Chapter 8
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Reeves |
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Chapter 8: Of Christ the Mediator 1. It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them both, to be the mediator between God and man; the prophet, priest, and king; head and saviour of the church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world; unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified. ( Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19, 20; Acts 3:22; Hebrews 5:5, 6; Psalms 2:6; Luke 1:33; Ephesians 1:22, 23; Hebrews 1:2; Acts 17:31; Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30 ) 2. The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance and equal with him who made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things he hath made, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her: and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the Scriptures; so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man. ( John 1:14; Galatians 4;4; Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14, 16, 17; Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35; Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5 ) 3. The Lord Jesus, in his human nature thus united to the divine, in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he might be throughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety; which office he took not upon himself, but was thereunto called by his Father; who also put all power and judgement in his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same. ( Psalms 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34; Colossians 2:3; Colossians 1:19; Hebrews 7:26; John 1:14; Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 5:5; John 5:22, 27; Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36 ) 4. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, which that he might discharge he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered, being made sin and a curse for us; enduring most grievous sorrows in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead, yet saw no corruption: on the third day he arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered, with which he also ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession, and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world. ( Psalms 40:7, 8; Hebrews 10:5-10; John 10:18; Gal 4:4; Matthew 3:15; Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 26:37, 38; Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46; Acts 13:37; 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4; John 20:25, 27; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24; Acts 10:42; Romans 14:9, 10; Acts 1:11; 2 Peter 2:4 ) 5. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him. ( Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:14; Romans 3:25, 26; John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15 ) 6. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages, successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein he was revealed, and signified to be the seed which should bruise the serpent's head; and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, being the same yesterday, and to-day and for ever. ( 1 Corinthians 4:10; Hebrews 4:2; 1 Peter 1:10, 11; Revelation 13:8; Hebrews 13:8 ) 7. Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture, attributed to the person denominated by the other nature. ( John 3:13; Acts 20:28 ) 8. To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them; uniting them to himself by his Spirit, revealing unto them, in and by his Word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit, and overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it. ( John 6:37; John 10:15, 16; John 17:9; Romans 5:10; John 17:6; Ephesians 1:9; 1 John 5:20; Romans 8:9, 14; Psalms 110:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26; John 3:8; Ephesians 1:8 ) 9. This office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from him to any other. ( 1 Timothy 2:5 ) 10. This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office; and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God; and in respect to our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom. ( John 1:18; Colossians 1:21; Galatians 5:17; John 16:8; Psalms 110:3; Luke 1:74, 75 ) |
Chapter 8: Christ the Mediator 1. God was pleased, in His eternal purpose, to choose and
ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, according to the covenant made
between them, to be the mediator between God and humanity.1 God chose him to be prophet,2
priest,3 and king,4 and to be head and savior of the
church,5 the heir of all things,6 and judge of the
world.7 From all eternity, God
gave to the Son a people to be his offspring. In time these people would be redeemed,
called, justified, sanctified, and glorified by him.8 1Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19, 20. 2Acts 3:22. 3Hebrews 5:5, 6. 4Psalms 2:6; Luke 1:33. 5Ephesians 1:22, 23. 6Hebrews 1:2. 7Acts 17:31. 8Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30. 2. The Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, is
truly and eternally God. He is the
brightness of the Father's glory, having the same substance and equal with
him who made the world and who sustains and governs everything he has made. When
the fullness of time came, he took upon himself human nature, with all the essential
properties and common weaknesses of it9 but without sin.10 He
was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit came down upon her, and the
power of the Most High overshadowed her.
Thus, he was born of a woman from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of
Abraham and David in fulfillment of the Scriptures.11 Two whole, perfect, and distinct
natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without converting
one into the other or mixing them together to produce a different or blended
nature. This person is truly God and truly
man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and humanity.12 9John 1:14; Galatians 4;4. 10Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14, 16, 17; Hebrews 4:15. 11Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35. 12Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5. 3. The Lord Jesus, in his human nature united in this way to
the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the
Holy Spirit beyond measure.13
He had in himself all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.14 The Father was pleased to make all fullness
dwell in him15 so that—being holy, harmless, undefiled,16
and full of grace and truth17—he was thoroughly qualified to carry
out the office of mediator and guarantor.18 He did not take this office upon himself
but was called to it by his Father,19 who put all power and
judgment in his hand and commanded him to execute it.20 13Psalms 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34. 14Colossians 2:3. 15Colossians 1:19. 16Hebrews 7:26. 17John 1:14. 18Hebrews 7:22. 19Hebrews 5:5. 20John 5:22, 27; Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36. 4. The Lord Jesus most willingly undertook this office.21 To
discharge it, he was born under the law22 and perfectly fulfilled
it. He also experienced the punishment
that we deserved and that we should have endured and suffered.23 He was made sin and a curse for us.24 He endured extremely heavy sorrows in his soul
and extremely painful sufferings in his body.25 He was crucified and died and remained in a
state of death, yet his body did not decay.26 On the third day he arose from the dead27
with the same body in which he suffered.28 In this body he also ascended into heaven,29
where he sits at the right hand of his Father, making intercession.30 He will return to judge men and angels at
the end of the age.31 21Psalms 40:7, 8; Hebrews 10:5-10; John 10:18. 22Gal 4:4; Matthew 3:15. 23Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18. 242 Corinthians 5:21. 25Matthew 26:37, 38; Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46. 26Acts 13:37. 271 Corinthians 15:3, 4. 28John 20:25, 27. 29Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11. 30Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24. 31Acts 10:42; Romans 14:9, 10; Acts 1:11; 2 Peter 2:4. 5. The Lord Jesus has fully satisfied the justice of God, obtained
reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of
heaven for all those given to Him by the Father.32 He has accomplished these things by his
perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he once for all offered up
to God through the eternal Spirit.33 32John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15. 33Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:14; Romans 3:25, 26. 6. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid
by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit
of it was imparted to the elect in every age since the beginning of the
world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices that revealed him and pointed
to him as the seed that would bruise the serpent's head34 and the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.35 He is the same yesterday and today and forever.36 341 Corinthians 4:10; Hebrews 4:2; 1 Peter 1:10, 11. 35Revelation 13:8. 36Hebrews 13:8. 7. In his work of
mediation, Christ acts according to both natures, by each nature doing what
is appropriate to itself. Even so,
because of the unity of the person, that which is appropriate to one nature
is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person under the designation of
the other nature.37 37John 3:13; Acts 20:28. 8. To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal
redemption, he certainly and effectually applies and imparts it. He intercedes for them,38
unites them to himself by his Spirit, and reveals to them in and by his Word
the mystery of salvation. He persuades
them to believe and obey39 and governs their hearts by his Word
and Spirit.40
He overcomes all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom41
using methods and ways that are perfectly consistent with his wonderful and
unsearchable direction. All these
things are by free and absolute grace, apart from any condition for obtaining
it that is foreseen in them.42 38John 6:37; John 10:15, 16; John 17:9; Romans 5:10. 39John 17:6; Ephesians 1:9; 1 John 5:20. 40Romans 8:9, 14. 41Psalms 110:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26. 42John 3:8; Ephesians 1:8. 9. This office of mediator between God and humanity is
appropriate for Christ alone, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the
church of God. This office may not be transferred
from him to anyone else, either in whole or in part.43 431 Timothy 2:5. 10. The number and character of these offices is essential. Because we are ignorant, we need his
prophetic office.44 Because
we are alienated from God and imperfect in the best of our service, we need
his priestly office to reconcile us and present us to God as acceptable.45 Because we are hostile and utterly unable to
return to God, and so that we can be rescued and secure from our spiritual enemies,
we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, sustain, deliver, and
preserve us for his heavenly kingdom.46 44John 1:18. 45Colossians 1:21; Galatians 5:17. 46John 16:8; Psalms 110:3; Luke 1:74, 75. |
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