Reasoning The Scriptures

JESUS - THE MEDIATOR

By M.S.Mariadas and Y.R.Dinakaran

Bible Students, M.B.S.A

The question is when did Jesus become the Mediator and when did he mediate?

The answer to this question can be found in the Word of God itself.

Mediator-
ediator Gk. mesites (Str. 3316) go-between, a reconciler (intercessor) , mediator.
1) one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or
restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for
ratifying a covenant.
2) a medium of communication, arbitrator.

1 Tim. 2:5-
2:5-6 "For there is one God and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the
MAN Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for ALL MEN....the
MEN testimony given in its
proper time." (NIV)

2:5-6 "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man
1 Tim. 2:5-
Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all,
all to be testified in due time." (NKJV)

2:5-6 " For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
1 Tim. 2:5- man
Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all,
all to be testified in due time." (KJV)

1 Tim. 2:5-
2:5-6 "For God is one, and there is One Mediator of God and men, that Man,
Man
Christ Jesus, who GAVE himself a Ransom in behalf of all,
all the testimony in its own
Seasons." (Diaglott)

Comments:
Comments
Paul tells us it is the MAN Christ Jesus,
Jesus that is the ONE MEDIATOR.
MEDIATOR This fact
and this truth is supported by every translation available to the writer and they all agree that
the Mediator is the MAN Christ Jesus. This fact, that it was the man Christ Jesus is the
Mediator, cannot be ignored or shelved in order to incorporate some other concept. It
must be faced and accepted for what it says. To do otherwise is to negate the Word of
God. Since the Man Christ Jesus died on the cross, we can correctly say that he became
the mediator at that point since he sacrificed his manhood and died. By his death on the
cross, the MAN Christ Jesus,Jesus mediated the ransoming of all mankind from sin and death
by paying the price, the shedding of his blood, required for their redemption. By his
sacrifice and his shed blood he earned the title of Mediator, and became then the
Mediator of the New Covenant to the church class, including the believing Israelites and
Gentiles, and eventually to all the rest mankind in his earthly kingdom. Blood was
associated with only two covenants, the Old law covenant and the New Covenant. The
church had to have the blood of Jesus applied on their behalf for "without the shedding of

Jesus – The Mediator

blood their is no remission". (Heb. 9:22) In Mt. 26:26 & 27 Jesus tells us to drink all of
the cup, "For this is my blood of the new covenant,
covenant which is shed for the remission of
sins".

Heb. 8:6 "But the ministry Jesus has secured is as superior to theirs as the COVENANT
of which he IS the MEDIATOR is superior to the old one, and is founded on better
promises."
promises (NIV)

Comments:
Comments
The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus IS the MEDIATOR of a superior Covenant,
which has to be the NEW COVENANT because it is the one that is based on better
promises and has a better MEDIATOR. Note that it doesn't say that "he will be" but that
"he is."

Heb. 9:15 "For this reason Christ IS the MEDIATOR of a NEW COVENANT,
COVENANT that
those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance- now that he has died as a ransom
to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (NIV)

Comments:
Comments
The Apostle Paul says that Christ IS the MEDIATOR of a NEW COVENANT,
COVENANT
and that it is the reason (basis) that the church class who IS CALLED (there is only one
calling) during the Gospel Age may receive the promise of an eternal inheritance (as joint-
heirs with Christ Jesus). The Man Christ Jesus' death was the price paid that mediated
peace between God and men. This we find clearly taught in Ephesians 2:11 2:11-
11-16
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called
"uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by
the hands of men) --
12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ
Christ,
ist excluded from
citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and
without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near
through the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself
himself is our peace,
peace who has made the two one and has destroyed the
barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His
purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,
16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by
which he put to death their hostility. " (NIV)

Note once again that this Hebrews text likewise does not say that "he will be" but rather
that he "is the Mediator
Mediator of the New Covenant. "

Heb. 12:24 "To Jesus the MEDIATOR of a NEW COVENANT COVENANT, and to the sprinkled
blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel". NIV

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Comments:
Comments
The Apostle Paul is referring to Jesus as now being the MEDIATOR of a NEW
COVENANT whose sprinkled BLOOD has cleansed us from all sin and has provided the
basis of justification to those who believe in him". Jesus mediated this New Covenant by his
death on the crossand the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the church at Pentecost was the
proof that his sacrifice was accepted and that his mediation was acceptable to God.

Since the Scriptures tell us that it is the MAN Christ Jesus that is the Mediator for
all mankind by virtue of his shed blood at Calvary, let us look to the role
role that Christ Jesus
will play in his Kingdom. During the thousand years of his reign, will he be performing
the role of a mediator?
Let us see what the Scriptures say.

Revelation 19:15 " Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike
the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." (NKJV)

The glorified church will be accorded similar power so that they can assist Jesus in this
work. We find this promised in Revelation 2:26- 2:26-28:
26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over
the nations --
27 `He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like
pottery' -- just as I have received authority from my Father.
28 I will also give him the morning star. " (NIV)

Christ's Kingdom is a time when Jesus Christ will be in total control of all of earth's affairs
as a king. His rule will be supreme. The Father has delegated all authority to him for this
period of time. Do the Scriptures tell us that Jesus will be running between God and men
during those thousand years arbitrating and negotiating? No, on the contrary, the above
Scripture says "He
He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.
iron. " This certainly doesn't fit
the job description of a mediator. Once again, a mediator is an arbitrator whose job is to
have both parties reach a compromise on their positions. There will be no compromise or
lowering of the standards of righteousness in the Kingdom. Listen to the words of 1
Corinthians 15:24-
15:24-28:
24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father
after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
feet
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has
been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything
under Christ.
28 When he has done this,
this then the Son himself will be made subject to him who
put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. (NIV)

We ask, does a mediator have the authority and power to ?

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A mediator merely has the power to negotiate, to arbitrate
arbitrate between two parties.
Galatians 3:20 tells us " A mediator,
mediator however, does not represent just one party;
party but God
is one." (NIV) A mediator does not have the power to "destroy all dominion, authority and
power." Only the owner or ruler has this power. Only in a democracy does a mediator
play a role, never in a monarchy. Jesus' Kingdom will be a monarchy ruled by him for a
thousand years for the purpose of subjecting and teaching mankind the principles of
righteousness. There will be no negotiation going on that would appease man desires and
wants. Man will come to the point of understanding that his wants and desires are not in
accord with the righteous principles of the Kingdom and he will in due time come to
appreciate this fact and willingly subject himself to them. Those who oppose this and do
not subject themselves will be destroyed.
This is told us in Revelation 21:7-
21:7-8 :
7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my
son.
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving
unbelieving,
ieving the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral,
those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars -- their place will be in the fiery
lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
death. (NIV)

When Jesus has finished his rulership (not his mediatorship) in his Kingdom, he will then
relinquish all his authority to his Father. He has finished his job. This we saw earlier in 1
Corinthians 15:24 "Then
" the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the
Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. " (NIV) This then will be
the fruition of the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples when he said in Matthew 6:9-
6:9-10
"This, then, is how you should pray: "`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your
kingdom come,
come your
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (NIV) It will be God's
Kingdom when Jesus turns over his Kingdom to the Father. Then, God's "will" will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.