Christ the Mediator

Jesus once asked his critics this question: "What do you think about the Christ?" (Matt. 22:41). This is a powerful question for each of us. Jesus' title Christ reveals his anointing as God's servant. God has anointed Jesus as his prophet, priest, and king. Knowing Jesus in this way helps us avoid imbalanced faith. If we overlook his prophetic ministry we are left with a powerful and sacrificial Lord who refuses to share his mind with his friends. If we miss Jesus' priestly service we are left with philosopher king whose strength and wisdom rule and inform us but don't necessarily transform us. If we overlook his kingly rule we have a wise, sacrificial Savior who has no claim on our lives.

And, let's be honest, we are all tempted to embrace a lopsided Jesus. We love his teaching as long as it remains theoretical. Or, we love his sacrifice as long as it doesn't make demands. Or, we love his rule but fail to pursue a relationship with him. We need the whole Christ. Understanding his three-fold work as mediator helps us know him as he is.