mediation of Christ – Page 5

Calvin on Christ in OT

GlenFebruary 25, 2009Leave a comment

The excellent Marc Lloyd has posted the juciest quotation on Christ the Mediator of all revelation. It's from Ronald Wallace's book Calvin's Doctrine of Word and Sacrament. Here he is summarizing Calvin's view especially of christocentric revelation in the OT.

The Mediator of all revelation between God and man in the Old Testament is the Word of God, the second person of the Trinity, the same Christ who became incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth. Throughout the whole national history of Israel, it was always He, the Son of God, who dealt with His people in judgement and mercy, bringing them, with His Presence in their midst, light and life and salvation. Calvin asserts positively that Christ, the Word of God, who "remains with God perpetually one and the same and who is God Himself" (Inst 1:13:7), was "always the bond of connection between God and man" (Comm on Gen 48:15), and "the source of all revelations" (Inst 1:13:7), being "always present in all the oracles" (Comm on Gen 16:10). He is equally emphatic in the frequent negative assertion, "Never did God reveal Himself outside of Christ" (Comm on Jn 5:23). "Nor indeed, had any of the saints ever had communication with God except through the promised Mediator." (Comm on Ex 3:2) "God formerly manifested Himself in no other way than though Him." (Comm on Gen 48:15) God never otherwise revealed Himself to the Fathers "but in His eternal Word and only begotten Son" (Comm on Is 6:1). The whole story of the Old Testament is thus the story of how Christ, the Word of God, breaks in upon the life of those whom He has chosen to make his people, and confronts them in these veiled forms through which they can come to know His nature and have communion with Him....

The frequent appearances of the "Angel of the Lord" as the representative of God to the Old Testemant Fathers, and as a guide of the people throughout their history is a sign that Christ is always fulfilling His Mediatorial office of saviour and revealer, and uniting even then the members of His Church to Himself as the Head through whom they are joined to God Himself. Calvin, following the "orthodox doctors" (Inst 1:13:10) on this point, identifies the "chief angel" who appears among the other angelic visitors to earth with "God's only begotten Son who was afterwards manifest in the flesh" (Comm on Ex 14:19). Even then He performed in a preliminary fashion "some services introductory to His execution of the office of Mediator" (Inst 1:13:10). "There is then no wonder," says Calvin, "that the Prophet should indictriminately call Him Angel and Jehovah, He being the Mediator of the Church and also God. He is God, being of the same essence with the Father; and Mediator, having already undertaken His Mediatorial office, though not then clothed in our flesh so as to become our brother; for the Church could not exist nor be united to God without a Head" (Comm on Zech 1:18-21). "The angel who appeared at first to Moses, and was always present with the people during their journeying, is frequently called Jehovah. Let is then regard it as a settled point that the angel was Son of God, and was even then the Guide of the Church of which He was the Head" (Comm on 1 Cor 10:9).

Calvin’s Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament (Edinburgh, Scottish Academic Press, 1995) first edition 1953, pp8-10

I bang the same drum (endlessly) here. For more quotes in support from the big guns go here. Or read Bible Overview, especially appendix 2.

No Intercessor this week… sorry

GlenApril 9, 2008Leave a comment

Hi all,

I'm on holiday at the moment which is why no radio contact. Just thought I'd let you know that at the local church I visited here in Wales there was this enigmatic entry in the notice sheet:

Intercessor:

There will be no Intercessor this week.

So if things have been going a bit pear-shaped this week you'll know why. Jesus is taking a much earned post-Easter break. No intercession till next week I suppose.

I'm being mischievous you know...

What if God got His hands on you? 1

GlenDecember 17, 20071 Comment

What would happen if God really laid hold of you? How do you respond to that prospect?

Do you fear the idea - worried about how He will treat you up close and personal?

Do you long for it - maybe then you'd break free from the ruts you've been stuck in?

Well Christmas means that God has already gotten His hands on you!

"Surely it is not angels who He lays hold of but it is the seed of Abraham He lays hold of." (Heb 2:16)

At Christmas, Jesus Christ lays hold of His people - the seed of Abraham. In fact, as the Seed of Abraham, He comprehends in Himself the totality of His people, like a Vine comprehends its branches. Jesus assumes our humanity and in doing so draws us into Himself. This is a comprehensive 'laying hold of'!

Jesus does not come to offer advice. He does not come to direct us in righteous paths. He does not make possible our living for God. Instead, as the Seed of Abraham, He lays hold of His people and wrenches them from the clutches of sin, the world and the devil. He sums up and puts away their sin on the cross and rises as the Vindicated Servant. Now He is enthroned at the Father's right hand - taking with Him the humanity He assumed.

Christ has placed His hands on us in the most radical and thorough-going way. He has commandeered the totality of our existence. We may wish that He had a more 'hands-off' approach. We may want to cast ourselves as free agents who can consider whether or not to offer Jesus our allegiance. But when this Word comes to us we realize that we are already claimed, already grabbed, already Man-handled by Jesus. He has gotten His hands on us and He has worked an incredible salvation in us.

Now we find ourselves caught up in His life, His death, His resurrection and His ascension. Our life is hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3). God has gotten hold of our life and done in us what we could never do ourselves - what we could never dream of doing! And His purposes in doing this are entirely for our blessing (just read about His purposes in the context: Heb 2:14-18). We have nothing to fear from this 'Man-handling' and everything to be thankful for.

As you look into the manger this Christmas, look with irrepressible hope. There, in the face of Christ, you see not only the Father's self-giving love. There also you see yourself. There in the manger is your humanity laid hold of by Immanuel. God has gotten hold of you, permanently, irreversibly. Christmas guarantees it.

You're always late to prayers!

GlenDecember 7, 2007Leave a comment

This is a short introduction I gave to our church prayer meeting held on Wednesday night...

Job 16:19-20

¹⁹ Even now my Witness is in heaven; my Advocate is on high. ²⁰ My Intercessor is my Friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;

I have to tell you that you were all late for the prayer meeting. I want you to seriously consider the fact that you all came late to the prayer meeting. And last month, you were late to the prayer meeting. And the month before that. In fact, you are always late to prayer.

Because the real prayer meeting, the heavenly prayer meeting, has begun before we ever join in.

Job here speaks of his heavenly Intercessor. Job has a friend in high places. And this friend prays for him ‘Even now'.

Jesus Christ is described many times as our Intercessor. Because intercession (prayer) is one of the key things Jesus does for us as our High Priest.

The High Priest of the Old Testament tabernacle system would, once a year, take the blood of the atonement sacrifices and take them through the curtain and into the Most Holy Place - the dwelling place of God Himself. There He would sprinkle the blood before the LORD and make atonement for the sins of the people. Now that's wonderful enough, but one of the things the High Priest was wearing was a breastplate in which were 12 stones. Engraved on the 12 stones were the names of the sons of Israel. Exodus 28 says this:

²⁹ "Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart (on the breastpiece of decision) as a continuing memorial before the LORD.

So this is the picture: The High Priest makes atonement for His people and in doing so He carries His people on His heart before the LORD. The people are remembered before the LORD because the High Priest carries them on His heart.

Now the Old Testament tabernacle system was only a multi-media presentation. It pointed forward to the time when Jesus Christ would enter into heaven itself to make atonement and intercede for His people. In the Old Testament, the High Priest got into the Most Holy Place and got out again quickly, lest he die in the presence of this Holy God. But Hebrews 7 contrasts that with Jesus' priesthood. It says:

"because Jesus lives for ever, he has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."

Jesus always bears us on His heart before the Father. He always remains before the LORD. He is our Intercessor - always praying for His people.

We are always late to prayer. Because Jesus is always ahead of us. Our prayer is the Amen to His ceaseless intercession!

Now let's just look at our passage and learn a little something about out Heavenly Intercessor. He's given four names here:

First: He is the Witness. It's legal language, and here we have what you might call a Star Witness. While Satan may be called the Accuser in Scripture, Job knows a Witness for the defence. And He's a Witness with the very best reputation. Here is a Witness who will be listened to on High, because He belongs on High. The case for the defence can rest because this Star Witness has given unimpeachable testimony.

Second: He is the Advocate. We're still in legal territory here. John also calls Jesus ‘the Advocate' in 1 John 2:1. He is not only the Star Witness, He's also the Star Barrister. That's so important in court. Because if you're on trial, how do you look to the Judge? You look as good as your lawyer. If your lawyer is good, you look good. The Christian looks very good in the court of heaven. Their Witness and their Advocate is flawless.

Third: He is the Intercessor. Christ doesn't just witness or advocate, He prays. He petitions, He intercedes. Jesus said to Peter, "I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail." (Luke 22:32) And the LORD Jesus prays similarly for you. And He prays, as Job says (v19) ‘even now'.

Fourth: He is my friend. All of this would be nothing if not for the fact that Christ is our friend. We don't simply have a Lord in High Places, we have a friend in High Places. There is One who loves you more than you love yourself. He is the One interceding for you ‘even now.'

Finally. You might think that all this would make you not want to pray. Perhaps you think: ‘Why should I bother praying if Jesus is doing the job?' This thought doesn't occur to Job. He makes the opposite conclusion - because He has such a Witness, Advocate, Intercessor and Friend on High therefore his eyes pour out tears before God.

When we understand that our High Priest has given us such access to the throne of grace then we will pour out our hearts to God. Before Christ made friends with us, prayer could only ever be a wish list or a religious rite - and who knows whether our words just bounce off the ceiling. But now, carried on Christ's heart, assured of a hearing, now we can pray. Now we can call the Almighty God ‘Abba, Father'. Now we are invited into the ultimate prayer gathering. We may have turned up late, but we are very welcome. And all our prayers become the Amen, to Christ's heavenly intercession.

Heavenly Father, we approach You because Your Son, our Brother has become our Priest. We praise and thank You because He ever lives to intercede for us. Send the Spirit of Your Son now into our hearts, that same Spirit of Christ, who calls out ‘Abba, Father.' Draw us into your life of prayer. Help us this evening to know the privilege and joy of joining in with Christ's intercession. Answer our prayers not because of our own righteousness but only because Christ our Witness on High intercedes for us. It's in His Name we pray, Amen.

For audio sermons of mine and some others I highly recommend go here.

You’re always late to prayers!