WRITING:
1 Timothy 2:5 «For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.»
SUPPORTING VERSES:
Hebrews 8:6, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 12:24, John 14:6, Acts 4:12
MEDITATION
Timothy, Paul's spiritual son and a young pastor in Ephesus, is confronted with false teachings in the church, vain speculations, and a certain amount of disorder. Paul writes to him to remind him of sound doctrine and give him the necessary instructions to maintain order in the house of God. He first exhorts him to prayer, then reiterates a fundamental truth: there is only one God. He thus reaffirms the central confession of Judaism:
«Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one» (Deuteronomy 6:4).
But this one God is not a tribal or local god. He is the God of the whole earth, the God of all people. Paul then goes further and reaffirms the theological foundation of the Christian faith: the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the sole mediator between God and humanity. He affirms this same truth unambiguously elsewhere:
«We know that there is no idol in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—and indeed there are many “gods” and “lords”—yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.» (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)
This statement is crucial. Yet today it is met with either disbelief or derision. It clashes with the spirit of our times, but it remains central to the Christian faith. No other message brings life.
The story of Philippe aptly illustrates the confusion of our century.
PHILIPPE AND THE RING OF KEYS
Philippe is a calm, thoughtful man, searching for meaning. He finds a certain satisfaction in doing good. He has read the Bible and the Quran, draws inspiration from Buddhism, practices yoga, and seeks a form of inner peace in all of this. For him, each of these paths, in some way, brings a touch of the divine.
But that evening, at the end of a shift distributing meals to the homeless, a conversation deeply irritated him. Another evangelical, convinced he possessed the truth, with the narrow-mindedness that characterizes them. "To claim that Jesus is the only mediator between God and humanity? What arrogance!" he thought as he drifted off to sleep.
That night, he had a dream.
He stands before a massive, securely locked door. Behind it, he clearly sees everything he desires: peace, forgiveness, eternal life, communion with God. He eagerly approaches, grasps the handle, but the door is closed. At his feet, he sees an open bag containing an enormous bunch of keys. Relieved, he takes it. "One of these keys is bound to work," he tells himself confidently.
He then notices that each key has a name. He takes the first one; it's called 'good works'. Confident, he thinks of his outreach, all his altruistic actions, inserts it into the lock… nothing. He looks again. The second one is called 'sincerity'. This should work. But no.
The third: religion. He smiles. Confident, he takes it, because for him, it's not one religion, it's several that he combines. He tries. No, it doesn't work. A slight unease begins to rise. His gaze falls on a key labeled 'prayers to saints, ancestors, and spiritual intermediaries'. Prayer never fails, he thinks. And yet, the door remains closed. He tries again: transcendental meditations, ancestral rituals, spiritual energies, inner awakening. Key after key, each one bears the name of the values and practices in which he has placed his trust. But the door doesn't open.
Desperate, he rummaged through the bottom of the bag. All that remained was an old, dull, worn key. It lacked the luster of the other golden keys. He hesitated, wondering if this one would even work. He read the inscription: "Jesus, the only mediator." Did he want to use this key? But he had no other choice. Everything else had failed. He put the key in the lock. The door opened instantly, with disconcerting ease. Everything was there.
As he was about to cross the threshold, Philippe woke with a start. His cheeks were wet. He was crying and heard himself say: "Jesus, the only mediator.".
The mediator
What Philip didn't know was that asserting that Jesus is the only mediator is not arrogance, but a spiritual truth. The Greek word mesitēs refers to the one who stands in the middle, the intermediary between two separate parts. Humanity is separated from God by sin. A mediator was needed to reconcile the two. Only Jesus could remove this separation, and He did so on the cross.
Paul uses this term for Christ in 1 Timothy 2:5. The Epistle to the Hebrews takes it up again when speaking of Jesus as "mediator of a better covenant" (Hebrews 8:6) and "mediator of a new covenant" (Hebrews 9:15; 12:24).
Why is He the only one?
He had to be human to represent humanity and receive punishment in our place; he had to be divine to have access to God and conquer death; he had to be sinless to be an acceptable offering; he had to be willing to give his life. No prophet, no saint, no guru, before or after him, fulfills these conditions. No one. Except Jesus.
Acts 4:12 «There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.»
So even if it offends the sensibilities of Philippe's companions, it is important to say it and say it again.
Jesus Christ, man
Paul emphasizes Jesus' humanity to affirm his capacity to represent humanity. He is a man who sinned, and he is a man who paid for sin. This directly relates to the Incarnation. It is because he became flesh that he can save those who are flesh.
Hebrews 2:14 «Therefore, since children share in flesh and blood, he too, in a similar way, shared in the same.»
He can sympathize with our weaknesses because He shared our condition. He is a compassionate high priest, tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 2:17) because He was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
A perfect and complete mediation
Jesus entered the sanctuary once for all with his own blood and obtained eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). He perfectly accomplished his work of mediation, which is why we receive salvation and have the assurance of salvation. His sacrifice is unique, sufficient, and definitive. Hebrews 9:28 affirms that he offered himself once to bear the sins of many. Nothing else can be added to his work. No other practice, ritual, or religion is necessary or valid.
In other words, no other mediator, prophet, or other figure is sent by God after Jesus. There is no need to go through saints, Mary, the mother of Jesus, or any other figure. The price has been paid. He completed the work of reconciliation, and we now have access to God through Him. And He continues His work of intercession for us today.
Hebrews 7:25 «Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.»
1 John 2:1 «If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.»
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE LOST
Many, like Philip, rely on their works, spiritual practices, or sincerity, but Ephesians 2:8-9 affirms that salvation is by grace through faith and is a gift from God, not the result of works. Others are devotees of prayer and religious rituals; some worship saints, while others boast of being followers of the latest revelation, completely unaware of its falsehood.
Finally, some believe that "all religions lead to the same God." But Jesus strongly contradicts them in John 14:6, saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." And Peter reminds us on the day of Pentecost that there is salvation in no other name.
The message of the Gospel is exclusive. It is disturbing. But it is true.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US
If Christ is the only mediator, our message must be clear, without compromise or ambiguity. He affirms that he is the way, not one among many. We cannot deny His words by claiming that all religions save. Only one offers the mediator that God has established. Pluralism is not a virtue for Christians; it is a surrender. And syncretism is an aberration for the followers of Jesus. We are not coaches who encourage people to believe what makes them happy. We are proclaimers of truth. True love speaks the truth, even at the risk of disapproval and offense.
Otherwise, we will have to let people believe a lie that will lead them to eternal damnation. This is a great cruelty to which we are often insensitive. It is better to offend than to let people fall into eternal fire.
Ask yourself to what extent those around you truly understand that Jesus is the only mediator, or at least that's how they've heard you say it? How will you talk to them about the only mediator?
«"There is one God and one mediator between God and men: Jesus Christ, the man."»
Don't let a week go by without sharing this truth with someone. We are surrounded by people trying different keys that cannot open the door to life. Let's show them the true key. Philip woke up weeping and proclaiming, "Jesus, the only mediator." Let this be the testimony of your loved ones.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- Have you ever hesitated to proclaim the exclusivity of Christ for fear of offending or appearing intolerant? How do you plan to remedy this?
- How can you explain in 60 seconds or less why Christ is the only mediator? Write the answer using 1 Timothy 2:5, John 14:6, and Acts 4:12.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You are the only mediator between God and humanity. Thank You for leaving heaven to become man, for living without sin to be the perfect sacrifice. Thank You for giving Your life to reconcile me with the Father.
I pledge to honor You by proclaiming You as the only mediator, the only way to salvation.
Thank you to all the people who will come to know You following my preaching.
CONFESSION OF THE DAY
I proclaim that there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, and no one else can reconcile us to God.
From today onward, I will lead the lost to Him alone.»
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