1689 8.4

8.4. Of Christ the Mediator

This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, which that he might discharge he was made under the Law, and did perfectly fulfill it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have born and suffered, being made Sin and a Curse for us: enduring most grievous sorrows in his Soul; and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead; yet saw no corruption: on the third day he arose from the dead, with the same body in which he suffered; with which he also ascended into heaven: and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, making intercession; and shall return to judge Men and Angels, at the end of the World.

Proof texts

• Psalms 40:7, 8 — [7] Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: [8] I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
• Hebrews 10:5-10 — [5] Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; [6] in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. [7] Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” [8] When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), [9] then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. [10] And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
• John 10:18 — [18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
• Galatians 4:4 — [4] But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
• Matthew 3:15 — [15] But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
• Galatians 3:13 — [13] Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” —
• Isaiah 53:6 — [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned — every one — to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
• 1 Peter 3:18 — [18] For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 — [21] For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
• Matthew 26:37, 38 — [37] And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. [38] Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”
• Luke 22:44 — [44] And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
• Matthew 27:46 — [46] And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
• Acts 13:37 — [37] but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.
• 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 — [3] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
• John 20:25, 27 — [25] So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” [27] Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
• Mark 16:19 — [19] So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
• Acts 1:9-11 — [9] And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. [10] And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, [11] and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
• Romans 8:34 — [34] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
• Hebrews 9:24 — [24] For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
• Acts 10:42 — [42] And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
• Romans 14:9, 10 — [9] For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. [10] Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
• Acts 1:11 — [11] and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
• 2 Peter 2:4 — [4] For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Psalms 40:7, 8 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 23 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q21 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WLC Q36 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q21 · WLC Q36 · WCF 8.1 · HC Q29 · HC Q37 · BC 5.2 · BC 5.3 · BC 5.4 · BC 5.5 · BC 5.6 · CD 2.1 · SD 8.1