Mediator (3316) mesites by Greek Word Studies

Mediator (3316) (mesites from mésos = middle, in midst) is one who stands in the middle between two people and brings them together. It is basically a neutral and trusted person in middle (mesos), a so called "middle Man" (arbitrator). It is one who works to remove disagreement and thus serves as a mediator, go-between or reconciler. Three of the five NT uses of mesites are in Hebrews... And for this reason (since His blood cleanses the conscience from dead works to serve the living God) He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (see note Hebrews 9:15) (But you have come to Mount Zion...) and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. (see note Hebrews 12:22) Notice that these passages substitute new covenant for better covenant as in the present passage. In short, Jesus is the Mediator, the One Who stands between men and God to bring them together on the basis of the New Covenant. He will quote from Jeremiah 31 which describes the New Covenant, which is God's new arrangement for those who enter that covenant to live and which our better high priest mediates and guarantees (see note Hebrews 7:22). Paul uses mesites in the three other NT occurrences (total of 6)... 1Timothy 2:5 there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 2:6 Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time. Vincent comments that... As the one God, so the one mediator implies the extension of the saving purpose to all. (Word Studies in the New Testament) Galatians 3:19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator (a reference to Moses), until the Seed (Messiah - see Gal 3:18 "your seed," that is, Christ) should come to Whom the promise had been made. Vincent has a long note on mesites in this passage... Mesites is a later Greek word, signifying also umpire, arbitrator, and appears in LXX only in Job. 9:33. The mediator here (Gal 3:16) is Moses, who is often so designated by rabbinical writers. (Word Studies in the New Testament) Galatians 3:20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. There is one use of mesites in the Septuagint... Job 9:32 For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him, that we may go to court together. 33 There is no umpire (mesites) between us, who may lay his hand upon us both. Job acknowledges that as a mere man he himself had no right to mediate his plight or complaint with God and so he expresses his longing for a mediator between God and himself, but he finds none in the Old Covenant. In the New Covenant we encounter the Mediator Who could meet our deepest need, the God-Man, Christ Jesus (1 Ti 2:5). Matthew Henry adds that... Job would gladly refer the matter, but no creature was capable of being a referee, and therefore he must even refer it still to God Himself and resolve to acquiesce in His judgment. Our Lord Jesus is the blessed Days-Man (KJV word for umpire or arbiter), Who has mediated between heaven and earth, has laid His hand upon us both; to Him the Father has committed all judgment, and we must. But this matter was not then brought to so clear a light as it is now by the gospel (Ed note: And the New Covenant revealed in the Gospel), which leaves no room for such a complaint as this. J Vernon McGee commenting on Job's predicament writes... Job is saying in effect, “If He were a man, I could talk to Him.” This is the reason God became a Man, my friend—so man could talk to Him and walk with Him and realize that he cannot meet God’s standards. The only Man who ever met God’s standards was the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what makes some of the contemporary plays and literature such a curse. They insinuate that Jesus was not only a man, but that He was a sinful man! Liberalism has been saying this for years. However, they cannot find in the Word of God that there was any sin in the Lord Jesus Christ. They find the sin in their own dirty hearts, because Jesus was without sin. Because Jesus was a Man, I can go to Him. He died for me on the cross! And He shows me by His life that I cannot meet God’s standards, that I need a Savior. By His death He can save me. This is what poor old Job was longing for. Job’s complaint was that there was no mediator between him and God. His cry is this: “Oh, if there were only Someone who could put His hand in the hand of God and who could put His other hand in my hand and bring us together. If He could do that, then I would have a mediator.” In the New Testament Paul wrote to a young preacher, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). The song that says, “Put your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee” is only half true. The Man of Galilee has another hand, and that hand is in the hand of God. Jesus is God, my friend; He is the God-Man. What a glorious, wonderful truth that is. Oh, how Job longed for Him! (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos) (Or listen to his Mp3) (Ed note: Beloved, how much more should we who abide on this side of Calvary long for Him, for as mere men God still has ample cause for complaint against us, and so we have abundant, continuing need for our heavenly Great High Priest to mediate for us with such a holy and awesome God! Let us long for and rely upon the mediating ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, our "Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous...the propitiation for our sins" Hallelujah! 1John 2:1,2) Wuest explains that a mediator... refers to one who intervenes between two, either to make or restore peace and friendship, to form a compact, or to ratify a covenant. Here the Messiah acts as a go-between or Mediator between a holy God and sinful man. By His death on the Cross, He removes the obstacle, sin, which caused an estrangement between man and God. When the sinner accepts the merits of Messiah’s sacrifice, the guilt and penalty of his sin is his no more, the power of sin in his life is broken, he becomes the recipient of the divine nature, and the estrangement between himself and God, both legal and personal, disappears. Messiah became the Mediator not only in order that He might pay the penalty of sinners who live since the Cross, but also that He might do so for those who lived before the Cross (Ed note: As indicated by the phrase "the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant" in Hebrews 9:15 [see note]; Thus Job's cry for an "umpire" was answered!). Sinners who were saved under the First Testament were actually saved, not by it or by any sacrifice offered under its jurisdiction, but through the atoning work of Messiah under the New Testament. (Ed note: They were saved by faith in the gospel just as Abraham was - cf Gal 3:8, Genesis 12:3, 15:6). (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/hebrews_84-6.htm#mediator

Be the first to react on this!

Mediator (3316) mesites

Greek Word Studies

Greek Word Studies ( - )

Group of Brands