The good news of Christ – that He became flesh, lived perfectly among men, died an undeserving death and was raised from the dead on the third day (1Co 15:1-8) – has little impact unless we realize why God undertook these efforts in the first place.  The submission of Jesus as the Word of God and His incarnation as the Christ prepared Him for a role in which only He could have served in, both by right and by experience.  Having completed His work of reconciliation on earth, Christ now lives at the right hand of God (Act 2:33-36) as our Mediator.

The Greek underlying our English word mediator in the New Testament comes from a root which means middle.  A mediator then is "one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant."[1]  Just as with His work of reconciliation Christ stands between God and humanity to ensure our everlasting fellowship.  "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time" (1Ti 2:5-6, NASB throughout).  Christ’s mediation is especially noteworthy in three ways:  He mediates through "a more excellent ministry," He is "the mediator of a better covenant" and He mediates on the basis of "better promises" (Heb 8:6).

First, as our glorified Savior Christ mediates through a more excellent ministry.  The writer of Hebrews expounds greatly on this subject.  In Hebrews 9 the inspired writer demonstrates a number of elements of the high priesthood of Christ.  Having surveyed the core elements of the Levitical priesthood (vv. 1-10) we see that Jesus’ ministry is distinguished from theirs in that He has entered the tabernacle not made with hands (v. 11), He has done so through His own pure blood (vv. 12, 18-25), He has sacrificed Himself once and for all for our sins (vv. 12, 26-27) and in doing so He has removed the uncleanness of our consciences (vv. 13-14).

Secondly, He is the mediator of a better covenant.  This better covenant is assured first of all through the promise of Christ’s eternal priesthood.  "And inasmuch as [His priesthood] was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, 'The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, "You are a priest forever" '); so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant" (Heb 7:20-22).  The eternal priesthood gives us assurance then that as the children of God, we will always have a means by which to approach our Father (Heb 4:15-16).

And finally, He mediates on the basis of better promises.  Though this life certainly has its difficult times this in no way lessens the joy each of us has in Christ.  For, "Who will bring a charge against God's elect?  God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns?  Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.  Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Rom 8:33-35).  This comfort in the intercession of Christ continues into the next life as well.  We know that as Christians and members of the Lord’s body that we are citizens of a great city (Heb 12:22-29) and therefore will one day receive the inheritance He has purchased for us (Heb 9:15, 28).

Jesus Christ is the greatest human being to walk the face of the earth.  Yet as we consider what Christ has done for us, rarely do we consider the meaning of His life and work.  He submitted to the Father as His messenger, captain and leader; He humbled Himself by becoming human in order to bring about reconciliation; and He continues to stand before God, forever God and forever Human, that we might have an Advocate with the Father.  Why did God bestow "on Him the name which is above every name"?  Because "although He existed in the form of God, [Christ] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Php 2:5-8).  Christ is the Word who became flesh, the Human who became our Savior and the Savior who is now our Mediator.  Jesus is not divine despite His humanity; He is divine because of His humanity.  This is the work of Jesus Christ; this is the glory of His name; this is our confession.