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One Mediator...

TzegemariamTzegemariam
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
In the name of the Holy Trinity.
Selam everyone!!!
I was watching this video on youtube about St. Mary and have previously read this verse in the Holy Bible but kind of disregarded it...
"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ[a]and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. "
1 Timothy 2:5

When i read this i get confused about the intersession of the Saints and Angels.  What does the Church say about this verse???

Thank you and may God help you to answer this question

Comments

  • pets10
    a mediator is a person who mediates, esp. between parties at variance. so what exactly do u mean? just a question
  • TzegemariamTzegemariam
    Like applying to the Saints and Angels, they are mediators between us and God, according to the Church teachings. But this verse says that only Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ is the Mediator. Doesn't this teach against intersession???
  • servant33servant33
    Hi, good question! I think I saw that same video and wondered the same thing.
    This is a verse commonly brought up against the apostolic church by more modern churches. Ironically however, all those churches stress praying for one another and asking others to pray for them. Asking a saint or angel to pray for you is no different from asking your friend or family member to pray for you. When they pray for us, they stand with us - not between us and God. Christ is our only mediator to God, but surely the saints can pray for us, especially those who have dedicated their lives and deaths to Christ.
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    Christ is the only Mediator with a capital M because He is God become man, without ceasing to be what He is. So he stands both with God and with us, and has destroyed the power of all that separated us from God. He is truly the mediatory between God and men (all mankind that is).

    Personally I would not use the word mediator in terms of the intercessions of the saints and angels. I think that is perhaps another Roman Catholic and Western term that should be avoided. In our Orthodox Faith (and I am not suggesting this is formal Catholic belief either) we do not say, "I am awful and I cannot dare approach God in prayer so I will ask His Mother to help me as she is more approachable". Nor, even worse, do we say in our Orthodox Faith, "I am sp very awful and I cannot dare approach the Virgin Saint Mary in prayer so I will ask a lower down Saint to help me as they will be more approachable".

    It is with confidence that we approach our Father in prayer, even if we must often be like the Prodigal Son, and say, "Father, I am not worthy to be caled you child, let me be one of your servants". Confidence doesn't mean trusting in our own worth or our own righteousness. We know that we have none. But it is being confident in what God has done in us and for us already.

    When we start a treatment with a doctor for some skin rash, and he says "come back and see me regularly". We would be foolish indeed if we visited the clinic and spoke to the janitor because we were afraid to see the doctor because the rash had got worse. The doctor already knows the likely outcome and progress of our illness and is prepared for it and will do all that is necessary to heal us.

    We turn to the saints and ask for their intercession NOT because we are afraid to apporach our Father, but because we ask them to stand WITH us before OUR Father. The saints are not like the orderlies at a hospital who we ask to help instead of the doctor, they are like the family members who insist on coming with us to the clinic and who come in to see the doctor with us. And when we are hesitant to explain our symptoms, through embarrasment or shame, they are the ones who speak up for us. They are like the mother, the father, the uncle and aunt and older brother, the husband and wife, who say, "Look how bad this rash is! He is saying it is just a little thing but doctor you can see it is all up his arm!!". And that is what we need the saints to do for us. To speak the truth about our condition before God, standing WITH us in prayer.

    They intercede for us before the Heavenly Physician, asking that He intervene in our lives for our salvation and healing. Asking that He notice the seriousness of our condition, but also that He commends the degree in which we have been following His prescriptions and instructions.

    May they always intercede for us and with us, and may we always pray and praise God with them.

    Father Peter
  • IoannesIoannes
    There is one mediator between God and man, which does differ from intercession. Yet there is scripture that says that there is one intercessor. In a sense yes there is only one intercessor when it comes to interceding to save mankind from sin. There is no contradiction here, I actually wrote about this very verse.
  • axum


    This particular verse is mentioned repeatedly by pentecostals to sway the ethiopian tewahedo people  .They use this as a spring board to spray their toxic venom .
    I think father peter explained it very well .Knowledge is power .lets ourselves withfaith ,knowledge and grace thus eradicating any kind of hesitation and speculation.
  • IoannesIoannes
    [quote author=axum link=topic=9565.msg118024#msg118024 date=1281629907]


    This particular verse is mentioned repeatedly by pentecostals to sway the ethiopian tewahedo people  .They use this as a spring board to spray their toxic venom .
    I think father peter explained it very well .Knowledge is power .lets ourselves withfaith ,knowledge and grace thus eradicating any kind of hesitation and speculation.


    Axum, in the book I have written for Ethiopia, I go into detail about this verse. I dont want to write anything from the book here. Hopefully Mahabere Kidusan will publish it, I am positive they will cause my brother is part of them. It will be translated to Amharic. Ill hook you up.
  • copticuser20copticuser20
    you should read Saint Mary in the Orthodox Concept chapter 5. This was a Philly Book and Chapter 5 is all on Intercessions and it brings up your question. http://saint-mary.net/books/Saint Mary in the Orthodox Concept.pdf

    I hope it helps!
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