SD 8.1

8.1. Of Christ the Mediator

It pleased God, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son, according to a covenant made between them both, to be the Mediator between God and man; the Prophet, Priest, and King, the Head and Saviour of his Church, the Heir of all things and Judge of the world; unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed, and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.

Proof texts

• Isa. 42:1 — [1] Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
• 1 Pet. 1:19, 20 — [19] but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. [20] He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you
• John 3:16 — [16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
• 1 Tim. 2:5 — [5] For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
• Acts 3:22 — [22] Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.
• Heb. 5:5, 6 — [5] So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; [6] as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
• Ps. 2:6 — [6] “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
• Luke 1:33 — [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
• Eph. 5:23 — [23] For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
• Heb. 1:2 — [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
• Acts 17:31 — [31] because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
• John 17:6 — [6] “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
• Ps. 22:30, Isa. 53:10 — [30] Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
• 1 Tim. 2:6 — [6] who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
• Isa. 55:4, 5 — [4] Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. [5] Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
• 1 Cor. 1:30 — [30] And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Isa. 42:1 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 16 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WCF 8.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WCF 8.1