the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Mediator
Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary
or The very name of Mediator is precious. What, but for the Lord Jesus Christ becoming our Mediator, must have been the hopeless state of man to all eternity! Though under the article of Christ, (to which I refer the reader) so much hath been said concerning the person of Christ as God and man, and God-man united, the only possible suited Mediator for poor sinners, yet methinks the very name, at every renewed mention of it, calls up a thousand new endearments to prompt the heart to dwell upon it with unceasing rapture and delight. The apostle Paul felt this so forcibly, that whenever he speaks of his adorable Lord and master under this most precious character, he lays such an emphasis on his person as Mediator as serves to shew the high sense and feeling Paul had of the blessedness of looking up to the Lord Jesus in this point of view. Thus for example, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, the first chapter, and the tenth verse, where speaking, of the design of JEHOVAH in redemption, to bring and centre all things in Christ, and finally to make him the glorious end of creation, he saith, that "in the dispensation of the fulness of time, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are in earth, even in him."Observe the strength of the expression with which the apostle closeth the account—even in him I so again, in his Epistle to the Colossians, (Colossians 1:20, the apostle, speaking of Christ "having made peace by the blood of his cross," makes the same emphasis on the person of Christ. "By him (saith Paul) to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say," (saith the apostle) repeating the lovely name as if, and which was truly the case, he found a double blessedness in it—"by him, I say; whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."
And every one those heart is convinced of sin, and of the total inability in himself ever to come to God in any thing of his own, or by any way of acceptance in himself, how will he hail the Lord Jesus Christ in this most blessed and lovely and endearing of all characters, the only "Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus!" If the reader be of the number of truly convinced sinners, the peculiar fitness of Christ, as God and man in one person, for this office, will strike him with full conviction. He must be qualified for the office, who, as God, is one with the Father, and as man, is one with us; and indeed so qualified as no other could be. The partaking of both natures gives this completeness of qualification; so that would I have my cause, (and a cause so infinitely important as that the happiness of eternity hangs upon the issue) would I have my cause in one that is able? here it is in the hands of Jesus; for he is God, mighty to save. And would I have it in the hands of one that is near to me? here also it is, for it is in the hands of Jesus, who is "bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh;" one who can have"compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; seeing that he himself (in the days of his flesh) was compassed with all our sinless infirmities." How blessedly the apostle follows up this Scriptural account of our Jesus! "Wherefore, saith the apostle, in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people; for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." (Hebrews 2:17-18)
And if it will not be thought swelling this account too largely, I would beg to add, that over and above all our view and approbation of the Lord Jesus under this most precious and blessed of all offices, our God and Father's approbation of his dear Son, as such, tends to bring the Lord Jesus home still more if possible to our warmest affection. In the suitability of the Lord Jesus, and his personal fitness in this high character, (as such none but himself could ever be found) there is something so truly interesting when beheld as JEHOVAH'S appointment, as cannot fail to endear all the persons of the GODHEAD to the Lord's people. We discover hereby not only the wisdom of JEHOVAH in the choice, but the love of his heart in it also. The recovery of our nature from the fall, is the plan of infinite wisdom; and therefore he that accomplisheth this merciful purpose, shall be every way suited for it. But beside the wisdom displayed in the fitness of Christ, the love manifested in such an one as Christ performing it is most blessed: all the way along the heart of God the Father is seen in it. The Mediator to approach JEHOVAH, is his Elect, in whom his soul delighteth; in whom he beholds such unparalleled glory and beauty and loveliness, that the very heart of JEHOVAH is in all, and with all, Christ undertakes and is engaged in. There is something in this view of the mind of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, all taking part and becoming interested in the acts of the Mediator, that tends to make that office to his people yet more blessed, and readers him who is the person engaged in it, infinitely more endeared and endearing in every performance of it. Let the reader only turn to Isaiah 42:1 and a few of the following verses, and then judge for himself of JEHOVAH'S great delight in beholding Christ in the character of Mediator. First he speaks of him, and calls upon the church to behold him: "Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles; he shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoaking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth; he shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth, and the isles shall wait for his law." He next speaks to him, and introduceth his address in the loftiest language of his Almightiness. "Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens and stretched them out, he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it, he that giveth bread unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein, I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light to the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." And then, as if to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, who allow Jesus Christ to be the Mediator, but deny him that GODHEAD by which alone the Lord Christ could be competent to this high office of Mediator, be adds "I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images:" hereby plainly proving, that as this office of Mediator is carried on and exercised to the glory of JEHOVAH, so none but one in JEHOVAH could be competent to perform it. It would have been to have given the glory to another, if the Lord Jesus had not been one with the Father, ever all, God blessed for ever. Moreover, the glory of opening blind eyes, and the like, would have been unsuitable to any creature; and as JEHOVAH, in the very opening of his address to Christ, claims this as his distinguishing prerogative, would he mean to claim the crown of creation and yet put the crown of redemption on the head of a mere creature? Would not this have been to have given his glory to another? Oh, how plain, how very plain it is, that in the call and appointment of the Lord Jesus to this blessed office of Mediator, it is God's dear Son, in nature and essence one with the Father, and in office the God-man, Glory-man, Christ Jesus! Oh! that modern infidels, calling themselves Christians, but in name only so, and not in reality, would seriously lay this at heart. "Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little: blessed are all they that put their trust in him." (Psalms 2:12)
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Hawker, Robert D.D. Entry for 'Mediator'. Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance and Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/pmd/m/mediator.html. London. 1828.
