Answering Those Who Say There Is Only One Mediator

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 08-20-15 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

Answering Those Who Say There Is Only One Mediator

Msgr. Charles Pope • August 20, 2015 •

There is a common Protestant claim that there is one (sole) mediator between God and Man—Jesus. Therefore, they say, asking the saints to pray for us is useless, wrong, and maybe even sinful. Those who object, usually cite some of the following texts:

• For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:5).
• Come to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24).
• For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant (Hebrews 9:15).

To this claim, we should first answer that we do not teach a substitutional mediation in invoking the saints, as if we were trying to go to the Father apart from Jesus’ mediation.

Rather, we speak of a subordinate mediation, in which we seek the prayers of the saints, or of one another. For indeed we could have no communion with them or one another if it were not for Jesus Christ, who as the Head of the Body, the Church, unites all His members and facilitates our communion with one another.

Objectors seem to speak of there being one mediator in an absolute sense, excluding any other possible interaction or any subordinate mediation. But consider that if there is only one mediator in an absolute sense, then no one ought to ask ANYONE to pray for him; and neither should the objectors attend any church, read any book, listen to any sermon, or even read the Bible (since the Bible mediates Jesus’ words to you).

A “mediator” is someone or something that acts as a “go-between,” acting to facilitate our relationship with Jesus. And though Jesus mediates our relationship to the Father, He also asked Apostles, preachers, and teachers to mediate, to facilitate His relationship with us.

Thus Jesus sent Apostles out to draw others to him. St. Paul says, How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ (Rom 10:14-15, 17).

And thus Jesus has His relationship with us mediated through His Word and through the Apostles and others who announce that Word and draw us to Him.

But since some Protestants say that there is absolutely only ONE mediator, and no subordinate or deputed mediators, there is therefore no need to ask ANYONE or ANYTHING to mediate. So should they not burn their Bibles, stop asking anyone to pray for them, and seek no advice, since NO ONE can mediate a single thing? No one can do this because there is, as they say in an absolutely unqualified sense, only ONE mediator—one and only one.

But for those of us who see that there is a subordinated mediation in service of Christ’s supreme mediation, the prayers of others, preaching, and teaching all make sense. And just as the Bible can mediate His presence and will, or as a preacher can mediate His word, so too can the prayers of others (including the Saints) convey my prayers to Him. And Jesus can mediate my prayers to the Father and give graces to me by mediating them through others.

Consider the analogy of the body, since the Church is Christ’s Body. Jesus has one Body and all the parts are connected through the Head, who is Jesus. Now consider your own body. All the members of your body have communion and unity through your head, your mind. There are different ways to have interaction with others. Perhaps someone will reach you through your ears by speaking, or through the sense of touch by tapping you on the shoulder, or visually by waving. Various members of your body facilitate (mediate) interaction with others in different ways, but it is all facilitated through the head of your body, your mind. So, too, do I confidently expect to reach Jesus in different ways: directly, or through one of His members (realizing that He Himself facilitates it).

And thus for us Catholics, our relationship with Jesus is a rich tapestry of relationships with all the members of His body, those who are with us here and now as well as those who have gone on before us but remain members of the one Body, the Church, with Christ our Head.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Thank you.

[Mrs. Don-o]

By the way, I think I could live with the accusation of having a maximalist view of Scripture.

Guilty as charged!

If only I could live up to the accusation. I do try.

[Colonel_Flagg]

He didn’t say the Bible was wrong. He said there are additional ways of looking at it.

Joseph Smith said the same thing. Doesn't make him right.

[kosciusko51]

Your question makes no sense. The Catholic Church has only taught that there are four inspired Gospel books. The Gospel of Thomas, as a Gnostic gospel, could never be declared to be scripture by the Catholic Church nor would the Church ever have the desire to do so.

And what prevents them from doing so? After all The Apocrypha were initially long rejected by the Catholic church as inspired writings, however, after controversy were officially canonized following the Protestant Reformation during the Council of Trent in 1546 AD.

Joseph Smith was originally a Protestant. Ellen Gould was a Protestant. Mary Baker Eddy was originally a Protestant.

Martin Luther and John Calvin were Roman Catholics. Protestants are not to blame for the cults you mention any more than the RCC is to blame for Protestants.

[verga]

This is one of the 10% or so that Wikipedia gets wrong. The"Apocrypha" Are actually a set of Gnostic writings including the "Gospel of Thomas" that you referred to.

If you are referring to the Deuterocanonicals those were included in the Septuagint and were accepted until 90 AD when anti-Christian Jews removed them. These members of the Rabbinical school also left out the various books of the New Testament that were available, Why would you follow their abbreviated canon?

[kosciusko51]

You are correct, Wikipedia was broad in its description of the Apocrypha. It is the Deuterocanonicals specifically at Trent. But, In the Latin Church, all through the Middle Ages, there is evidence of hesitation about the character of the deuterocanonicals. One is favourable, the other unfavourable to their authority and sacredness. Wavering between the two are a number of writers whose veneration for these books is tempered by some perplexity as to their exact standing, and among those is St. Thomas Aquinas. Few are found to unequivocally acknowledge their canonicity. The prevailing attitude of Western medieval authors is substantially that of the Greek Fathers. The chief cause of this phenomenon in the West is to be sought in the influence, direct and indirect, of St. Jerome's depreciating Prologus.

[Rashputin]

Oh please, plenty of people who claim to be Catholic follow the same Luther doctrine of Self and Self Alone that Protestant folks do.

Or, is that finally an admission from some non-Catholic that people who claim to be Catholic but follow Protestant doctrine are in fact no longer Catholic at all ?

If so, that would be a refreshing change from the folks who ignore Nancy Pelosi clearly espousing Protestant doctrine as her faith and insist she's a Catholic because she claims to be one.

[Rashputin]

So to be absolutely sure someone is informing their Self through Scripture they should start by following the Protestant admonition to obey the mythical council of anti-Christ, anti-Christian, Pharisee Rabbis who Protestantism establishes as the proper authority on all Scripture? The same Pharisee Rabbies who don't recognize a single book of the New Testament as being inspired by the Holy Spirit ?

So, the first step in being informed through Scripture it to throw out a large portion of Scripture ?

That's an absurd claim in light of not retaining the entire Old Testament as it was accepted at the time Christ walked the earth and never once mentioned that there were books included in the Old Testament that were not inspired by the Word walking the earth.

[verga]

This myth has been dealt with time and time again. Have a good day.

[Rashputin]

Funny how the Scripture Alone crowd can't point to any Scripture to support either that doctrine or which books of the Old Testament should be thrown in the garbage.

After all, if Christ and the Apostles never mentioned that a portion of what was then regarded as Scripture shouldn't be included in the canon, either Scripture isn't all we should rely on or all those books Protestantism throws out should still be in their canon. Either way, they deny their own doctrine.

[ADSUM]

Your comment: “The big difference is asking dead people to do anything. They are beyond our reach. As far as living they can pray to the Lord for anything they want and for me and others if they wish. I do not however need someone who stands in between me and the Lord (like the Pope or any earthly pastor) and tries to act as a channel or direct line for me. I have a direct line, His name is Jesus.”

So how do you know? Do you ever listen? Do you really listen?

I often feel that some of my thoughts come from inspirations of others, including my deceased Mom and others. I give credit to Jesus for the blessings that I receive, but I feel that there are many others that are looking out for me.

Most of us feel that we are at the center of our universe, but just as the body parts work together, we are influenced and need to participate with the rest of the Body of Christ.

Be open to the mysteries of Christ and how He allows things to work so that we may all join Him in Heaven.

[SpirituTuo]

Death is a state of physical being, but a soul is eternal.

We are told in Revelations 8:4 the prayers of the saints are being offered in Heaven. Who are those prayers from? Are the angels acting as mediators, offering them to God?

Just a thought.

[Grateful2God]

" Now, FRiend: Why are you calling Protestants heretics? Is that nice? "

heretic

Full Definition
1 :a dissenter from established religious dogma; especially :a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church who disavows a revealed truth
2 :one who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine :nonconformist

Not derogatory; a simple term used especially during the Reformation. Romanist, Papist and other names we're called came out about the same time.
Msgr. Pope stated what others believe, in a way that was not derogatory. Read through this thread again, from the beginning, and note the made-up, derogatory names people have called our Church, its teaching authority, and our Pope. That is bashing. and no, that isn't nice.

[verga]

With this crowd it is not even Scripture Alone, it is Mea Scriptura, their own personal interpretation. I thought it was pretty funny about a week ago when they were calling each other heretics over some matter the Catholic Church settled before any of their churches were born.

[avenir]

“Is this a tradition of the church now putting a blessing on contacting the dead or trying to, to get their help?”

They’re open to suspect visions, apparitions and channellings already.

[ADSUM]

You might get an informed response that could help one reach a goal of life with Jesus instead of just our own self-serving biased opinion.

I appreciate all the help I can get in becoming closer to Jesus and spending eternity with Him.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

“I appreciate all the help I can get in becoming closer to Jesus and spending eternity with Him.”

I’m sure a “priest” will be so much more helpful in that endeavor than the actual Word of God eh?

[ADSUM]

Yes. Most of them have studied the Word and preach on it every week. Priests have dedicated their life to following Christ and they are the successors of the Apostles. They were instructed by Jesus to go out Preach and Baptize.

Certainly they are not perfect and are sinners like the rest of us.

So if you read the Bible by yourself, how does Jesus spread the Word?

It seems logical and historical to me that Jesus founded the Catholic Church and delegated to the Apostles and their successors - Catholic Bishops and Priests to follow His command to go out to Preach the word and Baptize in His name.

[Bigg Red]

Thanks, FRiend.

[vladimir998]

“And what prevents them from doing so?”

It can’t happen so it won’t.

“After all The Apocrypha were initially long rejected by the Catholic church as inspired writings, however, after controversy were officially canonized following the Protestant Reformation during the Council of Trent in 1546 AD.”

No. The Apocrypha were always rejected by the Church. The Deuterocanonicals were never rejected by the Church. Protestants often confuse the two. Also, the Deuterocanonicals were not “canonized” at Trent. They never needed to be just as any part of scripture did not need to be.

“Martin Luther and John Calvin were Roman Catholics.”

Actually, no. They never would have referred to themselves as such. They were Catholics before they became heretics. I am Catholic and will not become a heretic.

“Protestants are not to blame for the cults you mention any more than the RCC is to blame for Protestants.”

Actually since Christian Scientists and Adventists fit in the Protestant camp (Mormons do not but are from it) Protestants are more responsible than anyone else. Adventist heresies are no more strange than Protestant ones to orthodox ears unfamiliar to them. The Catholic Church is not responsible for Protestant heresies because it never taught them and only condemned them. Protestants, however, from the beginning indulged in heresies which could only lead to groups like Adventists, Christian Scientists or even Mormons. Heresy leads to heresy. Orthodoxy never does.