Mediator or Intercessor

1 Timothy 2:5 is often quoted as a scripture that proves that Mary and “dead saints” cannot intercede for the living. Let us dive into Scripture and let us see if it is the case.

1 Timothy 2:5

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

The word Mediator is used in that verse. In the Greek the word used is μεσίτης (mesitēs). Just before this verse at the beginning of the chapter, Paul actually uses the word intercession.

1 Timothy 2:1

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”

In Greek the word used was ἐντεύξεις, (enteuxeis)

So we can safely conclude that the words used for intercessions and mediation are different. If the words were interchangeable, Paul would not have excluded everyone apart from Jesus from being a mediator and yet at the same ask from everyone for intercessions.

Lets do a quick exercise to help us remember that Mediator and Intercessor are not the same. So repeat after me.

Mediator

Intercessor

Mediator

Intercessor

MEDIATOR

INTERCESSOR

 

Mediator – Jesus

Intercessor-Everyone

Mediator- Jesus

Intercessor-Everyone

MEDIATOR – JESUS

INTERCESSOR-EVERYONE

 

Who can Mediate – Jesus

Who can Intercede – Everyone

Who can Mediate – Jesus

Who can Intercede – Everyone

WHO CAN MEDIATE – JESUS

WHO CAN INTERCEDE – EVERYONE

 

I think we have thoroughly differentiated the two words, we can go on to deal with following:

1.       the definitions of the two words and

2.      Can people on Earth pray for others

3.      Can the dead pray

 

1.      Definitions:

a.      Mediator a bridge between God and Men.

b.      Intercessor: someone who can pray for others.

 

 

2.      Asking another person living on earth is easily accepted as normal however this act is principally intercession. After all Scriptures say the pray for one another in many places but it also says the prayer of a righteous person avails much:

James 5:16

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

 

So it for fact that prayers do not avail the same results, hence its better for someone holier to pray for us. Who can be better than Mary who was sinless, the queen of heaven.

 The problem to some comes when we ask someone who is in heaven to pray for us. Suddenly, they claim that Jesus is the only intercessor.

As it is clear that people on earth can intercede for others. This puts away any doubt that Jesus or the Holy Spirit are not the only intercessors. The hurdle that remains Is to answer the one pivotal question, can those who in Christ pray.

 

3.      The common opinion held by those who do not believe that dead people can pray is called soul sleep. This is a belief that after death a person goes into a long sleep until the judgement day. However, we know for a fact that those who die in the lord go to be with Christ as St Paul tells us in his letter to the Phillipians:

 

21 For to me, to live is Christ; and to die is gain.  22 And if to live in the flesh, this is to me the fruit of labour, and what I shall choose I know not.  23 But I am straitened between two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, a thing by far the better.  24 But to abide still in the flesh, is needful for you.

(Phillipians 1:21-24)

 

To those who believe that people who die take a long nap until the end of time, why would Paul try to choose between a long nap and remaining alive to assist other Christians? He thought dying was a better thing.

 

We also know from the book of revelations that souls of those Martyred were seeking justice:

Revelations 6: “9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.  10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Lord (holy and true) dost thou not judge and revenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”

Verse 11 clearly shows us that they were still others still alive who will be killed like those ones, showing us truly that those were dead souls in heaven and were capable of praying. In chapter 8 of the same book, the souls on the altar have their prayers rise with incense:

 

“3 And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God.  4 And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel.”

 

2 Maccabees 15:14 describes Judah's vision in which St. Onias the high priest shows him Jeremiah the prophet, now in heaven: "And Onias spoke, saying, 'This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God'" (Of course, Maccabees was torn out of Protestant Bibles along with 6 other books in the 16th century during the Protestant Reformation).

 

Luke 16:19-31 The parable of the Rich man and Lazarus clearly shows us that the souls of the dead are alive. When Lazarus was in the Abraham ‘s bosom, both Lazarus and Abraham were very much alive. Jesus could not have used something not real and heretical just to prove a point.

 

During the transfiguration, in the texts Matt 17.1-9 Mark 9.2-9 Luke 9.28-36, Moses appeared who had been dead for centuries appeared with Elijah. How could that be possible since he was dead, unless the dead are alive. Or Jesus just resurrected him for a short while for a conversation and then sent him back to the grave? This is a clear example of a living man talking to a dead person in the Scriptures.

Therefore in conclusion the dead are alive in Christ and they can pray.

We have clearly shown that the words intercessor and mediator are different. Most people who have a problem with the intercession of saints have a tendency of agreeing that who are alive on earth can intercede for others which means they believe other people can intercede for other. They instantly change from that conclusion the moment you say the dead in Christ and claim that only Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the intercessors.

They fail to realize that once you claim that a person who is alive on earth can pray for others, it means you are concluding that Jesus or the Holy Spirit are not the only intercessors. However, the conclusion cannot be reached without contradicting Scripture, for in Scripture praying for others is actually praised.