Christ The Mediator

The saving ministry of Jesus Christ is summed up in the statement that
He is the "Mediator between God and men" (1 Tim 2:5). A mediator is one
who brings together parties who are out of communication and who may be
alienated, estranged, or at war with each other. The mediator must have
links with both sides so as to identify with and maintain the interests
of both, and represent each to the other on a basis of goodwill. Thus
Moses was mediator between God and Israel (Gal. 3:19), speaking to
Israel on God's behalf when God gave the law (Ex. 20:18-21) and speaking
to God on Israel's behalf when Israel had sinned (Ex. 32:9-33:17).


Every member of our fallen and rebellious race is by nature in "enemity
against God" (Rom 8:7), standing under God's wrath, the punitive
rejection whereby as Judge He espresses active anger at our sins
(Rom 1:18, 2:5-9, 3:5, 6). Reconcilliation of the alienated parties is
needed, but can only occur if God's wrath is quenched and the human
heart, that opposes God and motivates a life against God, is changed.
In mercy, God sent His Son into the world to bring about the needed
reconciliation. It was not that he kindly Son acted to placate the
harsh Father; the initiative was the Father's own. In Augustine's words,
"in a wonderful and divine way even when He hated us, he loved us"
(Commentary on John 110.6; cf. John 3:16; Rom. 5:5-8; 1 John 4:8-10).
In all His mediatorial ministry the Son was doing His Father's will
(see "The humble Obedience of Christ" at John 5:19).


Objectively and once for all, Christ achieved reconciliation for His
people through penal substitution. On the cross He took our place,
carried our identity as it were, bore the curse due to us (Gal. 3:13),
and by His sacrificial shedding of blood made peace for us (Eph. 2:
16-18; Col. 1:20). Peace here means an end to hostility, guilt, and
exposure to the retributive punishment that was otherwise unavoidable -
in other words, forgiveness for all the past, and eternal, personal
acceptance for the future. Those whio have received reconcilitation
through faith in Christ are justified and have peace with God
(Rom. 5:1, 10). The Mediator's present work, which He carries forward
through human messengers, is to persuade those for whom He achieved
reconciliation actually to receive it (John 12:32; Rom. 15: 18,
2 Cor. 5:18-21; Eph. 2:17).


Jesus is "the Mediator of the new covenant" (Heb. 9:15, 12:24), the
initiator of a new relationship of conscious peace with God, going
  beyond what was known under the Old Testament arrangements for dealing
with the guilt of sin (Heb. 9:11-10:18).


One of Calvin's great contributions to Christian understanding was his
observation that the New Testament writers expound Jesus' mediatorial
ministry in terms of the three "offices" (defined roles) of prophet,
priest, and king. These three aspects of Christ's work are found
together in the letter to the Hebrews, where Jesus is both the messianic
King, exalted to His throne (1:3, 13, 4:16, 2:9), as well as the great
High Priest (2:17' 4:14 - 5:10 chs. 7:10), who offered Himself to God
as a sacrifice for our sins. In addition, Christ is the massage
concerning Himself (2:3). In Acts 3:22 Jesus is called a "Prophet" for
the same reason that Hebres calls Him "Apostle," namely, because He
instructed people by declaring to them the word of God.


While in the Old Testament the mediating roles of prophet, priest, and
king were fulfilled by separate individuals, all three offices now
coalesce in the one person of Jesus. It is His glory, given Him by the
Father, to be in this way the all-sufficient Saviour. We who believe
are called to understand this, and to show ourselves His people by
obeying Him as our king, trusting Him as our priest, and learning from
Him as our prophet and teacher. To center on Jesus Christ in this way
is the hallmark of authentic Christianity.

Sumber:
Judul        : New Geneva Study Bible
Editor Utama : R.C. Sproul
Penerbit     : Thomas Nelson
Halaman      : 1910