Was Paul a Universalist?

Does Paul Teach Universal Salvation
in Philippians 2?
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—2007

Phil 2:10 ...at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The key word in this passage is "confess" and, from other New Testament uses, some commentators assume its presence here indicates a universally joyful welcome of Christ's reign, when all people will have been saved. The word can, however, indicate acceptance that has no positive connotation.

[W]hile the verb has in the LXX the secondary sense of 'praise and confess', the simple meaning is 'to declare openly or confess publicly' and this rendering should be retained here at v. 11, since a neutral sense such as 'admit, acknowledge' best fits the context of vv. 9-11.... [T]hus BAGD [p. 227] translates the verb...by 'acknowledged'.... (O'Brien 1991:247-246)

While the Old Testament source of Paul's quote might attest a neutral recognition, it more likely indicates a grudging admission.

Isa 45:23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear.... 24b All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.

Cf. Ps 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."

All will acknowledge God's sovereignty, but they all will not do so gladly or willingly. Some will do so only because they have no choice, because He imposes their recognition forcibly, and they will not like the alternative ("no rain" Zech 14:17). In the end, much of the opposition will maintain its defiance even in defeat.

Rev 9:20 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Rev 16:9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.... 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.

How, then, should one understand "confess" and the universal submission Paul describes in this letter?

It is better...to conclude that on the last day every knee will bow and every tongue will 'openly declare' that Jesus alone has the right to rule (cf. Rev. 5:13, etc.). For those who, in the here and now, have already bowed the knee to Jesus and confessed him as Lord, as clearly the Philippian Christians have done, the acclamation at his parousia will spring forth from the heart. Others, however, [will submit] against their wills to a power they cannot resist. (O'Brien 1991:250)

So, does Paul teach universal salvation? ...Not in this passage (nor in any other).

For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.