We should also note that the author speaks of the blood “by which” the readers were “sanctified” (hegiasthe). Here is powerful evidence that those addressed are truly believers, confirming what was argued in 6:4-5 for Jesus by his once-for-all offering “perfected forever those who are sanctified” (10:14). Sanctification here is definitive and positional rather than progressive. It is AWKWARD AND UNNATURAL to see a reference to Jesus in the pronoun instead of believers, for it makes little sense to say Jesus was sanctified by his own blood. Jesus is the one who sanctifies in Hebrews (2:11), not the one who is sanctified. Indeed, in chapters 10 and 13 the author clearly states three times that the death of Jesus sanctifies believers (10:10, 14; 13:12). Nor is it persuasive to say that the sanctification is not saving, comparing it to the sanctification under the old covenant (9:13), which only sanctified externally. The argument fails to persuade, for the point in Hebrews is that Jesus’ sacrifice stands in contrast to the sacrifices of the old covenant. His sacrifice is effective and truly brings sanctification. To say that his sacrifice only sanctifies externally, like the sacrifices of the old covenant, misses one of the major themes of the letter. Contrary to OT sacrifices, Jesus’ sacrifice truly cleanses the conscience. (Schreiner, Commentary on Hebrews (Biblical Theology for Christian Proclamation) [B&H Publishing, Nashville, TN 2015], p. 327; bold and capital emphasis mine)

These two Reformers emphatically identify the one sanctified by the blood as those individuals whom the Lord set apart, not to Christ himself. And they both readily acknowledge that v. 29 has the meaning as the following passages, both of which identify the one being set apart as the believers, not Christ:

“For he who sanctifies and those WHO ARE sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,” Hebrews 2:11

“And by that will WE have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10

LUKE 19:41-44

“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation (episkopes).’” Luke 19:41-44

Luke’s Gospel explains what Jesus meant by the time of Israel’s visitation:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited (epeskepsato) us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant—… And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit (episkepsetai) us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:68-69, 76-79

CALVIN

41. And wept over it. As there was nothing which Christ more ardently desired than to execute the office which the Father had committed to him, and as he knew that the end of his calling was to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel, (Matthew 15:24,) he wished that his coming might bring salvation to ALL. This was the reason why he was moved with compassion, and wept over the approaching destruction of the city of Jerusalem. For while he reflected that this was the sacred abode which God had chosen, in which the covenant of eternal salvation should dwell — the sanctuary from which salvation would go forth to the whole world, it was impossible that he should not deeply deplore its ruin. And when he saw the people, who had been adopted to the hope of eternal life, perish miserably through their ingratitude and wickedness, we need not wonder if he could not refrain from tears. (Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible, Chapter 19; bold and capital emphasis mine)

42. O if even thou hadst known! The discourse is pathetic, and therefore abrupt; for we know that by those who are under the influence of vehement passion their feelings are not more than half-expressed. Besides, two feelings are here mingled; for not only does Christ bewail the destruction of the city, but he likewise reproaches the ungrateful people with the deepest guilt, in rejecting the salvation WHICH WAS OFFERED TO THEM, and drawing down on themselves a dreadful judgment of God. The word even, which is interwoven with it, is emphatic; for Christ silently contrasts Jerusalem with the other cities of Judea, or rather, of the whole world, and the meaning is: “If Even thou, who art distinguished by a remarkable privilege above the whole world, — if thou at least, (I say,) who art a heavenly sanctuary in the earth, hadst known ” This is immediately followed by another amplification taken from the time: “Though hitherto thou hast wickedly and outrageously rebelled against God, now at least there is time for repentance.” For he means that the day is now at hand, which had been appointed by the eternal purpose of God FOR THE SALVATION OF JERUSALEM, and had been foretold by the prophets. Thus (says Isaiah) is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation, (Isaiah 49:8; 2 Corinthians 6:2.) (Ibid.; bold and capital emphasis mine)

43. For the days shall come upon thee. He now assumes, as it were, the character of a judge, and addresses Jerusalem with greater severity. In like manner the prophets also, though they shed tears over the destruction of those about whom they ought to feel anxiety, yet they summon up courage to pronounce severe threatenings, because they know that not only are they commanded to watch over the salvation of men, but that they have also been appointed to be the heralds of the judgment of God. Under these terms Jesus declares that Jerusalem will suffer dreadful punishment, because she did not know the time of her visitation; that is, because she despised the Redeemer who had been exhibited to her, AND DID NOT EMBRACE HIS GRACE. Let the fearful nature of the punishments which she endured now alarm us, that we may not, by our carelessness, extinguish the light of salvation, but may be careful to receive the grace of God, and may even run with rigor to meet it. (Ibid.; bold and capital emphasis mine)

ISAIAH 53:6

“All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But Yahweh has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.”

CALVIN

We see that here none are excepted, for the Prophet includes “all.” THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE would have perished, if Christ had not brought relief. He does not even except the Jews, whose hearts were puffed up with a false opinion of their own superiority, but condemns them indiscriminately, along with others, to destruction. By comparing them to sheep, he intends not to extenuate their guilt, as if little blame attached to them, but to state plainly that it belongs to Christ to gather from their wanderings those who resembled brute beasts.

Every one hath turned to his own way. By adding the term every one, he descends from A UNIVERSAL STATEMENT, IN WHICH HE INCLUDED ALL, to a special statement, that every individual may consider in his own mind if it be so; for a general statement produces less effect upon us than to know that it belongs to each of us in particular. Let “every one,” therefore, arouse his conscience, and present himself before the judgment­seat of God, that he may confess his wretchedness. Moreover, what is the nature of this “going astray” the Prophet states more plainly. It is, that every one hath followed the way which he had chosen for himself, that is, hath determined to live according to his own fancy; by which he means that there is only one way of living uprightly, and if any one “turn aside” from it, he can experience nothing but “going astray.”

He does not speak of works only, but of nature itself, which always leads us astray; for, if we could by natural instinct or by our own wisdom, bring ourselves back into the path, or guard ourselves against going astray, Christ would not be needed by us. Thus, in ourselves we all are undone unless Christ (John 8:36) sets us free; and the more we rely on our wisdom or industry, the more dreadfully and the more speedily do we draw down destruction on ourselves. And so the Prophet shows what we are before we are regenerated by Christ; for ALL are involved in the same condemnation. “There is none righteous, none that understandeth, none that seeketh God. All have turned aside, and have become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good; no, not one.” (Psalms 14:3) All this is more fully explained by Paul. (Romans 3:10) (Chapter 53; bold and capital emphasis mine)

ISAIAH 53:12

“Therefore, I will divide for Him a portion with the many, And He will divide the spoil with the strong; Because He poured out His soul to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
 

CALVIN

I have followed the ordinary interpretation, that “he bore the sin of many,” though we might without impropriety consider the Hebrew word Mybr (rabbim,) to denote “Great and Noble.” And thus the contrast would be more complete, that Christ, while “he was ranked among transgressors,” became surety for every one of the most excellent of the earth, and suffered in the room of those who hold the highest rank in the world. I leave this to the judgment of my readers. Yet I approve of the ordinary reading, that he alone bore the punishment of many, because on him was laid the guilt of THE WHOLE WORLD. It is evident from other passages, and especially from the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, that “many” sometimes denotes “all.” (Ibid.; bold and capital emphasis mine)

MARK 14:24

“And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.’”

CALVIN

his is my blood. I have already remarked that, when we are told that the blood is to be shed–according to the narrative of Matthew–for the remission of sins, these words direct us to the sacrifice of the death of Christ, without the remembrance of which the Lord’s Supper is never observed in a proper manner. And, indeed, it is impossible for believing souls to be satisfied in any other way than by being assured that God is pacified towards them.

Which is shed for many. By the word many he means not a part of the world only, BUT THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE; for he contrasts many with one; as if he had said, that he will not be the Redeemer of one man only, but will die in order to deliver many from the condemnation of the curse. It must at the same time be observed, however, that by the words for you, as related by Luke–Christ directly addresses the disciples, and exhorts every believer to apply to his own advantage the shedding of blood Therefore, when we approach to the holy table, let us not only remember in general that the world has been redeemed by the blood of Christ, but let every one consider for himself that his own sins have been expiated. (Chapter 14; bold and capital emphasis mine)

MATTHEW 26:39

“And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.’”

CALVIN

It comes now to be inquired, what advantage did Christ gain by praying? The apostle, in writing to the Hebrews, says that he was heard ( ἀπὸ τὢς εὐλαβείας ) on account of his fear: for so ought that passage to be explained, and not, as it is usually explained, on account of his reverence, (Hebrews 5:7.) That would not have been consistent, if Christ had simply feared death; for he was not delivered from it. Hence it follows, that what led him to pray to be delivered from death was the dread of a greater evil. When he saw the wrath of God exhibited to him, as he stood at the tribunal of God CHARGED WITH THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD, he unavoidably shrunk with horror from the deep abyss of death. And, therefore, though he suffered death, yet since its pains were loosed —as Peter tells us, (Acts 2:24,)—and he was victorious in the conflict, the Apostle justly says, that he was heard on account of his fear. Here ignorant people rise up and exclaim, that it would have been unworthy of Christ to be afraid of being swallowed up by death. But I should wish them to answer this question, What kind of fear do they suppose it to have been which drew from Christ drops of blood? (Luke 22:44) For that mortal sweat could only have proceeded from fearful and unusual horror. If any person, in the present day, were to sweat blood, and in such a quantity that the drops should fall to the ground, it would be reckoned an astonishing miracle; and if this happened to any man through fear of death, we would say that he had a cowardly and effeminate mind. Those men, therefore, who deny that Christ prayed that the Father would rescue him from the gulf of death, ascribe to him a cowardice that would be disgraceful even in an ordinary man. (Chapter 26; bold and capital emphasis mine) 

In the next segment I will address a couple of objections typically raised by proponents of limited atonement: TURRETIN ATONEMENT DEBATE PT. 2.

Specific Calvinists argue that Christ’s atoning death is tied in with his intercessory work. From this fact they erroneously assume that since Christ intercedes for everyone that he died for, Jesus must not have died for the whole world. Otherwise, this would imply that Jesus is interceding for all those who will not be saved but end up experiencing everlasting destruction.

The problem with this assertion is that it contradicts the God-breathed Scriptures, which expressly teach that Jesus did in fact pray for the salvation of the whole world.

This is mentioned in John’s Gospel where the inspired author records Christ’s prayer to the Father on the night of his betrayal:

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe (pisteue) that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know (ginoske) that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23

According to John’s witness, anyone that believes and knows God shall be saved and granted everlasting life:

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent… You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me… O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me;” John 17:3, 8, 25

“He came as a witness, to bear witness about the Light, so that all might believe through him… He came to what was His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:7, 11-13

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:14-18  

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36

“From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who bore witness, ‘He told me all the things that I have done.’ So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know (oidomen) that this One is truly the Savior of the world.” John 4:39-42

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” John 5:24

“‘Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, set His seal.’ Therefore they said to Him, ‘What should we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’” John 6:27-29

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day… Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.” John 6:35-40, 47  

“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, which are not from this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.” John 10:14-16

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish—ever; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One who comes into the world.’” John 11:25-27

“Therefore many other signs Jesus also did in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30-31  

The following is rather interesting since it again shows that Christ’s desire is for all to know him, and therefore be saved, not just the “elect”:

“If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and continue knowing that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” John 10:37-38

The foregoing makes it abundantly clear that Christ did not intercede only for those who would obtain salvation through faith in him. The fact of the matter is that Jesus made intercession for the entire world, and not just for believers, since God doesn’t desire any to perish but that all men should believe and be saved:

“First of all, then, I exhort that petitions and prayers, requests and thanksgivings, be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the witness for this proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-7

THE EXPOSITORS

With that said I now quote a host of Bible expositors from a variety of Christian backgrounds to see how they interpret John 17:21 and 23. All emphasis is mine:

“… And the influence of this great united body, though invisible in itself, will be such as to compel the acknowledgment of the world as to Christ’s having been sent into the world by the Father to work salvation for all men. There are so many manifestations of the power of God in the work of the Church that at all times some, at least, in the world are convinced and gained for Christ…” (Kretzmann’s Popular Commentary of the Bible, Chapter 17)

Verse 23. That the world may know — That the Jewish people first, and secondly the Gentiles, may acknowledge me as the true Messiah, and be saved unto life eternal. (Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Chapter 17)

That the world may believe — Here Christ prays for the world. Observe the sum of his whole prayer, 1. Receive me into thy own and my glory; 2. Let my apostles share therein; 3. And all other believers: 4. And let all the world believe. (Wesley’s Explanatory Notes, Chapter 17)

The ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας implies belief in the whole Work and Office of Christ. Here our Lord certainly prays for the world , see above on John 17:9…

γινώσκῃ here, parallel as it is to πιστεύσῃ above, cannot be interpreted of a bare recognition, or of a recognition at the final judgment, but must be taken to mean that salutary knowledge by which from time to time the children of the world are by God called to become the children of light. See the same words, and note, ch. John 14:31 , also ch. John 13:35 , and observe that in all three places the recognition is that of love; in ch. John 13:35 , of the disciples one to another; in ch. John 14:31 , of Jesus to the Father; here, of the Father to believers, as perfected into unity in the Son of His love.

“Observe,” says Meyer, “how the glance of the Intercessor reaches in these verses even to the highest aim of His work on earth, when the world shall be believing, and Christ Himself actually the Saviour of the world , ch. John 4:42 , cf. ch. John 10:16.” (Alford’s Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary, Chapter 17)

(1.) His good-will to the world of mankind in general. Herein he is of his Father’s mind, as we are sure he is in every thing, that he would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth,1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9. Therefore it is his will that all means possible should be used, and no stone left unturned, for the conviction and conversion of the world. We know not who are chosen, but we must in our places do our utmost to further men’s salvation, and take heed of doing any thing to hinder it… When the world shall see so many of those that were its children called out of its family, distinguished from others, and changed from what they themselves sometimes were,–when they shall see this society raised by the foolishness of preaching, and kept up by miracles of divine providence and grace, and how admirably well it is modelled and constituted, they will be ready to say, We will go with you, for we see that God is with you… (Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible, Chapter 17) 

That the world may believe. [ἵνα ὁκόσμος πιστεύσῃ ὅτι σύ μεἀπέστειλας].—The Church, as the blessed congregation of confession and worship, or the communion of saints, is an end to herself; but she is also a means to an end as an institution of healing for immature believers and, especially, as a mission-community for the world. Hence the second ἵνα, the more remote design. The belief that the Father has sent Christ is characterized in John 17:8 as the true believingness of the disciples. The meaning of our passage is, therefore,—that the world may attain unto faith. John 17:9 must be explained accordingly. True, immediate prayer for Christians is true, immediate prayer for the world…

John 17:23. I in them, and Thou in Me, that, etc. [ἐγὼ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ σὺ ἐν ἐμοί, ἵνα ὦσιν τετελειωμένοι εἰςἕν, κ.τ.λ.]—“Appositional explication of ἡμεῖς; not isolated, not a new proposition,” etc. Meyer. God’s life in Christ through the Holy Spirit founds the ever richer life of Christ in believers; this founds their ripening to man’s stature, to perfection (Ephesians 4:13); this brings with it their unity; this, finally, is instrumental towards the full conversion of the world, when it not only knows the Christ (does not simply believe), but also knows living Christians in their dignity: and didst love them, as Thou didst love Me. (Lange’s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical, Chapter 17)

That the world may believe that thou didst send me. The first ‘that’ here is not to be connected with a verb so far removed as ‘I ask’ of John 17:20. It is a word of purpose, marking the ultimate result of the fulfilment of the prayer. And this result is that the ‘world’ now the enemy of the truth, may be brought to faith. Although (John 17:9) Jesus had not prayed for the world, because He was praying for those who were to act upon it, He was not forgetful of its need. It was the world that He had come to save; and, although it rejected and crucified Him, He looked onward to a time when, as ‘greater works’ were done by His disciples than He Himself had done (chap. John 14:12), the world would own the Divine power appearing in them, and the Divine origin of His mission. It is the spiritual life of the Church, however, that (so far as has yet been spoken of) is to effect this end. Her unity is included, but it does not receive its special emphasis till we come to John 17:23. Her spirituality is mainly before us here, that life which her members live, not conformed to the world, not coming down to the level of the world, with the vain idea that thus they shall bring the world nearer them, but ever rising as far as possible above the world, dwelling in the Father and in the Son, a city of God, from which even now there streams light that shall kindle light in hearts that have been formed for light and life like its own. (Schaff’s Popular Commentary on the New Testament, Chapter 17)

The reason Jesus prayed that the disciples might be in the Father and the Son was so that the world may believe that you have sent me. Their living relationship with the Father and the Son through the Spirit would give credibility to their message about Jesus, and lead many in the world to believe in Jesus. When those of the world believe, they cease to be ‘the world’ and join the number of Jesus’ disciples.(Colin G. Kruse, John: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 4, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 340–341)

2. Jesus prays that the world may be persuaded. There is some disagreement as to whether the hina (‘in order that’ or ‘so that’ in verses 22 and 23) expresses purpose (i.e., ‘May they be one “with a view to” the world coming to believe’; unity as the precondition of faith), or, more probably, whether it expresses consequence (i.e., the unity will in fact result in the world’s coming to believe).

Even on the second alternative the importance of the ‘coming to believe’ is evident. Jesus desires that the world may be persuaded; he longs that it may come to him. We have already witnessed this yearning during his public ministry. It is a yearning which is not contradicted by his conviction that only those whom the Father has given him will in fact respond. The heart of Jesus is as wide and broad as the heart of the God who so loved the world as to send his only Son. The same love underlies his refusal to pray that the disciples may be taken out of the world (15), but rather accepts that they will be left there, in order to fulfil the mission to the whole world. He prays that the world may believe, and the means of answering his prayer is the mission of his people.

This mission has two hands. The ‘first hand’ is that of proclamation, the communicating to the world of the revelation of the Father in the Son, climaxed by his self-sacrifice for the world’s sin. This revelation (6) is commonly expressed in words (8), and must be shared in words so that the world may believe that the mission of Jesus is authentically the mission of the Father in him, and hence that he is the Saviour and Lord of sinners. (Bruce Milne, The Message of John: Here Is Your King!: With Study Guide, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 249–250)

hast sent] Better, didst send (comp. John 17:18). The eternal unity of believers with one another will produce such external results (‘see how these Christians love one another’), that the world will be induced to believe. Christian unity and love (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31; 1 Corinthians 13) is a moral miracle, a conquest of the resisting will of man, and therefore more convincing than a physical miracle, which is a conquest of unresisting nature. Hence the divisions and animosities of Christians are a perpetual stumbling-block to the world. (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges)

in order that the world may believe (πιστεύῃ, as in the next verse; γινώσκῃ, in the present subjunctive, rather than the aorist) that thou didst send me. The spiritual life and unity of the Church will produce an impression on the world which now rejects the Christ and does not appreciate his Divine commission. The union which springs from the blended life of the various and even contradictory elements in the Church will prove the reality of its origin. The world will believe, – this is the final purpose of the intercession concerning the disciples; so though above he did not pray for the world as the then immediate object of his intercession, the poor world is in his heart, and the saving of the world the end of his incarnation. If the union between the Father and the Son is the sublime type of the union between those who shall believe, it is not the union of a great society in accordance with certain invincible rules of affiliation and government. The union between the Father and Son is not a visible manifestation, but a spiritual inference. The common indwelling in the Father and Son, the identity of the spiritual emotion and purpose in all who have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, will convince the world by producing a similar inference. Alford: “This unity is not mere outward uniformity, nor can such uniformity produce it. At the same time, its effects are to be real and visible, such that the world may see them.” John 17:21…

The end is not here, however, so far as others are concerned; for this unity, when consummated, is to bring about a yet further result on this earth, and in order that the world may come to know (γινώσκῃ.) that thou didst send me, and lovedst them as thou lovedst me. Our Lord has advanced upon the assertion of Ver. 21,

(1) by discriminating between “believing” and “coming to know” by personal experiences, overwhelming conviction, and processes which lead to invincible assent. Faith in its highest form melts into knowledge, full assurance, complete certitude. (Pulpit Commentary)

All scriptural references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

FURTHER READING

For Whom Did the OT High Priest Make Atonement? Pt. 1, Pt. 2

HOW JUDAS ISCARIOT REFUTES CALVINISM

The following quotes on the extent of Jesus’ death are all from Catholic apologist William Albrecht. All emphasis will be mine.

John Cassian: For if He willeth not that one of His little ones should perish, HOW CANE WE IMAGINE WITHOUT GRIEVOUS BLASPHEMY THAT HE DOES NOT GENERALLY WILL ALL MEN, BUT ONLY SOME INSTEAD OF ALL TO BE SAVED? Those then who perish, perish against His will, as He testifies against each one of them day by day: “Turn from your evil ways, and why will ye die, O house of Israel?” And again: “How often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not;” and: “Wherefore is this people in Jerusalem turned away with a stubborn revolting? They have hardened their faces and refused to return.” (Matt 23:37, Jer 8:5) The grace of Christ then is at hand every day, which, while it “willeth all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” calleth all without any exception, saying: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.” (Matt11:28) But if He calls not all generally BUT ONLY SOME, it follows that not all are heavy laden either with original or actual sin, and that this saying is not a true one: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;” nor can we believe that “death passed on all men.” (Rom 3:23, 5:12) And so far do all who perish, perish against the will of God, that God cannot be said to have made death, as Scripture itself testifies: “For God made not death, neither rejoiceth in the destruction of the living.” (Wisdom 1:13) And hence it comes that for the most part when instead of good things we ask for the opposite, our prayer is either heard but tardily or not at all; and again the Lord vouchsafes to bring upon us even against our will, like some most beneficent physician, for our good what we think is opposed to it, and sometimes He delays and hinders our injurious purposes and deadly attempts from having their horrible effects, and, while we are rushing headlong towards death, draws us back to salvation, and rescues us without our knowing it from the jaws of hell.” (The Conferences 13:7)

Ephrem the Syrian: GOD TASTED DEATH FOR EVERY ONE, but, because his immortal nature could not die in the flesh in which he died, he who was dead, as it is, did not die. He did not die because of his nature; he nominally clothed himself with death for his love to us. Since he was superior to death by his nature, death could not approach him. (Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews)

Theodoret of Cyr: Of course, he endured the suffering FOR ALL: EVERYTHING in possession of created nature needed this healing. He said as much, in fact, “so that apart from God he would taste death for everyone,” only the divine nature is without need (he is saying); all other things needed the remedy of the incarnation. By becoming man God the Word destroyed the power of death; in destroying it he promised us resurrection, to resurrection he linked incorruptibility and immortality, and visible things also will share in incorruptibility. (Interpretation of Hebrews 2)

Mathetes or the letter to diognetes: And so, when he had planned everything by himself in union with his Child, he still allowed us, through the former time, to be carried away by undisciplined impulses…. And so, when our unrighteousness had come to its full term, and it had become perfectly plain that its recompense of punishment and death had to be expected, then the season arrived in which God had determined to show at last his goodness and power. O the overflowing kindness and love of God toward man! God did not hate us, or drive us away, or bear us ill will. Rather, he was long-suffering and forbearing. In his mercy, he took up the burden of our sins. He himself gave up his own Son as a ransom for us—the holy one for the unjust, the innocent for the guilty, the righteous one for the unrighteous, the incorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal. (Letter to Diognetus 9.1-2)

Ignatius of Antioch: For says [the Scripture], “Thine eye shall not spare him. ”You ought therefore to “hate those that hate God, and to waste away [with grief] on account of His enemies. ”I do not mean that you should beat them or persecute them, as do the Gentiles “that know not the Lord and God;” but that you should regard them as your enemies, and separate yourselves from them, while yet you admonish them, and exhort them to repentance, if it may be they will hear, if it may be they will submit themselves. For our God is a lover of mankind, and “will have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”. Wherefore “He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust;”. of whose kindness the Lord, wishing us also to be imitators, says, “Be ye perfect, even as also your Father that is in heaven is perfect.”  (Epistle to the Philadelphians III)

Cyril of Jerusalem: Do not wonder that THE WHOLE WORLD was redeemed, for it was no mere man but the Only-begotten Son of God who died for it. The sin of one man, Adam, availed to bring death to the world; if by one man’s offense death reigned for the world, why should not life reign all the more “from the justice of the one?” If Adam and Eve were cast out of paradise because of the tree from which they ate, should not believers more easily enter into paradise because of the Tree of Jesus? If the first man, fashioned out of the earth, brought universal death, shall not he who fashioned him, being the Life, bring everlasting life? If Phinees by his zeal in slaying the evildoer appeased the wrath of God, shall not Jesus, who slew no other, but “gave himself a ransom FOR ALL,” take away God’s wrath against man? (Catechetical Lectures 13.2)

Cyril of Alexandria: But how is it that “one died for all,” one who is worth all others, if the suffering is considered simply THAT OF SOME MEN? If he suffered according to his human nature, since he made the sufferings of his body his own… . The death of him alone according to the flesh is known to be worth THE LIFE OF ALL, not the death of one who is as we are, even though he became like to us, but we say that he, being God by nature, became flesh and was made man according to the confession of the Fathers. (Letter 50)

Chrysostom: “The love of Christ,” he says, “constrains us,” that is, urges, impels, coerces us. Then, wishing to explain what had been said by him, he says, convinced of this, that if one person [died] indeed for all, then all have died, he did die for all so that the living might live no longer for themselves but for the one who died and rose for them. Do you see how appropriate it was for him to say, “The love of Christ constrains us”? He is saying, you see, if he died for the sake of us all, he died for the purpose that we the living might live no longer for ourselves but for him who died and rose for us. Accordingly, let us heed the apostolic exhortation, not living for ourselves but for him who died and rose for us. (Homilies on Genesis 34.15)

Chrysostom: Do you see the fruit of the cross, how great it is? Fear not the matter, for it seems to you indeed to be dismal, but it brings forth innumerable good things. From these considerations he shows the benefit of trial. Then he says, “that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one.” “That by the grace of God,” he says. And he indeed suffered these things because of the grace of God toward us. “He who did not spare his own Son,” he says, “but gave him up for us all.” Why? He did not owe us this but has done it of grace. And again, in the epistle to the Romans he says, “Much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” This occurred “that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one,” not for the faithful only, BUT EVEN FOR THE WHOLE WORLD, for he indeed died FOR ALL. But what if all have not believed? He has fulfilled his own part. Moreover, he said rightly, “taste death for every one”; he did not say “die.” For as if he really was tasting it, when he had spent a little time in the grave, he immediately arose. (On the Epistle to the Hebrews 4.3)

Augustine: Paul said: “Therefore all died; and Christ died FOR ALL, in order that they who are alive may live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again.” ALL PEOPLE, consequently, WITHOUT A SINGLE EXCEPTION, were dead through sin, original sin or original with personal sin superadded, either by ignorance of or conscious refusal to do what is right. AND FOR ALL THESE DEAD SOULS ONE LIVING MAN DIED—a man utterly free from sin—with the intention that those who come alive by forgiveness of their sins live no longer for themselves but for him who died for all on account of our sins and rose again for our justification. (City of God 20.6)

Augustine: As the apostle says, and as we have often repeated: “Since one died for all, therefore all died, and he died for all in order that they who are alive may live no longer for themselves but for him who died for them and rose again.” The living are those for whom he who was living died in order that they might live; more plainly, they are freed from the chains of death, they for whom the one free among the dead died. Or, still more plainly: they have been freed from sin, for whom he who was never in sin died. Although he died once, he dies for each at that time when each, whatever his age, is baptized in his death; that is, the death of him who was without sin benefits each man at the time when, having been baptized in his death, he who was dead in sin shall also die to sin. (Against Julian 6.15.48)

Augustine: Let us then, first of all, lay down this proposition, and see whether it satisfies the question before us: that free will, naturally assigned by the Creator to our rational soul, is such a neutral power, as can either incline towards faith, or turn towards unbelief. Consequently a man cannot be said to have even that will with which he believes in God, without having received it; since this rises at the call of God out of the free will which he received naturally when he was created. God no doubt wishes ALL MEN to be savedand to come into the knowledge of the truth; but yet not so as to take away from them free will, for the good or the evil use of which they may be most righteously judged. This being the case, unbelievers indeed do contrary to the will of God when they do not believe His gospel; nevertheless they do not therefore overcome His will, but rob their own selves of the great, nay, the very greatest, good, and implicate themselves in penalties of punishment, destined to experience the power of Him in punishments whose mercy in His gifts they despised. Thus God’s will is forever invincible; but it would be vanquished, unless it devised what to do with such as despised it, or if these despises could in any way escape from the retribution which He has appointed for such as they. (A Treatise on the Spirit and Letter Chapter 58)

Hilary of Poitiers: Do you now perceive what it is to be the image of God? It means that all things are created in Him through Him. Whereas all things are created in Him, understand that He, Whose image He is, also creates all things in Him. And since all things which are created in Him are also created through Him, recognize that in Him Who is the image there is present the nature of Him, Whose image He is. For through Himself He creates the things which are created in Him, just as through Himself ALL THINGS are reconciled in Him. Inasmuch as they are reconciled in Him, recognise in Him the nature of the Father’s unity, reconciling all things to Himself in Him. Inasmuch as all things are reconciled through Him, perceive Him reconciling to the Father in Himself all things which He reconciled through Himself. (De Trinitate Book VIII)

Pope St. Leo the Great: For as it cannot be denied that “the Word became flesh and dwelt in us,” so it cannot be denied that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself.

But what reconciliation can there be, whereby God might be propitiated FOR THE HUMAN RACE, unless the mediator between God and man took up the cause OF ALL? And in what way could He properly fulfil His mediation, unless He who in the form of God was equal to the Father, were a sharer of our nature also in the form of a slave: so that the one new Man might effect a renewal of the old: and the bond of death fastened on us by one man’s wrong-doing. Its original technical meaning is the action of an advocate who plays into the enemy’s hand. In theology the devil (διάβολος) is man’s adversary, and man himself is be fooled into collusion with him by breaking God’s Law.

For the pouring out of the blood of the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous was so powerful in its effects, so rich a ransom that, if the whole body of us prisoners only believed in their Redeemer, not one would be held in the tyrant’s bonds: since as the Apostle says, “where sin abounded, grace also did much more abound^” And since we, who were born under the imputation. (To the Monks of Palestine)

FURTHER READING

John Calvin and Particular Redemption

The Case for Unlimited Atonement Pt. 1

LIMITED ATONEMENT DEBATE PT. 2

CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON VS. JAMES WHITE

HOW JUDAS ISCARIOT REFUTES CALVINISM

The short Epistle of Jude references a non-canonical work in respect to the dispute which took place between Michael and the devil over the body of Moses:

Many in the early church and scholars of today believe that Jude was citing from the work Assumption of Moses. In order to help the readers appreciate what and where this quotation comes from, I cite from the most comprehensive scholarly tome written on this pseudepigraphal work:

“But even Michael, the leader of the angels, didn’t dare to say these things. He didn’t even say these things when he argued with the devil about the body of Moses. Michael didn’t dare to judge the devil. He didn’t say the devil was guilty of saying evil things. Instead, Michael said, ‘May the Lord judge you!’” Jude 1:9 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV)

The Latin text of the only surviving manuscript of As. Mos. is incomplete. Especially at the end, a portion of the text of some length is missing.  Several scholars–including Charles, James, Loewenstamm and Bauckham¹–have attempted to reconstruct the lost ending of the work. All these scholars recognize the speculative character of such reconstructions, but this view does not prevent them from giving detailed reconstructions of the lost ending. Bauckham even reconstructs two conclusions, attributing one to the Testament of Moses, and the other to the Assumption of Moses. In this chapter, however, it will be shown that reliable traces of As. Mos. in ecclesiastical literature are few, and that they allow only very modest conclusions with regard to the ending of this work².

(1) The extant text of As. Mos. displays all the characteristics of the testament form. Therefore, the sequel to the dialogue between Joshua and Moses (chapters 11-12) must have contained some account of the way in which Moses ended his earthly life.

(2) As. Mos. 1:15 and 10:14 state that Moses himself expected his imminent death. These passages also suggest that As. Mos. included an account of Moses’ death. Perhaps et palam omnem plebem in 1:15 is meant to stress that many people witnessed Moses’ death, and that, therefore, there can be no doubt about that event.

(3) In As. Mos. 11:7, Joshua asks how a human being would dare to bury Moses’ body. This may be an allusion to the well-established tradition of Moses’ burial by God or by angels. In the fragments of the lost conclusion, Moses’ body (soma) is mentioned as the object of a dispute between Michael and the devil (see below, section b). Consequently, the presence of Michael probably means that the archangel was sent in order to bury Moses’ body.

(4) It is not at all improbable, however, that Michael also came in his function as psychopomp, that is, as someone who was to transport Moses’ soul to heaven¹. The extant fragments do not strictly support this possibility, but they do not exclude it either. Moreover, the tradition that Moses was given a heavenly existence after his death is well documented in Jewish literature of the period.

a. The Greek fragments

Later Greek authors who quote, or allude to, As. Mos. shed light on the contents of the lost ending. Students of As. Mos. have detailed many such passages from ecclesiastical literature, and these have been conveniently arranged by A.-M. Denis in his Fragments Pseudepigraphorum Graecorum of 1970. As will be shown below, however, there are only four passages that derive with certainty from As. Mos., three of which occur in Gelasius’ Ecclesiastical History, one in the Epistle of Jude.

Gelasius Cyzicenus (ca. 476), whose quotation from As. Mos. 1:14 ensures the identification of our text as the ‘Analepsis Moseos (see the Introduction, section V, a), includes two more quotations referring to a dispute between the archangel Michael and the devil which come from what must have been the end of As. Mos. Since a comparison of Gelasius’ abundant quotations from biblical books with the Septuagint text shows that they conform to the latter with great accuracy, we can also assume that these two quotations from the Assumption of Moses are trustworthy. They refer to a dispute between the archangel Michael and the devil. Since Jude 9 contains a passage which corresponds almost word for word to Gelasius’ quotation concerning the quarrel between Michael and the devil, it can safely be assumed that Jude 9, too, goes back the lost ending of As. Mos. The quotation from As. Mos. in the Epistle of Jude enables to deduce that the dispute concerned Moses’ body.

Here we may be reasonably certain that the following sentences were taken from As. Mos.

(1) Moses proskalesamenos ‘Iesoun hyion Naue kai dialegomenos pros auton ephe  … kai proetheasato me ho theos pro kataboles kosmou einai me tes diathekes autou mesiten.

(2) apo gar pneumatos hagiou autou ektisthemen.

(3) apo prosopou tou theou exelthe to pneuma autou, kai ho kosmos egeneto.

(4) epitimesai soi kyrios.

Quotations (2) and (3) occur in a single passage in Gelasius’ Ecclesiastical History:

en Biblo de analepseos Moseos Michael ho archangelos dialegomenos to diablo legei ‘apo gar pneumatos hagiou autou ektisthemen’, kai palin legei ‘apo prosopou tou theou exelthe to pneuma autou, kai ho kosmos egeneto’.¹

In the book of the Assumption of Moses, the archangel Michael, in a discussion with the devil, says: “For by his Holy Spirit, all of us have been created“, and further he says: “God’s spirit went forth from his face, and the world came into being.”

Quotation (4) is found in Jude 9, where a dispute between Michael and the devil is mentioned.

‘Ho de Michael ho archangelos hote to diabolo diakrinomenos dielegeto peri tou Mouseos somatos ouk etolmesen krisin epenegkein blasphemias, alla eipen ‘epitimesai soi kyrios.

And the archangel Michael, when he was in dispute with the devil over Moses’ body, did not dare to declare him guilty of slander, but said: “May the Lord rebuke you.”

The way in which the dispute between Michael and the devil is described is almost verbally identical in quotations (3) and (4). Therefore, it is likely that both Gelasius and the author of Jude used the ending of As. Mos. It may be concluded from Jude 9 that the discussion between Michael and the devil was in fact about Moses’ body. (Johannes Tromp, The Assumption of Moses: A Critical Edition With Commentary (Studia in Veteris Testamenti Pseudepigrapha, Vol 10) [Brill Academic Pub, 1992], pp. 270-272; bold emphasis mine)

¹ Ecclesiastical History II, 21, 7, ed. Loeschcke & Heinemann, GCS 28, p. 86. In Gelasius’ Ecclesiastical History, a quotation from a Biblos logon mustikon Moseos (see Denis, Fragments, pp. 64-64), but there is no relation to As. Mos. Likewise, Clement of Alexandria twice refers to opinions of the mustai (Denis, Fragments, p. 64), but in these cases it is not even sure whether Clement refers to a book. (Ibid., p. 272)

Despite the pseudepigraphal nature of this work, it’s statements regarding God’s Holy Spirit creating the world and mankind are truly remarkable. It gives us an insight as to what the Jews of that time believed about the Holy Spirit, a view that is thoroughly biblical (Cf. Gen. 1:1-2; 2:4-7; Job 26:13; 27:3; 32:8; 34:14-15; 33:4; Psalm 104:29-30).

FURTHER READING

JUDE’S EPISTLE VERSUS ARIANISM

JUDE’S EPISTLE REFUTES ARIANISM

JUDE TESTIFIES: JESUS IS NOT MICHAEL!