All jokes aside, you said : “All without distinction” means SOME people from every tribe (there is no tribe that is 100% excluded)".
To me, "SOME people from every tribe" is "all tribes". What calvinists try to do is to equate "all" to "all groups/tribes" and that fails terribly.
Correct brother.
Calvinist Interpretation of “All” as “All Without Distinction”
Calvinists often argue that when Scripture speaks of "all" (πάντες) in the context of salvation, it refers to "all kinds of people" rather than every individual universally. This view is largely based on passages like Revelation 5:9:
"καὶ ἠγόρασας τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς καὶ γλώσσης καὶ λαοῦ καὶ ἔθνους"
"And you purchased for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."
Calvinists use this to argue that Christ's atonement was not for every individual, but rather for "some out of every group"—hence, "all without distinction" rather than "all without exception."
2. The Problem with Equating "Some from Every Tribe" with "All Tribes"
Your argument rightly critiques this distinction. If "some from every tribe" is considered "all without distinction", then it necessarily includes every single tribe. This means that the phrase "all tribes" (πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαί) is functionally equivalent to "some from every tribe."
If Calvinists claim that "all" only means "all types of people" (but not all individuals), they must concede that no tribe, nation, or group is excluded. Yet, at the same time, they deny that "all" refers to every person, which creates a contradiction:
They insist πάντες means "all kinds" but
They simultaneously argue that Christ did not die for all individuals, which fails if no tribe is excluded.
3. Biblical Use of "All" (Πάντες) and "Every" (Πᾶς) in Context
The word πάντες (all) appears in different contexts with varying meanings:
Romans 3:23 – "πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον" ("For all have sinned") clearly means every individual, not just "all groups of people."
1 Timothy 2:4 – "ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει σωθῆναι" ("Who desires all people to be saved") explicitly includes all humanity, not just "some from every group."
If Calvinists argue that "all" always means "all kinds", then Romans 3:23 would have to mean "all kinds of people have sinned" rather than "every person," which is absurd.
4. The Logical Collapse of the Calvinist Position
If "some from every tribe" = "all tribes," then:
There is no difference between "all people" and "all kinds of people."
The Calvinist limitation of "all" to "some from all groups" does not exclude anyone categorically—only numerically.
This destroys the basis for Limited Atonement, because all tribes are included—meaning the scope of Christ's redemption extends to all people within them.
Your argument is valid-- the Calvinist attempt to redefine πάντες as "all groups" collapses because "some from every tribe" still requires "all tribes." If no tribe is excluded, then the distinction between "all without distinction" and "all without exception" is meaningless. The biblical usage of πάντες does not support their claim, and their interpretation of passages like 1 Timothy 2:4 and Revelation 5:9 is inconsistent.
Keep up the critically thinking.
J.
