SD 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 fulfil it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered, being made sin and a curse for us, enduring most grievous torments immediately from God in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body, was crucified, and died; was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day he arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered, with which also he 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

• Ps. 40:7, 8 with Heb. 10:5–10
• 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.”
• Phil. 2:8 — [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• Gal. 4:4 — [4] But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
• Matt. 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.
• Matt. 5:17 — [17] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
• Matt. 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.
• Matt. 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?”
• Phil. 2:8 — [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• Acts. 2:23, 24, 27 — [23] this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. [24] God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. [27] For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.
• Acts 13:37 — [37] but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.
• Rom. 6:9 — [9] We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
• 1 Cor. 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.
• Rom. 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.
• Heb. 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.
• Heb. 7:25 — [25] Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
• Rom. 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.”
• 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.
• Matt. 13:40, 41, 42 — [40] Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. [41] The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, [42] and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Jude 6 — [6] And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day —
• 2 Pet. 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 Ps. 40:7, 8 with Heb. 10:5–10 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 25 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?
4. 1689 8.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WCF 8.1 · 1689 8.1