Jesus, the Mediator

The word, mediator, is translated from the Greek, mesites, and means a go between.

The principle of a mediator is illustrated in a very limited sense in two old testament passages. In Numbers chapter 16 we read where the children of Israel had murmured against Aaron and Moses and had accused them of killing the people of the Lord. God's wrath was kindled against the congregation and a plague broke out amongst the people. In verses 47 and 48 we read, "And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he STOOD BETWEEN the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed." Similarly, when Moses recounted the giving of the law on Horeb he said in Deut. 5:4, 5, "The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, (I STOOD BETWEEN the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount)..."

Job lamented in Job 9:32, 33, "For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any days man betwixt us, that may lay his hand upon us both." The principle is laid out before us that a mediator must be able to relate to both parties, i.e., lay his hands upon both. For instance, in a labor dispute, a mediator, to be effective, should have had experience as a laborer in the workforce and have had experience as a manager in order that he can see the needs and requirements of both sides. Thus the mediator between God and man must possess both deity and humanity.

Only by possessing both natures could he lay his hand on both. The passage in Job also tells us the purpose of the mediation, i.e., that God and man may come together in judgment.

Isa. 59:2 defines for us the need for mediation: "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." God's elect people and God were separated by sin. The question is, how can they be reconciled?

Gal. 3:20, "Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one." A mediator must be a mediator of both parties, not just one party. To be a mediator between man and God, the mediator must possess both the nature of God and the nature of man (without sin) that he may effect a reconciliation. For this cause we see that Jesus "was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death...that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man (Heb. 2:9). Thus it was necessary that Jesus possess humanity. Furthermore, Heb. 2:14 reads, "Furthermore then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death..." He must also have the nature of God that he may come in the presence of God and make a successful offering to God to satisfy the demands of God. Thus Jesus Christ is the God man possessing both the nature of man and the deity of God. As such he is both the offering and the one who made the offering, thus he is both the "lamb of God" and the "high priest" after the order of Melchisedec.

1 Tim. 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." The role of mediator is singular and Jesus is the only one who fills that role. The mediator brings reconciliation to the separated parties. According to the above scripture only Jesus mediates between God and men. This disposes of the idea that the preacher or some other party assists in bringing about reconciliation. Jesus, and Jesus alone, as the one mediator, is able to bring about permanent reconciliation of men and God. According to Heb. 8:6 this work of mediation is a covenant work: "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." God promised in the covenant of redemption that those he foreknew, he predestinated; and those he predestinated, he called; and those he called, he JUSTIFIED; and those he justified, he glorified. Thus the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ is established upon the sure and unconditional promises of God, who cannot lie!

Heb. 9:15 shows us the nature of and results of Jesus' mediatorial work: "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Jesus, as the lamb without spot or blemish thru means of his death upon the cross offered himself to God to bring about reconciliation of man to God.

The following verses speak directly to the mediatorial work of Christ bringing about the reconciliation of God's elect to himself:

1. Rom. 5:10, 11, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."

2. Eph. 2:16, "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby."

3. Eph. 1:21, 22, "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight."

4. II Cor. 5:18, 19, "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."

5. Heb. 2:17, "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

Elder Vernon Johnson