Christ Our Mediator

MEMORY VERSE: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” —Hebrews 4:16

HEBREWS 4:14 – 5:10

OUR Scripture lesson refers to Jesus as the Christian’s High Priest—not Mediator, as implied by the caption of the lesson. A mediator is one who serves to reconcile parties who are estranged; and dedicated Christians, trusting in the blood of Christ, are not estranged from God. He is their Heavenly Father, and they are his children.

However, even though we desire with all our hearts to be pleasing to our Heavenly Father, and to enjoy the smile of his favor, because of inherited imperfections we often fail to live up fully to his righteous requirements. But God in his love has made provision for this situation. The Apostle John wrote, “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”—I John 2:1

In our Scripture assignment Jesus is described as a merciful and loving High Priest, One who “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Because Jesus was subjected to testings as a new creature, even as we are, he is able to sympathize with us. We trust in the merit of his shed blood to cover our imperfections, and because of Jesus’ understanding sympathy and love we can, as our memory verse states, “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

God supplied a priesthood for Israel, beginning with Aaron. It was a priestly family of which Aaron was the head, or high priest. Aaron’s sons were an underpriesthood. Likewise, during the Christian era there is a priesthood. Jesus is the High Priest, and his followers are the underpriests. Hebrews 3:1 reads, “Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Verse 6 of this chapter speaks of Christ “as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope unto the end.”

The Apostle Peter wrote, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up … sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (I Pet. 2:5) This explains why Jesus invited his disciples to take up their cross and follow, him into death. It is why Paul urged us to present our bodies “a living sacrifice.”—Rom. 12:1

Because of Jesus’ faithful sacrifice even unto death, in the resurrection he was highly exalted to the right hand of God. And the promise is that those who suffer and die with him will also be exalted and made like him, and will, as priests and kings, live and reign with him a thousand years.—II Tim. 2:11,12; Rev. 2:10; 3:21; 20:6

Paul, in Hebrews 5:6, quoting from Psalm 110:4, explains of Christ, “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.” Melchisedec filled the combined office of king and priest. So Jesus, during the thousand years of his reign, will be both a priest and a king. This will be true also of his faithful followers who are brought forth in the first resurrection to reign with him. John wrote, “They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

This future priestly work is designed to reconcile the world of mankind with God—a mediatorial work. Hence the word “mediator” will properly apply during that future age of reconciliation. How wonderfully harmonious is the Word of God in its setting forth of the great divine plan of salvation!

Followers of Jesus are certainly invited to a high position in the divine plan. But as Paul wrote, “No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” Even Jesus did not aspire to such glory, and only through the many assurances of the Word may we hope to live and reign with him.

QUESTIONS

Is Jesus our Mediator or Advocate? Explain.

How do we know that Jesus is a sympathetic High Priest?

Are we, as Jesus’ followers, also priests?

What dual office in God’s plan was foreshadowed by Melchisedec?

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