I wanted to do a short presentation on the subject of Jesus as Mediator.
1 Timothy 2:5 tells us: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus…”
As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, are you aware, that the Governing Body, your spiritual guides, you know those guys in Warwick, NY who claim that obeying them is liken to obeying Jesus Christ, say that Jesus is NOT your mediator? I wonder what part of “Humanity” in this verse don’t they understand?
Doing a search on the jw.org site, I came up with a few references. First, let’s see how the Society defines MEDIATOR:
Insight on the Scriptures
MEDIATOR
“One who interposes between two parties at variance to reconcile them; an intercessor; an intermediary agent, or go-between.” – Vol. II, page 360
Easton Bible Dictionary defines it this way:
“One who intervenes between two persons who are at variance, with a view to reconcile them.”
What does it mean to be “at variance”? It means “the state or fact of disagreeing or quarrelling.” So in plain English, a mediator is one who reconciles two opposing parties. Now keep that definition in mind.
On page 362, under the subheading Those for Whom Christ Is Mediator.
“The apostle Paul declares that there is “one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all”—for both Jews and Gentiles. (1Ti 2:5, 6) He mediates the new covenant between God and those taken into the new covenant, the congregation of spiritual Israel.”
In the April 1st 1979 Watchtower, there’s a QUESTIONS FROM READERS, which asked: Is Jesus the mediator only for anointed Christians? Here’s how they respond:
“Moses was the “mediator” of the Law covenant made between God and the nation of Israel. (Gal. 3:19, 20) Christ, though, is the “mediator of a new covenant” between Jehovah and spiritual Israel, the “Israel of God” that will serve as kings and priests in heaven with Jesus.
It goes on to say that
“in this strict Biblical sense Jesus is the “mediator” only for anointed Christians.”
A few months later, in the November 15, 1979 Watchtower on page 24, par. 14, it states that Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant, not with natural Israel, but “with the newly born Christian Israel, the spiritual Israel,” which started with the 120 baptized in the Book of Acts.
Now, we’ll get into the issue of the New Covenant, a little later, but notice what it says on par. 20
“20 What, then, is Christ’s role in this program of salvation? Paul proceeds to say: “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men [not, all men], a man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all.”—1 Tim. 2:5, 6.”
Now, does that makes sense to you, They quote 1 Timothy 2:5, 6, which states, Jesus gave himself a corresponding ransom for all, and then in brackets say “not all men”. Again, I ask, what part of “all” don’t they understand? That’s how they indoctrinate you, they quote a scripture and then give it their twisted interpretation.
So, if you don’t profess to be anointed, then Jesus is NOT your mediator. And if you don’t have a mediator, how do you approach the throne of grace? That is, how do you pray if Jesus doesn’t mediate for you, because Jesus stated in John 14:14
“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” So we pray in Jesus’ name. But if Jesus is only mediator for the 144,000, your prayers haven’t been heard.
According to the Watchtower’s own statistics, only about 0.1% of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide actually partake of the Memorial emblems.
For example, in the 2023 service year, 22,312 Witnesses worldwide were recorded as partakers out of 20,461,767 total Memorial attendees. This means that just over 1 in 900 Witnesses who attended the Memorial actually took the bread and wine.
So, if you’re not anointed, let’s face it, the results are slim that he took your petitions to his father.
Now, not only is Jesus NOT your mediator, you’re not even in the New Covenant. Apparently, the Governing Body doesn’t even understand what either a mediator or what the New Covenant is. They say:
“The “great crowd” of “other sheep” that is forming today is not in that new covenant. However, by their associating with the “little flock” of those yet in that covenant they come under benefits that flow from that new covenant.”
Do you see what they did there? Jesus is the mediator between Jehovah and spiritual Israel, that is, the anointed, the elect, the 144,000. But what about the rank and file, those who don’t profess to be anointed? They don’t have the Holy Spirit, they’re not in the new covenant, and Jesus is not their mediator. What do they have? Well, like the Samaritans, they get the crumbs off the table.
Apparently, the anointed, will mediate between the rank and file and Jesus. Kind of reminds me of the Catholic view of Mary as co-mediatrix
In the book Worldwide Security Under the Prince of Peace, on page 10,paragraph 16, it states:
“Jesus Christ is not the mediator between Jehovah God and all mankind, he is the mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members.”
Verse 6 is tied to the mediator: “who gave Himself a ransom for all.” What part of “ALL” don’t they understand?
Now this is what the Governing Body teaches today, that Jesus is the mediator for only 144,000. So again, according to the Watchtower this may shock some of you, if you’re not one of the 144,000, Jesus is not your mediator.
But what does the Bible say about this? Let’s look at 1 Timothy 2:3-6, and we’re going to read from the New World Translation (Study edition):
“This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, 4. whose will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth. 5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, 6. who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all—this is what is to be witnessed to in its own due time.”
Okay, let’s look at the comments on verse 4:
“While the Greek expression used here may more literally be translated “all people,” the rendering “all sorts of people” is appropriate because of the context.”
This is where they put their twist on the verse:
“God wants all people “to attain to repentance” (2Pe 3:9), so he impartially offers salvation to everyone, regardless of their gender, ethnic background, financial status, or social position.”
You see what they did here? They reinterpreted this verse to mean, “gender, ethnicity, financial or social status.” But that’s not what the scripture is saying.
Now we come to that term mediator in verse 5. The comments say:
“The term “mediator” refers to Jesus’ legal role in connection with the new covenant. At Heb 9:15, Jesus is called “a mediator of a new covenant.” … Jesus “gave himself a corresponding ransom for all,” laying the basis for men and women of all sorts to be brought into the new covenant. (1Ti 2:6) It is a covenant between God and the 144,000 spirit-anointed Christians.—Lu 22:20; Heb 8:6, 10-13; Re 7:4-8.”
Even if you’re not a Greek expert, you can easily spot from an Interlinear Text like the EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT, BERRY’S INTERLINEAR GREEK-ENGLISH NEW TESTAMENT, or even the KINGDOM INTERLINEAR published by the Society, that there aren’t any Greek words that match up with “all sorts of people.” Among the various translations, these four extra words pop up only in a footnote in the Watchtower’s own NEW WORLD TRANSLATION study Bible.
Galatians 3:29 reads:
“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Who is Paul talking about? He’s talking about the elect, the Church. What promise? It’s the promise found in Genesis 12:3, 22:18 and 26:4, where Jehovah tells Abraham:
“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
This was a non-binding covenant. Abraham didn’t have to do a thing. God was going to do this. So the Nation of Israel would be the earthly seed of promise, through them, all the families of the earth will be blessed.
But there was to be a spiritual seed, and it started with Jesus, and there were conditions. Galatians 3:16 reads:
“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.”
So the seed is Christ. The Greek word is Strong’s 5547, which is CHRISTOS, where we get the name “Christ”, which simply means “anointed one”. It comes from Strong’s 5548, chrió.
Jesus used this word chrió in Luke 4:18, when he said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel …”
So when Jesus came on the scene, it says he went “to the lost house of Israel.” He told his disciples to go witness only to the Jews. (Matthew 10:6, 15:24). And if the Jews had accepted him, both the earthly and spiritual seed would be made up of Israelites. But they rejected him, and so while the earthly promises were still there’s, they would have to share the spiritual promises with gentiles.
Going back to that word chrió, the Apostle uses that term when describing the church. He says in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22:
“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
That word anointed is chrió.
So the word “Christ” isn’t Jesus’ last name, although we tend to use it as such. It can properly be attributed to the Church, the elect, because they too are anointed, the same spirit that anointed Jesus, anoints them.
But, even if it was Jesus’ last name, it still would apply to the elect. How? Think about it, when a bride marries her husband, she takes his last name, and identifies with him. It’s the same with the church, They’re referred to as “the Bride of Christ”. In Matthew 25, they are represented in the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, who go out to meet the Bridegroom. Revelation 21 refers to them as a Bride. So, each and every member of this elect class would be “Christ”, that is anointed.
So, Jesus and his body members, the church, are the spiritual seed of Abraham. Together, they are the mediator of the New Covenant. They’re NOT under the New Covenant, they mediate the New Covenant, which is made with the Nation of Israel, first, the earthly seed, then to all the nations through them. (Jeremiah 31:31) Which reads:
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”
It’s ironic how the Society glosses over this verse, by simply saying:
“The parties to the new covenant are Jehovah, on one side, and “the Israel of God,” the spirit-begotten ones in union with Christ, making up his congregation or body, on the other side.“ (Insight. p. 524)
The verse mentioned both the “house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” So who are represented by these two houses?
So, under the New Covenant, God’s blessings aren’t for everyone, just for one nation—the descendants of Abraham. Like it says in Jer. 31:31. This New Covenant is all about Israel because they’re the ones connected to Abraham by blood. The Abrahamic Covenant shines through the New Covenant, and through His will, it brings blessings back to Israel. Then, through Israel, those blessings will be available to anyone who wants to join in.
You know how the Scriptures talk about that Millennial time kicking off? They hint that the nations will start paying attention to Israel and the special blessings God has for them. “The Law shall go forth from Zion (Spiritual Israel), and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Natural Israel).” The world will be watching and seeing all the blessing happening with Israel, and they’ll be like, “Hey, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord’s house! He’ll show us His ways, and we’ll walk in His paths.” Everyone will notice that all the blessings are flowing to Israel, and they’ll want in on it too. But if a nation decides not to follow the Lord’s way and ignore His word, they won’t get any rain. And by “rain,” I mean all the blessings that come from God’s mercy—health, strength, and freedom from all the bad stuff in the world. Under this new setup, the Ancient Worthies will be in charge. By Ancient Worthies, I’m referring to the ancient prophets and all the holy ones mentioned, but not limited to Hebrews 11.
People are gonna be drawn to real-life results. They’ll still be facing death, but true life will only be where the New Covenant is active, and it’s only for those who get on board with it. As more nations see the blessings for those under the New Covenant, they’ll want to join in too. That’s how God planned it—anyone can come in and become part of Israel. By the end of the Millennial Age, the whole world will be like Israelites, and everyone will be part of Abraham’s family, just like it says, he’ll be the “father of many nations.”
Let’s wrap this up.
You know, when we talk about the word “mediator” in the Scriptures, it really points to a covenant between parties that are at odds with each other. Remember that definition: “a mediator is one who reconciles two opposing parties.” If Jesus, as the Society teaches is mediator ONLY for the 144,000, does it make sense that they are at odds or oppose to Jehovah God?
Now God and the world? Yeah, they’re not on the best terms. Sin has led to God condemning the world, and that condemnation is still hanging over it—except for that little part that’s been justified by faith. The world is still caught up in the Wicked One, still under that condemnation. That’s why a Mediator was so important—someone to step in and bring these estranged parties back together.
Our Lord Jesus came to be the Savior for both the world and the Church. His sacrifice was part of the Divine plan so He could become the Mediator between God and all of humanity—sinners included. That goal is going to be achieved, even if it hasn’t happened yet. It’s totally fine to refer to Jesus as our Mediator and to talk about the New Covenant as if it’s already been established because God has promised it, and He doesn’t lie. It’s in the works! He’s going to make a Covenant with the House of Judah and the House of Israel after these Gospel days (Heb. 8:8-10). He’ll provide a Mediator who will mediate between God and man during the Millennium. It’s all part of the Divine plan that Jesus will take on that role, so it makes sense to call Him that now—talking about things that aren’t here yet as if they are. This doesn’t contradict the idea that this Mediator is growing and adding more members every day.
But why the wait? If Jesus is the Mediator and the plan for a New Covenant is set in stone, why not just seal it right away? Well, that’s part of the “Hidden Mystery”—”Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:26,27). It’s part of God’s purpose that Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant—whose merit is what makes all this possible—be the Head of the Church, which is His Body, with all of us as “members in particular of the Body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:27). The Divine plan includes the Church as the antitypical Isaac. “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise”—the children of the Faith Covenant (Gal. 4:28). Jesus, by Divine design, accepts members who will share in His sacrifices and eventually be His joint-heirs.
This Church class isn’t part of the “men” mentioned in 1Timothy 2:4—they’re not included in the world. “Ye are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). The world and its people need that great Mediator to help them reconcile with God. The New Covenant and the Kingdom will bring Divine provisions meant to bless the world, to soften hearts, and to lead everyone to bow and confess to God’s glory. The Church, as the Bride, not only shares in the struggles of today but also plays a key role in reconciling the world to God through the power of the Millennial Kingdom.
The group that the Lord has accepted as distinct from the world doesn’t need the heavy-handed approach of the Millennium to come to God. They’re a unique class who, despite sin all around them, genuinely love righteousness and detest iniquity. They reflect their Lord and Redeemer, who is described in Hebrews 1:9 as, those who “have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.”