THERE IS … ONE MEDIATOR

Although we cannot be specific about the timing, it was approxi­mately 2200 years before Christ that a beleaguered and suffering Job articulated the following complaint, ‘Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both’, Job 9. 33. A daysman was an arbitrator - one who was able to judge between two parties and resolve their differences. The loss that Job lamented has been fully met in the statement before us today. Praise God there is a mediator, someone who is a ‘go-between’, although much more is involved here than merely being just a go-between.

Writing to the church at Corinth Paul states, ‘there be gods many, and lords many’, 1 Cor. 8. 5. However, he qualifies this statement by saying, ‘though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth’. The apostle doesn’t deny that there was a plethora of gods worshipped by many devotees, but they were merely ‘so called gods’. In verse 5 of today’s reading, he sets out the absolute reality - there is only ‘one God’. These words are reminiscent of what we read in Isaiah chapter 45 verse 22, ‘Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else’.

Not only is there one God but equally there is only one Medi­ator between that one God and all mankind. Paul then tells us who He is: ‘Christ Jesus’. He also tells us by what basis Christ Jesus is qualified to be the unique mediator, ‘the man … who gave himself a ransom for all’. As ‘the man Christ Jesus’, He was perfectly able to comprehend the claims of God, for He was God incarnate. He was also able to appreciate the needs of men, for He was ‘himself man’. However, for it to be possible for all men to be saved a price had to be paid.

How eternally grateful we shall be that this Mediator ‘gave himself a ransom’ - the price has been paid. This was a voluntary sacrifice, for He ‘gave himself’, and it was a vicarious sacrifice, for it was ‘for all’. The outcome of His sacrifice is that He has satisfied the claims of God sufficient to meet the need of all men. On this basis we can pray for ‘all men’ because potentially ‘all men’ can be saved. What a sacrifice, what a mediator!