For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Tim.2:5-6)

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Rom.8:34).

I was always taught that Jesus, as our high priest and mediator, is the one who takes our prayers before the Lord and intercedes for us by asking the Father on our behalf to answer our petitions. I think that is fairly standard theology in many churches. However, In John 16, Jesus gives us an incite into what he has accomplished for us through his death. “In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God” (Jn.16:26-27).

Jesus is telling us that there was a time when our sin separated us from the Father. That separation was represented in the temple by the great veil that hung between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Not even the priests could enter into the Holy of Holies where the presence of God lingered. Only the High Priest could enter into his presence and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. The High Priest would enter and offer sacrifices and prayers on behalf of the people. It was a fearful moment for all because entering into the presence of Elohim was highly risky. If the High Priest were unacceptable the Jew believed he would die in the presence of God and if the High Priest were unacceptable then so were the sacrifices and prayers he offered for the people.

Yet Jesus, as our High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies in the Heavenly Realms and presented himself as our sacrifice once for all. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple was torn in two and a way to God was opened.

So Jesus tells us that we can lift up prayers to the Father directly in the name of Jesus without Jesus having to mediate and intercede for every prayer we offer. Because God loves us through his Son, we are able to come directly to the Father as beloved children of God. There is no fear in doing so and every assurance that he hears our prayers.

If that is true, then what does it mean for Jesus to be our mediator and to intercede on our behalf? I like watch Dutch Sheets has to say about this concept. He says that that concept of mediation and intercession is really the idea of one person arranging a meeting with another. It is the idea of drawing two people together rather than forming a boundary between the two. Jesus, through his death arranged a meeting between us and the Father in which all was forgiven and all was reconciled. He interceded and formed a union between us and the Father – forgiveness, adoption, entrance into His kingdom, and so forth.

The idea that Jesus still has to take every prayer and persuade the Father to answer them implies that there is still a division between me and the Father and that there is still something unacceptable about me so that Jesus has to always stand up for me. Yet the truth is that the Father loves me and you because of Christ and is always anxious for us to come into his presence as a Father welcoming his beloved sons and daughters. Thank you Lord for the open door.