According to Reformed Theology, what is the exegetical basis for the claim that 1 Timothy 2:4 means "all kinds of people"?
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Lets look at Calvin’s commentary on the subject:
On 1 Timothy 2:1, he writes:
That, above all, prayers be made. First, he speaks of public prayers, which he enjoins to be offered, not only for believers, but for all mankind. Some might reason thus with themselves: "Why should we be anxious about the salvation of unbelievers, with whom we have no connection? Is it not enough, if we, who are brethren, pray mutually for our brethren, and recommend to God the whole of his Church? for we have nothing to do with strangers." This perverse view Paul meets, and enjoins the Ephesians to include in their prayers all men, and not to limit them to the body of the Church.
So, the context is Paul stressing the believer’s obligation to pray not only for other believers, but for the salvation of those outside the church body. That should include even those who are currently persecuting the church (“kings, and for all that are in authority”) because even they may be elect. The Roman emperor may not be regenerate, but God desires even some kings to be saved. Thus, we should pray for the emperor’s salvation. As Calvin writes of 1 Timothy 2:2:
For kings He expressly mentions kings and other magistrates because, more than all others, they might be hated by Christians. All the magistrates who existed at that time were so many sworn enemies of Christ; and therefore this thought might occur to them, that they ought not to pray for those who devoted all their power and all their wealth to fight against the kingdom of Christ, the extension of which is above all things desirable. The apostle meets this difficulty, and expressly enjoins Christians to pray for them also. And, indeed, the depravity of men is not a reason why God's ordinance should not be loved.
In that context, verse 4 is giving us the reason why we should pray for all people: because absolutely anyone (living) could be elect, even the pagan king. Anyone who is elect God will eventually bring to salvation. If God desires even some of the kings who are persecuting His church to be saved, He certainly desires that every kind of person imaginable be saved. His salvation is limited in scope, but not limited to any one class of people. We should pray as if we believe that.
Those who hold to a hypothetical universalism will stress the inclusive language in verses like 1 Timothy 2:4 or John 3:16 to argue for a universal atonement. However, those interpretations often overlook a simple reading of the text that doesn’t necessitate God extending salvation to all individuals or willing every individual to be saved. At least in confessional Reformed circles, you will find these passages interpreted such that they reconcile with the many others that imply a limited atonement, e.g. Matthew 22:14, Romans 8:30.
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