Jesus as the One Mediator

[exiled]

Protestants get so worked up if we ask anyone to intercede for us to Jesus Christ, who is God. Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, they say.
What do you all think of this, is it legitimate.
It seems that most of the prayers we say to the Blessed Virgin Mary or to the saints are asking for their intercession with God the Son, not God the Father.
With this in mind, does it make any difference to a protestant. That Jesus Christ still maintains His position as the one Mediator between God the Father and man, but God the Son is a separate person of the Blessed Trinity and therefore does not violate Scripture to have others praying to Him for us.

 

[Tonks40]

Protestants get so worked up if we ask anyone to intercede for us to Jesus Christ, who is God. Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, they say.
What do you all think of this, is it legitimate.
It seems that most of the prayers we say to the Blessed Virgin Mary or to the saints are asking for their intercession with God the Son, not God the Father.
With this in mind, does it make any difference to a protestant. That Jesus Christ still maintains His position as the one Mediator between God the Father and man, but God the Son is a separate person of the Blessed Trinity and therefore does not violate Scripture to have others praying to Him for us.

Based on what I’ve seen protestants say, looks like they cannot distinguish between “mediator” and “intercessor” - to them it’s both the same thing.

 

[Penitus]

The important thing is to show them that if they take that verse literally, then it would be superfluous to ask anyone to pray for you…yet Paul asked tons of people to pray for him and for each other. Both Catholics and Protestants do the same today.

 

[ryanoneil]

I found this website which has many more scriptue quotes scripturecatholic.com/saints.html

1 Tim 2:1-2 - because Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5), many Protestants deny the Catholic belief that the saints on earth and in heaven can mediate on our behalf. But before Paul’s teaching about Jesus as the “one mediator,” Paul urges supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. Paul is thus appealing for mediation from others besides Christ, the one mediator. Why?

1 Tim 2:3 - because this subordinate mediation is good and acceptable to God our Savior. Because God is our Father and we are His children, God invites us to participate in Christ’s role as mediator.

1 Tim. 2:5 - therefore, although Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man, there are many intercessors (subordinate mediators).

 

[puzzleannie]

the last time I heard this (tired) debate I had been, coincidentally, reading about the autoworkers union negotiations, and the thought occurred to me that often in a labor dispute a federal mediator is appointed. He becomes the one person authorized to mediate in this situation. But it takes the work and goodwill of many people to get both sides to the table where they can take advantage of this mediation. the saints can by said, by loose analogy, to play this role, helping the individual reach the point where he can approach Christ, the one Mediator with the Father, overcoming obstacles, removing objections, mitigating intransigence, softening attitudes and opening individuals to ASK for and submit to this mediation.

 

[exiled]

Maybe my question wasn’t clear because my dh was talking to me as I tried to write. Or maybe I’m missing the point all of you are trying to make.
My question is, when a Catholic prays for the BVM to mediate/intercede, are we not asking her to mediate with God the Son?? I’ve never noticed that Our Lady or the saints are asked to intercede with the God the* Father*. Soooo, with that in mind, can it be said that Jesus Christ is still the One Mediator with God the Father for mankind?
The Father and the Son are two separate persons of the Blessed Trinity, so should a protestant be able to accept the mediation to the Son if not the Father?

 

[rwoehmke]

Is it like God the father doesn’t hear or cannot hear our prayers unless they get filtered through Jesus. Maybe our understanding of the word “mediator” is deficient. What was the original Greek term? Could it mean that we could only gain access (like an audience with a King) to the Father through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus and it is only through the timelessness of that action that we gain access to the Father even in our time. That would mean that Mary and the Saints would also enjoy that access through the passion and death and not that every prayer must “pass through” Jesus to the Father.

The role of a mediator in the Union example is not just that of messenger boy, but also to bring people together at a common table where they can talk directly to each other.

 

[mark_a]

My question is, when a Catholic prays for the BVM to mediate/intercede, are we not asking her to mediate with God the Son??

John Martignoni explains prayers to the Saints exactly as you describe.