Chapter 14: Of the Office of Christ as Mediator

Q. Having spoken of the person of Christ, tell in the next place what is Christ's office?

A. His office in the general is to be a Mediator between God and man, to work reconciliation between them (1 Timothy 2:5; 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19).

Q. What need was there of such a Mediator?

A. Very much need, because by the sin of man there was now grown enmity between them, God being offended with man, and man being enemy to God (Romans 5:9, 10; Colossians 2:21).

Q. Is Christ the only Mediator? or are there not others that may be mediators also?

A. Properly there is no other mediator between God and man but Christ only (1 Timothy 2:5; John 14:6).

Q. Who gave Christ a commission or calling to the office of a Mediator?

A. As no man can lawfully intrude himself into any office without a lawful calling, no more did Christ intrude himself into the office of a Mediator, but was lawfully called and authorized thereunto by the Father (Isaiah 42:1, 6; John 6:29; John 10:36; Hebrews 5:4, 5).

Q. How was he furnished with gifts and abilities for discharge of this office?

A. As God never calls any to any office, but he gives them gifts requisite thereto: so Christ was furnished with all wisdom and knowledge, and other gifts of the Spirit, that might fully fit him for his office of Mediator (Colossians 2:3; Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 61:1; Hebrews 1:9; John 3:34).

Q. Whether is Christ Mediator according to his human nature, or according to his divine?

A. The office of mediation belongs to whole Christ, as he is God and man, and not in respect of either nature alone.

Q. How may that appear?

A. A Mediator should be a fit and middle person to deal between two that are at variance: but if our Mediator be considered as God only, he should then be too high to treat with man, and had he been man only he should have been too low for God.

Q. What may be a further reason thereof?

A. If the acts of his mediation do proceed from him, being considered only as God, they then cannot be applicatory to us; and if they proceed from him only as man, they then cannot be of sufficient value to be satisfactory to God.

Q. Do you then think that in the execution of his office of Mediator both the natures do jointly concur?

A. It is even so indeed; God-man, whose Christ is our Mediator.

Q. How long has Christ had this office?

A. In respect of God's decree he was appointed to it from eternity; in respect of virtue and efficacy he was Mediator from the beginning of the world when need was.

Q. But when was he manifested in the flesh?

A. In respect of his manifestation in the flesh, he was given in the fullness of time in these latter days (1 Peter 1:20; Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 2:6).

Q. What is the effect and benefit of his mediatorship?

A. Hereby God and man that were at enmity are reconciled together again, and made one (Colossians 1:20; Ephesians 1:10; Ephesians 2:14, 15).