WCF 8.1

Westminster Confession of Faith

8.1. Of Christ the Mediator

It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, 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

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. WSC Q21 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
  4. WSC Q22 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q21 · WSC Q22 · WLC Q36 · WLC Q37 · WLC Q38 · WLC Q39 · BC 5.2 · BC 5.3 · BC 5.4 · BC 5.5 · BC 5.6 · HC Q29 · CD 2.1 · HC Q37 · IAR 4.5 · SC60 2.2 · SHC 2.3 · SHC 2.4 · IAR 5.1 · IAR 5.2 · IAR 5.3 · IAR 5.4 · IAR 5.5 · SC60 3.1 · SHC 3.2

Leader's notes

A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): this Section teaches, in addition — 1st. That the covenanted Head of the redeemed * 184 Church is not the divine Word, absolutely considered, but the incarnate God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has received a divine appointment to be Mediator between God and man. 2d. That the mediatorial office, in the exercise of which Christ accomplishes our redemption, embraces three distinct functions, viz.: those of a Prophet, of a Priest and of a King. 3d. That, as Mediator, Christ is Head and Saviour of his Church, Heir of all things and Judge of the world. A mediator is one who intervenes between contesting parties for the sake of making reconciliation. The term is sometimes applied to independent and disinterested…

An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): A mediator is one who interposes between two parties at variance, to prociu-e-a reconciliation. Before the fall, there was no need of a mediator betv/een God and man ; for, thqngh there was an infinite distance in nature, yet, there was no variance between these parties. But upon the fall the case was altered ; God was dishonoured, and highly offended ; man was alienated from God, and subjected to his judicial displeasure ; and as man was unable to satisfy the claims of tlie divine law which he had violated, if he was to be restored to the favour of his oifended sovereign, the interposition of another person was requisite, to atone for his guilt, and lay the foundation…