Charles Hodge (1797–1878) on God's Will, 1 Tim. 2:4, Ezek. 33:11, Matt. 23:37, etc.

Charles Hodge says this in his Systematic Theology:

In this place it is sufficient to remark, that the Greek word θέλω, and the corresponding English verb, to will, sometimes express feeling, and sometimes a purpose. Thus in Matt. xxvii. 43, the words έί θέλει αύτόν are correctly rendered, "if he delight in him." Comp. Ps. xxii. 8. It is in this sense the word is used, when it is said that God wills all men to be saved. He cannot be said to purpose or determine upon any event which is not to come to pass. A judge may will the happiness of a man whom he sentences to death. He may will him not to suffer when he wills him to suffer. The infelicity in such forms of expression is that the word "will" is used in different senses. In one part of the sentence it means desire, and in the other purpose. It is perfectly consistent, therefore, that God, as a benevolent Being, should desire the happiness of all men, while he purposes to save only his own people.

Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993), 1:405.

Observe the following from the above quote:

1) Hodge distinguishes between senses of God's will (between feeling, delight, desire as over against purpose or determination).
2) He associates 1 Tim. 2:4 with the former (feeling, delight, desire, etc.).
3) He illustrates the rationality of this by a judge who can will and nill the same thing in different senses.
4) Hodge affirms that God desires the happiness of all men, and "happiness" must include ultimate "salvation" since he attributes the idea to 1 Tim. 2:4.
5) He sees the above 4 points as being compatible with God's efficacious purpose to save only his own people.

Now compare the above with what he says elsewhere:

The second interpretation is that God desires the salvation of all men. This means 1st, just what is said when the Scriptures declare that God is good; that he is merciful and gracious, and ready to forgive; that he is good to all, and his tender mercies over all his works. He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. This goodness or benevolence of God is not only declared but revealed in his works, in his providence, and in the work of redemption. 2d. It means what is said in Ezek. xxxiii. 11. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,” and in Ezek. xviii. 23, “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should return from his ways and live ?” Also Lam. iii. 33, “For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” It means what Christ taught in the parable of the prodigal son, and of the lost sheep and the lost piece of money; and is taught by his lament over Jerusalem.

All these passages teach that God delights in the happiness of his creatures, and that when he permits them to perish, or inflicts evil upon them, it is from some inexorable necessity; that is, because it would be unwise and wrong to do otherwise. His relation is that of a benevolent sovereign in punishing crime, or of a tender judge in passing sentence on offenders, or, what is the familiar representation of Scripture, that of a father who deals with his children with tenderness, yet with wisdom and according to the dictates of right.

This is the meaning of the passage [1 Tim. 2:4]...

Charles Hodge, "'Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.' 1 Tim. 2: 4,” in Conference Papers (New York, Charles, Scribner’s Sons, 1879), 18–19.

Observe the following from the above quote:

1) Hodge says that God desires the salvation of all men, and begins by associating 1 Tim. 2:4 with God's attributes of goodness, mercy and grace.
2) He further associates this passage [1 Tim. 2:4] and those ideas [saving desire, goodness, mercy and grace] with Psalm 145:9.
3) He then associates God's universal kindness in providence to the unthankful and evil with God's saving desire.
4) Further, he cites Ezek. 33:11, Lam. 3:33 and Matt. 23:37 to illustrate his point about God's revealed nature.
5) Notice his use of "happiness" in this citation, which goes back to my fourth observation from the previous quotation.
6) He likens God to a tender judge, which was also used in the previous quotation to illustrate his point.
7) Again, he makes it quite plain that he's interpreting 1 Tim. 2:4 in a general sense.

Since it is a well-known fact that Charles Hodge impacted James Boyce, go back and read what Boyce said about 1 Tim. 2:4 and the sincerity of the external gospel call.

See also A. A. Hodge on these passages.

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