From earlier posts of mine . . .
1st TIMOTHY 2:5 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
. . . . . which is exactly what St. Paul tells us a couple of verses before.
1st TIMOTHY 2:1-3 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications , prayers , intercessions , and thanksgivings be made for all men , 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. 3 This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior . . .
The Context and 1st Timothy 2:5
1st Timothy 2:5 allows for secondary mediation
contextually .
That’s WHY in the immediate verses earlier; we are NOT told we cannot pray on behalf of other people.
NOT 1st TIMOTHY 2:1-5 (Phantom Verse) 1 First of all, then, you people cannot make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. 3 Because if you try to do this, you will be trying to mediate between God and men. It is a terrible thing to try to do this mediation between God and men and totally unacceptable in the sight of God. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. So don’t you dare even think to try mediating in any sense.
No! That would be non-sense.
The issue isn’t CAN WE “mediate between God and men”.
The issue is HOW does Jesus “mediate between God and men”.
That’s part of what “grace” is.
That’s also WHY St. Peter can say we are
“partakers” of the Divine nature.
That’s WHY St. Paul tells us we have a
“participation” or a “koinonia” in Christ.
So the issue is HOW does Jesus mediate between God and men, NOT “can we please mediate APART from Jesus Christ just a little bit??” (We cannot “mediate” apart from Christ in any sense.)
That’s WHY several verses earlier you and I ARE
implored or entreated to mediate and pray on behalf of other people.
We CAN do this mediation that we are TOLD by St. Paul to do (in 1st Timothy 2) precisely because Jesus is the “one mediator” and Jesus works within us!
This is WHY we CAN mediate in some sense. And this mediation of ours (with Christ) is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior
1st TIMOTHY 2:1-5 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications , prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. 3 This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior , 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
Incidentally. Some examples of this concept of Christ at work IN US include Philippians 2:12-13, Philippians 4:13, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 3:20-21, and Hebrews 13:20a, 21. Other verses . . .
1/2. (More on 1st Timothy 2:5 shortly.)