Scripture: Luke 5.1-11
Confession Chapter 8: Christ the Mediator
1. 1To give effect to His eternal purpose God chose and ordained the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, in accordance with the covenant into which they had entered, to be the Mediator between God and man; also to be Prophet, Priest, King, Head and Saviour of His church; also to be the Heir of all things and Judge of the world. 2From all eternity God had given to His Son those who were to be His progeny, and the Son engaged in time (as distinct from eternity) to redeem, call, justify, sanctify and glorify them.
Ps. 2.6, Isa. 42.1, 53.10, Lke. 1.33, Jn. 17.6, Ac. 3.22, 17.31, Rom. 8.30, Eph. 1.22, 23, Heb. 1.2, 5.5, 6, 1 Pe. 1, 19, 20.
2. 1The divine Person Who made the world, and upholds and governs all things that He has made, is the Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. 2He is true and eternal God, the ‘brightness’ of the Father‘s glory’, of the same substance (or essence) as the Father, and equal with Him. 3It is He Who, at the appointed time, took upon Himself the nature of man, with all its essential characteristics and its common infirmities, sin excepted. 4He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, a woman who belonged to the tribe of Judah, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her and the power of God Most High overshadowing her. 5And so, as the Scripture tell us, He was made of a woman, a descendant of Abraham and David. 6In this way it came about that the two whole, perfect and distinct natures, the divine and the human, were inseparably joined together in one Person, without the conversion of the one nature into the other, and without the mixing, as it were, of one nature with the other; in other words, without confusion. 7Thus the Son of God is now both true God and true man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.
Matt. 1.22-3, Lke. 1.27, 31, 35, Jn. 1.14, Rom. 8.3, 9.5, Gal. 4.4, 1 Tim. 2.5, Heb. 2.14, 16, 17, 4.15
3. 1The two natures, divine and human, being thus united in the person of God’s Son, He was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit to an unlimited extent, and in Him are found all treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 2He is replete with all that is pleasing to the Father, being holy, harmless, untouched by sin, and full of grace and truth. 3Thus He has become thoroughly qualified to execute the work of a mediator and surety. 4He did not take this work upon Himself uncalled, but was commissioned by His Father so to act. 5His Father also conferred upon Him full powers of jurisdiction and commanded Him to pass judgment on all.
Ps. 45.7, Matt. 28.18, Jn. 1.14, 3.34, 5.22, 27, Ac. 2.36, 10.38, Col. 1.19, 2.3, Heb. 5.5, 7.22, 26
Outline of the Chapter
- Jesus, the Covenant Mediator
The Lord Jesus Christ came at the Father’s bidding to bring His own to salvation.
2. Jesus, fully God and fully man
The Second Person on the Trinity came, fully God and fully man, in the line of promise, to be our Mediator.
- The work and achievement of Jesus
Jesus was called, commissioned and Spirit-anointed in order to fulfil His task of being our Mediator. He is now Judge of all.
1. Read Conf. 1.1. What is the Covenant which the Confession refers to? Check Psalm 2.6 and Is. 42.1 (and Conf. 7.3.4).
2. How many titles are given to the Lord Jesus in Conf. 1.1? Can you come up with a clear, biblical statement as to what each one means?
3. Read Conf. 2.1-3, and the first Scriptures from the Gospels (in the footnote). How do these verses help us to appreciate the Confession’s sentences?
4. What role does Conf. 2.7 say that Jesus fulfils? Why is it necessary that in this office He should be both God and man? Check the Scripture references, especially Rom 8.3, and Heb. 2.14, 16, 17, 4.15.
5. Read Conf. 3.2-3. What does Jesus’ sinlessness tell us about Who He is, and what He achieves for sinners?
6. Check Jn. 5.22, 27 alongside Conf. 3.5. How do these truths shape how we believe – and tell – the Gospel?
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