1 Timothy 2:5-6

1 Timothy 2:5-6

[5] For  there is one  God,  and  one  mediator  between God  and  men,  Christ  Jesus;  [6] Who  gave  himself  a ransom  for  all,  to be testified  in due  time. 

What does 1 Timothy 2:5-6 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Many commentators believed Paul was citing another common creedal statement in these verses. Another possibility is that God inspired him to form this statement himself as he wrote this epistle. In either case we have here a succinct affirmation of the person and work of Christ. The whole statement supports what Paul just said in 1 Timothy 2:3-4.
The God-man is the only mediator of the New Covenant between God and Prayer of Manasseh , providing salvation Prayer of Manasseh -ward and facilitating prayer God-ward. This is something that people have found hard to accept throughout history. In Paul"s day the Jews looked to Moses ( Galatians 3:19) or angels ( Hebrews 2:5) as mediators, and the Gnostics looked to intermediary deities (aeons). In our own day Roman Catholics and others look to dead "saints" for mediatorial benefits, and Buddhists look to their ancestors. Nevertheless the teaching of 1 Timothy 2:5 is clear: the only mediator between God and people is Jesus Christ (cf. John 14:6).
"This is one of the most significant verses of the NT." [1]
In the "fullness of time" Jesus was born and died giving His life as payment to free the human race ("all") from slavery to sin. Jesus" death made all people savable. [2] Limited redemptionists interpret "all men" to be all the elect. Universalists interpret "all men" to be every human individual. Other passages of Scripture that speak of Christ"s death as providing a basis for the salvation of everyone contradict the limited redemptionists (e.g, John 3:16, 1 John 2:2; et al.). Passages that indicate that not everyone will be saved refute the universalists (e.g, Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15; et al.).
A "ransom" (Gr. antilutron, used only here in the New Testament) is a ransom price. This word and this verse clearly set forth the idea that Jesus Christ died as the substitute for all people (cf. Mark 10:45; Galatians 1:4; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:2; Titus 2:14). Some benefits of Christ"s death do not belong to the elect exclusively. He paid the debt "for all." This is proof that He desires all to be saved ( 1 Timothy 2:4).