We are all familiar with the work of a mediator: he (or she) brings differing parties together. It could be countries, workers and a union, players and owners in basketball or football, or friends who aren’t getting along. A mediator is a middle man who is trusted by both sides and represents equally each side, seeking for a fair and equitable compromise solution to the situation. When 2 parties are divided, often the only way there can be reconciliation is through a mediator.
So when the Bible calls Jesus ‘Mediator’ (Galatians 3:19, 20; I Timothy 2:5; and Hebrews 8:6; 9:15 and 12:24) it pictures Him as the One who represents both God and man – the only One who can. But there is a difference between Jesus and other mediators today. For one thing, usually both sides must move to a central position, each must give up some of what it wants to accommodate the other. But with us and God there can be no movement from perfect holiness on God’s part. He can’t and won’t lower His standard of what is sin. And on the side of man, there is nothing we can do to change and move toward Him. We have nothing to offer, we are hopelessly stuck in our negative position. So how is a mediator going to reconcile the two? Jesus did that by becoming man like us so He could represent us. By then paying for our sins on the cross He made it possible for us to meet God’s perfect standard of holiness, not on our own but because of what He did for us. He went between us and God and became the Mediator of this new covenant.
In the Old Testament the covenant was law, which only condemned man and showed how far short we fell. The covenant Jesus mediated, the bargain He secured for us, was by grace. There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve it, nor to keep it. It is freely given. That’s the only way it could be – our Mediator did it all, we do nothing but receive it.
The only way this could have been avoided was to create us in such a way as we would have never sinned and so never deed a mediator. But if God has created us without a free will we would be robots, unable to ever freely choose to love and follow God. Free will brings the option to sin, which man has chosen, thus the gap. As a result our Mediator has interceded for us and has provided the best package any mediator ever produced – being a child of God in this life and living with Him forever throughout all eternity (instead of eternity in hell) just for freely accepting His gift of grace! There’s never been a mediator like Him. We were helpless on our own. We needed a mediator who could pull of a miracle – and we got One! We got the best Mediator with the best deal ever!
APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is your Mediator? Have you accepted that free grace gift? What are you doing to show your love and appreciation for what He did for you? Think for a moment about how much He must have loved you to do that for you – before you could even do anything for Him. He knows every rotten thought and deed, yet loves you so much He died for you. What a plan! What a Mediator!
BIBLE STUDY ASSIGNMENT
Let’s continue with looking at parallel passages to gain light on the subject we are studying. Seldom does one verse contain everything that is to be said about a subject, so taking into account other verses’ contribution to the subject is important. Next we’ll look at Jesus as our High Priest. Look at these verses from Hebrews about Jesus as our High Priest and write down a short summary of what each says about Him. Then write a summary paragraph combining all you have learned. These are the verses: Hebrews 2:17; 4:14-15; 5:6 (same thing is said in 5:10; 6:20 and 7:17); 7:1, 26; 9:7; 10:11-12.
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