Connect Galatians 3:20 with 1 Timothy 2:5 on Christ's mediating role. Text in focus Galatians 3:20 — “A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.” 1 Timothy 2:5 — “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” What a mediator is and why one is needed • A mediator stands between two parties to reconcile them. • If there is only one party, mediation is pointless; the verse reminds us “God is one.” • Humanity, separated from God by sin, created the need for a go-between. Galatians 3:20 — mediation under the law • The Mosaic Law was “delivered through angels by a mediator” (Galatians 3:19). • That mediator was Moses, representing the people before God (Exodus 20:19; Deuteronomy 5:5). • The arrangement highlighted distance: God on Sinai, people below; holiness on one side, sin on the other. • Because the law could only expose sin (Romans 3:20), it required continual mediation through priests and sacrifices (Hebrews 7:27). 1 Timothy 2:5 — Christ, the singular mediator • “There is one God and one mediator.” The oneness of God stays unchanged; the uniqueness of Christ’s mediating office is stressed. • “The man Christ Jesus” underscores His full humanity—He represents us fully. • Yet He is also fully God (John 1:1,14; Colossians 2:9), able to represent the Father perfectly. • Unlike Moses or the Levitical priests, His mediation is once-for-all, secured by His own blood (Hebrews 9:12). How Christ fulfills and surpasses the law’s mediation • Better covenant: “But now He has obtained a superior ministry... a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6) • Once-for-all sacrifice: “He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12) • Direct access: “Through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18) • End of the law as a means to righteousness: “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4) Putting the two verses together • Galatians 3:20 shows mediation was required because the law involved two estranged parties: holy God and sinful people. • 1 Timothy 2:5 reveals the ultimate solution: God Himself provided the Mediator, uniting both parties in Christ. • Thus, the “one God” of both verses remains unchanged, while the “one mediator” changes—from Moses under the law to Christ under grace. Implications for everyday life • Assurance: Our standing with God rests on Christ’s finished mediation, not on our performance. • Access: Prayer and worship go directly to the Father through Jesus (Hebrews 4:14-16). • Unity: The same Mediator removes barriers among believers (Ephesians 2:14-16). • Mission: Because there is “one mediator,” all people need the same Savior (Acts 4:12). Key takeaways • The law’s mediated system pointed forward to a perfect Mediator. • Jesus, fully God and fully man, fulfills that role once and for all. • Galatians 3:20’s statement that “God is one” finds its gracious outworking in 1 Timothy 2:5’s declaration that the one God has provided one Mediator—Christ Jesus. |
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