The One Mediator – And the Sacraments

Ancient Faith Ministries ^ | January 16, 2023 | Fr. Stephen Freeman

[Carpe Cerevisi]

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, (1 Tim. 2:5)

There is no way to adequately explain priesthood without reference to mediation. A priest is a mediator between God and Man. From time to time over the years, I have had the verse from 1 Timothy pointed out to me with the argument that there cannot be any mediator other than Christ, and, thus, there cannot be any such thing as a “priest” within the Church. Sometimes the argument becomes even more pointed:

I do not need to go to a priest to have my sins forgiven! I can go directly to God. I don’t want anything or anyone standing between me and Jesus.

If the priesthood (ordained or otherwise) stood between a person and Christ, I would oppose it myself. However, its purpose, like all of the sacraments, is quite the opposite: it is to mediate the presence of Christ, that is to make Him present, not serve in His absence. The greater question, therefore, is whether there need be any sacraments.

That Christ gave us Holy Baptism and the Eucharist is beyond doubt. In particular, with the Eucharist, we are told, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in them.” Further, we are commanded to eat His flesh and drink His blood. The notion that the Eucharist is merely a ritual action designed to make us think of Jesus is, historically speaking, absurd. There is only evidence in the early Church that the bread and the wine truly become the Body and Blood of Christ. Everything said about it in the Scriptures, including the warning of possible sickness accompanying eating it in the wrong manner, argue against mere memorialism.

[Carpe Cerevisi]

The latest from Fr. Stephen Freeman.

[Campion]

People rip 1 Tm 2:5 out of context and make it stand on its own, and try to make it mean what it doesn't say.

It doesn't say there is no mediator except Christ, it says there is no mediation with the Father that doesn't go through the mediation of Christ. It doesn't preclude mediation by mortals with Christ on behalf of other mortals.

We know this for two reasons.

One, 1 Tm 2 starts out by commanding intercessory prayer "for everyone, for kings and all in authority" and says that that is "good and pleasing to God Our Father". Intercessory prayer is mediation. (To be consistent, people who argue that 1 Tm 2: 5 says that "Christ is the only mediator" should stop praying for family members and other loved ones.) It is mediation through Christ, not apart from him, obviously.

Second, there is a stronger Gk word for "one and only one," monos that would make sense if Paul wanted to emphasize that mediation was something Christ alone took part in. The Greek of 1 Tm 2:5 uses "heis," not "monos". "Heis" is "one, unique, primary", not "one and only one".

[Parity]

Always interesting to note this difference between Orthodox Christian practice, and Catholic observance (Ancient Faith is an Orthodox site, if you didn’t know).

In Catholic practice one confesses to, and is absolved by, the priest attending the confession. In Orthodoxy, one confesses to God (before an icon of Christ to remind you who is actually listening to the confession.) The priest serves as a witness, guide, and advisor, and follows with prayer to God to forgive your sins. The priest is not a mediator, as much as someone who keeps you honest.

It’s surprisingly similar to Twelve Step programs’ step 5,”Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” There’s a reason for another human being to be involved - to challenge any attempt to justify our sins/wrongs.

[Campion]

In Catholic practice one confesses to, and is absolved by, the priest attending the confession.

Of course, the theology is that the priest acts in persona Christi, as a stand-in or figurehead for Christ, who is the real minister of every sacrament.

[Campion]

Actually the words of absolution in at least some Orthodox traditions are very close to the Catholic practice.

For example, Russian Orthodoxy:

May our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, by the grace and compassion of His love for mankind, forgive you, my child, N., all your transgressions. And I His unworthy Priest, through the power given me, forgive and absolve you from all your sins, + in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Now, having no further care for the sins which you have confessed. depart in peace, knowing such sins are as far from you as the East is from the West. Amen.