MEDIATION, MEDIATOR.— For mediation in paganism and in the OT see W. F. Adeney's art. in HDB. For mediation in the Gospels see L. Pullan's art. in DCG. While no formal discussion of these matters occurs here, one cannot ignore the importance of a full knowledge of the OT teaching and the possible influence of the philosophy and religion of the Grasco-Koman world upon the
MEDIATION, MEDIATOR
MEDIATION, MEDIATOR
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minds of the apostolic teachers of Christianity. It is easy to go to extremes in either direction. But the study of comparative religion does not dim the glory of Christ. The modern Christian ratlier claims that all the ' true light that lighteth everj' man ' comes from Christ (Jn 1"). One can welcome all truth that may be taken up into Christianity (cf. C. Clemen, Primitive Christianity and its Xon- Jewish Sources, 191'J ; H. A. A. Kennedy, St. Paul and the. Mystery-lieliqions, 1913). It i.s hardly likely, however, that Jesus Himself felt the influ- ence of this non-Jewish teaching. His conception of His own saerilicial death linds its roots in the OT, and appears in the oldest form of the Synoptic Gospels(Mk 10«, Mt20=»; seealsoMk lO^*, Mt26-«). It may be said at once that the central place here given to the atoning death of Christ for the sins of men, emphasized also in the Fourth Gospel (r-"" 3'* 12^'-, etc.), is just that conception of the relative value of the Cross in the mediatorial work of Christ found in Acts and the rest of the NT. It is em- bedded in the primitive Christian tradition too deeply to be a mere theological interpretation of the apostles, read back into the thought of Christ (see J. Denney, The Death of Christ, 1902, and Jesus and the Gospel'', 1913, where the writer powerfully argues that Christianity is justified in the mind of Christ). Mediation lies at the heart of all religion which assumes human sin and a righteous God who will forgive the sinner. The consciousness of sin demands a mediator to plead the cause of man with God ; hence the existence of the priesthood in all religions worthy of the name. Paganism has its ' redeemer gods,' but Christianity is rooted in the OT. The head of the family was first the priest, then the patriarch of the tribe. Then the Aaronic priesthood, and in particular the high priest, exemplified the mediatorial office. There was also prophetic and angelic mediation (Ac 7*^, Gal 3'"). Mediation took the form of intercession, of cove- nant, or of sacrifice. Christ sums up the whole mediatorial office as prophet, priest, and sacrifice. The term 'mediator' {ix€(tIttis) or 'middleman' occurs once of Closes (Gal 3""-) as the mediator between God and the people in the giving of the Law. The other instances all refer to Christ, ' the one mediator between God and man ' (1 Ti 2'), 'the mediator of a better covenant' (He 8^), 'the mediator of a new {Kacvrjs) covenant ' (9'° ; Was in 12-'*). In He 6" God ' interposed Avith an oath ' (e^C(j-iTf ucrei/ 6pK(f> ; here the notion of ' middleman ' recedes). But the notion of mediation is far more common in the NT than the use of the word fKairrii would imply. It is indeed regulative of the thought of the entire NT, as can be easily seen.
1. The Acts. — It is the living Christ, active in leading the disciples (Ac I"-), who meets us in the Acts. He w'as received up (v.-), but He will come again (v."), and meanwhile His Name has power (3*). Jesus is Lord (Kvpios, 1^- ''), and is addressed in prayer (1** 7™) after the Ascension. Peter on the Day of Pentecost boldly interprets Jesus as the Messiah (2^') of whose resurrection from the dead they were all witnesses (v.^^). He is at (or by) the right hand of the Father, and is actively engaged in His Messianic work, of which the out])ouring of the Holy Spirit is one evidence (v.^). The death of Jesus is not an obstacle to His Messiahship. Peter does not here formulate a doctrine of the Atonement nor specifically mention the mediatorial work of Jesus, but he calls upon all the house of Israel to understand ' that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this .Je.sus whom ye crucified ' (v.^*). On the strength of the claim that Jesus is both Lord and Messiah as shown by His resurrec- tion, Peter urges repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. This address at Pentecost, as reported by Luke, is the first formal interpreta-
tion on the part of the disciples of the significance of the wcnk of Christ. It is too early for the full perspective to he drawn, but at heart the message IS the same as we find in the later years. Jesus Christ is central in Christianity. The place of the Cross is recognized, though not fully expounded. The Lordship of Jesus the Messiah is accented as the ground for re|>entance. Already the reproach of the Cross was felt, and Peter justifies the sufier- ing of Christ as part of God's |)urpo.se as shown in the prophets (3'"), though not excusing the sin of Christ's murderers (v. '^). Peter also calls .lesus God's 'servant Jesus' (v."), 'the Holy and Uight- eous One ' (v.'-"), ' the Prince of life' (v.''), a Prophet like unto Moses (v.'--), the fulfilment of the cove- nant promise to Abraham for the blessing of all the families of earth (v.-'). The nearest statement to the later interpretation of redemption on the basis of the death of Christ comes in v.'"*-, where he says, ' Kepent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may he blotted out.' Here ' there- fore ' points back to v. "*, which presents the nece.ssity of the suilerings of Chiist, in particular His death on the cross. 'I'he clearness of Peter's concei)tioii of the power of the living Christ appears in 4'"'''-, where he claims that the impotent man is made whole in the name of Jesus, and that Jesus is the Stone, rejected by the Jewish builders, but made the Head of the Corner by God in His Kingdom and the only hope of salvation for men everywhere (cf. 1 P 2''-*). Here tlie mediatorial work of Christ comes out sharply, and it is astonishing to note Peter's courageous boldness before the Sanhcdrin. There is thus no doubt as to the immediate inter- pretation of the Risen Christ as Lord and Saviour from sin. His death was not of a piece with that of Stephen and James, who died as martyrs. The death of Christ was part of God's foreseen plan (2=^), was predicted by the OT prophets (3'"), was the basis of repentance and forgiveness of sin (v.'"), and, with His resurrection, proved Him to be the sole hope of salvation (4'""'-).