For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus:

“And [know ye, moreover], that He who was born of a woman was the Son of God, and He that was crucified was "the first-born of every creature," and God the Word, who also created all things. For says the apostle, "There is one God, the Father, of whom are all things; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things." And again, "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus; " and, "By Him were all things created that are in heaven, and on earth, visible and invisible; and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist."”

“Now this being is the Creator (Demiurgus), who is, in respect of His love, the Father; but in respect of His power, He is Lord; and in respect of His wisdom, our Maker and Fashioner; by transgressing whose commandment we became His enemies. And therefore in the last times the Lord has restored us into friendship through His incarnation, having become "the Mediator between God and men;" propitiating indeed for us the Father against whom we had sinned, and cancelling (consolatus) our disobedience by His own obedience; conferring also upon us the gift of communion with, and subjection to, our Maker. For this reason also He has taught us to say in prayer, "And forgive us our debts;" since indeed He is our Father, whose debtors we were, having transgressed His commandments. But who is this Being? Is He some unknown one, and a Father who gives no commandment to any one? Or is He the God who is proclaimed in the Scriptures, to whom we were debtors, having transgressed His commandment? Now the commandment was given to man by the Word. For Adam, it is said, "heard the voice of the Lord God." Rightly then does His Word say to man, "Thy sins are forgiven thee;" He, the same against whom we had sinned in the beginning, grants forgiveness of sins in the end. But if indeed we had disobeyed the command of any other, while it was a different being who said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee;" such an one is neither good, nor true, nor just. For how can he be good, who does not give from what belongs to himself? Or how can he be just, who snatches away the goods of another? And in what way can sins be truly remitted, unless that He against whom we have sinned has Himself granted remission "through the bowels of mercy of our God," in which "He has visited us" through His Son?”

“Valentinus, indeed, on the strength of his heretical system, might consistently fantasize a spiritual flesh for Christ. Any who refused to believe that that flesh was human might then pretend it to be anything he liked. This pretense characterizes all heresies. For if his flesh was not human and was not born of man, I do not see of what substance Paul himself spoke, when he said "The man Christ Jesus is the one mediator between God and man."”

“Let men therefore learn and understand why the Most High God, when He sent His ambassador and messenger to instruct mortals with the precepts of His righteousness, willed that He should be clothed with mortal flesh, and be afflicted with torture, and be sentenced to death. For since there was no righteousness on earth, He sent a teacher, as it were a living law, to found a new name and temple, that by His words and example He might spread throughout the earth a true and holy worship. But, however, that it might be certain that He was sent by God, it was befitting that He should not be born as man is born, composed of a mortal on both sides; but that it might appear that He was heavenly even in the form of man, He was born without the office of a father. For He had a spiritual Father, God; and as God was the Father of His spirit without a mother, so a virgin was the mother of His body without a father. He was therefore both God and man, being placed in the middle between God and man. From which the Greeks call Him Mesites, that He might be able to lead man to God-that is, to immortality: for if He had been God only (as we have before said), He would not have been able to afford to man examples of goodness; if He had been man only, He would not have been able to compel men to righteousness, unless there had been added an authority and virtue greater than that of man. For, since man is composed of flesh and spirit, and the spirit must earn immortality by works of righteousness, the flesh, since it is earthly, and therefore mortal, draws with itself the spirit linked to it, and leads it from immortality to death. Therefore the spirit, apart from the flesh, could by no means be a guide to immortality for man, since the flesh hinders the spirit from following God. For it is frail, and liable to sin; but sin is the food and nourishment of death. For this cause, therefore, a mediator came-that is, God in the flesh-that the flesh might be able to follow Him, and that He might rescue man from death, which has dominion over the flesh.”

“O how beautiful and mystical and kind! For to intercede does not imply to seek for vengeance, as is most men's way (for in that there would be something of humiliation), but it is to plead for us by reason of his mediatorship, just as the Spirit is also said to make intercession for us. For "there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." For he still pleads even now as man for my salvation. He continues to wear the body which he assumed, until he makes me divine by the power of his incarnation; although he is no longer known after the flesh—the same as ours, except for sin.”

“By the distinction implied in the word mediator he reveals to us the whole aim of the mystery of godliness. Now the aim is this. Humanity once revolted through the malice of the enemy, and, brought into bondage to sin, was also alienated from the true Life. After this the Lord of the creature calls back to him his own creature and becomes Man while still remaining God, being both God and man in the entirety of the two separate natures. Thus humanity was indissolubly united to God, the man that is in Christ conducting the work of mediation, to whom, by the firstfruits assumed for us, all the lump is potentially united.”

“But what is he who is at once the Most High and man, what but "the Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus who gave himself as a ransom for us"? This text indeed refers properly to his incarnation, for our redemption was made by his blood, our pardon comes through his power, our life is secured through his grace. He gives as the Most High; he prays as man. The one is the office of the Creator; the other of a redeemer. Be the gifts as distinct as they may, yet the Giver is one, for it was fitting that our Maker should be our Redeemer.”

“He had before said, "to come to the knowledge of the truth," implying that the world is not in the truth. Now he says, "that there is one God," that is, not as some say, many, and that He has sent His Son as Mediator, thus giving proof that He will have all men to be saved. But is not the Son God? Most truly He is; why then does he say, "One God"? In contradistinction to the idols; not to the Son. For he is discoursing about truth and error. Now a mediator ought to have communion with both parties, between whom he is to mediate. For this is the property of a mediator, to be in close communion with each of those whose mediator he is. For he would be no longer a mediator, if he were connected with one but separated from the other. If therefore He partakes not of the nature of the Father, He is not a Mediator, but is separated. For as He is partaker of the nature of men, because He came to men, so is He partaker of the nature of God, because He came from God. Because He was to mediate between two natures, He must approximate to the two natures; for as the place situated between two others is joined to each place, so must that between natures be joined to either nature. As therefore He became Man, so was He also God. A man could not have become a mediator, because he must also plead with God. God could not have been mediator, since those could not receive Him, toward whom He should have mediated. And as elsewhere he says, "There is one God the Father, ...and one Lord Jesus Christ"; so also here "One" God, and "One" Mediator; he does not say two; for he would not have that number wrested to Polytheism, of which he was speaking. So he wrote "One" and "One." You see how accurate are the expressions of Scripture! For though one and one are two, we are not to say this, though reason suggests it. And here thou sayest not one and one are two, and yet thou sayest what reason does not suggest. "If He begat He also suffered." "For there is one God," he says, "and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."”

“Christ Jesus, himself man, is the true Mediator, for, inasmuch as he took the "form of a slave," he became "the Mediator between God and men." In his character as God, he received sacrifices in union with the Father, with whom he is one God. Yet he chose, in his character as a slave, to be himself the sacrifice rather than to receive it, lest any one might take occasion to think that sacrifice could be rendered to a creature. Thus it is that he is both the Priest who offers and the Oblation that is offered.”

“He above taught Timothy how he might lead the people back to the form of the true faith; here he treats of the things pertaining to the worship of the faith, namely prayers and services. And first he sets down the teaching on prayer in common; second he descends to the determinate conditions of men, at *I desire therefore*. Again, first he distinguishes the different kinds of prayer; second he shows for whom prayer is to be made, at *for all*; third he assigns the reason, at *for this is good*. He says therefore: since it is so that Christ came to save sinners, therefore *first of all I beseech*, etc. In this he openly shows that among all the things necessary for the Christian life, prayer is foremost, which avails against the dangers of temptation and for progressing in good. James, last chapter: *the persevering prayer of a just man avails much*. He therefore distinguishes prayer into four kinds, namely supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings, of which three pertain to obtaining benefits, the last to benefits received. Now in obtaining benefits three things are required. First, that the one obtaining assign the cause why it should be granted to him; second, it is necessary that he show the cause to be reasonable; third, he concludes the petition. And as orators do, so also we ought to do in praying. First, to devise the cause why it should be granted, and this is not our merits but the divine mercy. Dan. 9:18: *we do not lay our prayers before your face on the ground of our own justifications, but on the ground of your many mercies*, etc. And for this there is supplication, which is an attestation through sacred things, as: *through your passion and cross, deliver us, O Lord*. This cause having been devised, it is necessary that we meditate that this sacred thing is the cause of salvation. And therefore prayer is required, which is the ascent of the mind to God. Ps. 68:14: *but as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord*, etc. Now prayer (*oratio*) is so called as it were the reason (*ratio*) of the mouth (*oris*). For the persuasions of orators are called orations, because they persuade; but it is one way there, and another in our prayer to God, because we do not intend to bend the mind of God, who is always ready for the good, but that our heart be lifted up to God in prayer. Third, petition. James 1:6: *but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering*. Likewise, for gifts received, thanksgivings. 1 Thess., last chapter: *in all things give thanks*. Phil. 4:6: *in every prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known before God*. Hence this manner of praying is in the Church of God: *Almighty, everlasting God* — behold the ascent of the mind, which is prayer; *who have given to the Church such a benefit* — behold the thanksgiving; *grant, we beseech you* — behold the petition; *through our Lord* — behold the supplication. Likewise in the Mass there is supplication up to the consecration of the body and blood, because in these there is a commemoration of the sacred things from which comes the confidence of obtaining. In the mystery of the consecration there is prayer, because it is a meditation on the things which Christ did. But in the other parts, up to communion, there is petition for the living and the dead, and for oneself. And at the end there is thanksgiving. Or these four are referred to four things which we wish to obtain in prayer: supplication is referred to obtaining difficult things, as to the conversion of the impious; prayer, when for those already converted we implore grace that they may progress; petition, that rewards be repaid for merits; and for benefits already received, there is thanksgiving. Then when he says *for all*, he shows for whom prayer is to be made. And concerning this he does two things: first he shows that prayer ought to be made for all; second he assigns the fruit of prayer, at *that we may lead a quiet*. Concerning the first, then, he says that prayer ought to be made for all men. The reason for this is that prayer is the interpreter of our desire; for in praying we ask for what we desire. But charity requires that we desire good for all to whom it extends. James, last chapter, 16: *pray for one another that you may be saved*, etc. But for whom especially? *For kings*, etc. Baruch 1:11: *pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and for the life of Balthasar his son*. And the Apostle says, Rom. 13:1: *let every soul be subject to the higher powers*. 1 Pet. 2:13: *be subject to every human creature for God's sake, whether to the king as excelling, or to leaders as sent by him*. For those who are subject must render to their lords from their own offices. Now the usefulness is this, that through this we also procure our own good; for in their peace is our peace. Hence he says *that we may lead a quiet and tranquil*, etc. In these two is the peace of the world. For the Church has a peace of her own, in which the world has no part, because there is no peace for the impious. But there is a certain peace common to both, and this the Church needs. Jer. 29:7: *seek the peace of the city to which I have caused you to be led away*. Earthly peace is sometimes disturbed from within, sometimes from without. 2 Cor. 7:5: *without were fightings, within were fears*. As to the first he says *that we may lead a quiet*; as to the second he says *and tranquil life*. And although earthly peace is common to the good and the wicked, yet each use it in a different way. For the wicked used it then for two things: namely for the worship of demons, because they attributed that prosperity to false gods; also for wantonness, because in time of peace carnal vices abounded. Wis. 14:22: *living in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace*. But the saints, on the contrary, use it in the worship of the true God and in chastity. And therefore he says *in all piety and chastity*. Titus 2:12: *let us live soberly, and justly, and piously in this world*. Then when he says *for this is good*, the reason for prayer is given. And concerning this he does two things: first he sets down the reasons; second he proves a certain proposition, at *for there is one God*. Again, first he assigns the reason from the species of the work; second from the part of God, at *and acceptable*. He therefore gives the reason from the species of the work, because when something is good in itself, we ought to do it; but to pray for others is of this kind, because it is an act of charity. And therefore he says *for this is good*. Ps. 51:9: *because it is good in the sight of your saints*. Likewise from the part of God, because it is also *acceptable before God*. Ps. 50:20: *then you will accept the sacrifice*, etc. And this only if it has been offered in charity. And he says *Savior*, because God alone saves. Is. 43:11: *there is no savior besides me*. And he proves that it is acceptable, at *who wills*, etc. 2 Pet. 3:9: *not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to repentance*. But against this: whatever he willed, he did; therefore he saves all. But if you say that he does not, because man does not will it, it seems unfitting that the omnipotent should be impeded by the will of one who is not omnipotent. I respond. To will is taken sometimes for the will of good pleasure, sometimes for the will of sign. For the will of sign, he wills to save all, because he has set before all the precepts, counsels, and remedies of salvation. For the will of good pleasure, it can be explained in four ways. In one way, that it is a causal manner of speaking, as God is said to do something because he makes others do it — as Rom. 8:26: *the Spirit asks*, that is, he makes us ask. Thus therefore God wills, because namely he makes his saints will that all be saved. For this willing ought to be in the saints, because they do not know who are predestined and who are not. In another way, that it is a fitting distribution — that is, all who will be saved — because no one is saved except by his will, just as in one school a master teaches all the boys of this city, because none is taught except by him. In another way, that it is a distribution for the genera of individuals, not for the individuals of the genera — that is, he excepts no genus of men from salvation, because formerly it was offered only to the Jews, but now it is offered to all. And this fits more with the intention of the Apostle. But in another way, according to Damascene, that it be understood of the antecedent will, not the consequent. For although in the will of God there is no before and after, yet it is called antecedent and consequent will. Likewise according to the order of the things willed, according as the will can be considered in two ways, namely universally or absolutely, and according to certain circumstances and in particular. And the absolute consideration, and in universal, is prior to the particular and compared consideration. And therefore the absolute will is, as it were, antecedent, and the will of some thing in particular is, as it were, consequent. An example concerning a merchant who wills to save all his goods absolutely, and this by antecedent will; but if he considers safety, he does not will to save all his goods by comparison with other things, namely when along with their safety the sinking of the ship would follow. And this will is consequent. Thus in God, the salvation of all men, considered in itself, has the character of being willable, and the Apostle here speaks in this way, and so his will is antecedent. But if the good of justice is considered, and that sins be punished, thus he does not will it. And this is the consequent will. And he adds *to the knowledge of the truth*, because there is no salvation except through the knowledge of the truth. John 8:32: *you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free*. Then when he says *one*, etc., he proves by reason what he had said, and there are three proofs: one from the part of God, another from the part of the man Christ, a third from the part of the witnesses of Christ. He says therefore that God wills all, etc. This is clear, because there is one God of all, who saves. Rom. 3:29: *is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since indeed there is one God*, etc. Then the reason from the part of the man Christ is given, at *one and mediator*, etc. Where first he proves his point, second he adduces a sign, at *who gave*. He says therefore: the man Christ Jesus is mediator of God and men — not of certain ones, but between God and all men — and this would not have been so unless he willed to save all. And it can be said that Christ as mediator is similar to each extreme, namely to God and to man, insofar as he is God and insofar as he is man, because a middle term ought to have something of each of the extremes; and these are man and God. But because a middle term is distinct from each of the extremes, and the Son is not another God than the Father, therefore it is better to say that he is mediator according as he is man. For thus he shares with each of the extremes. For in God there are two things, namely justice and immortality; but in men there is injustice and mortality. There are therefore two middle terms: one in which there is justice and mortality, another in which there is immortality and injustice. And each is a middle term, but the first middle term belongs to Christ, the second to the Devil. And therefore the Devil is a disjoining middle term, because through his injustice he disjoins us from divine justice; but Christ is a conjoining middle term, because he is just and mortal, and through his death joins us to the justice of God. 1 John 2:2: *he is the propitiation for our sins* — for some efficaciously, but for all sufficiently, because the price of his blood is sufficient for the salvation of all; but it does not have efficacy except in the elect, on account of an impediment.”

“Who gave himself a ransom for all,.... What the Mediator gave as a ransom for men is "himself", his body and his soul, which were both made an offering for sin; and his life, which is the result of union between soul and body; his whole human nature as in union with his divine person, and so might be truly said to be himself: this he gave into the hands of men, of justice and of death; and that voluntarily, which shows his great love to his people; and also as a "ransom", or a ransom price for them, in their room and stead; to ransom them from the slavery of sin, and damnation by it, from the captivity of Satan, and the bondage of the law, and from the grave, death, hell, ruin, and destruction: and this ransom was given for "all"; not for every individual of mankind, for then all would be delivered, freed, and saved, whereas they are not; or else the ransom price is paid in vain, or God is unjust to receive a sufficient ransom price from Christ, and yet not free the captive, but punish the person for whom he has received satisfaction; neither of which can be said. But the meaning is, either that he gave himself a ransom for many, as in Mat 20:28 for the Hebrew word to which this answers, signifies sometimes many, a multitude, and sometimes only a part of a multitude, as Kimchi observes (y): or rather it intends that Christ gave himself a ransom for all sorts of men, for men of every rank and quality, of every state and condition, of every age and sex, and for all sorts of sinners, and for some out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation, for both Jews and Gentiles; which latter may more especially be designed by all, as they are sometimes by the world, and the whole world; and so contains another argument why all sorts of men are to be prayed for, since the same ransom price is given for them; as that for the children of Israel was the same, for the rich as for the poor. We (z) read, that when the people of Israel comforted the high priest upon the death of his wife, or any relation, they used to say to him, , "we are thy atonement", expiation, or ransom; that is, as the commentators (a) explain it, by us thou shalt be atoned, for we will be in thy room and stead, with respect to all things that shall come upon thee; but here the High priest and Mediator is the atonement and ransom for the people: to be testified in due time; or "a testimony in his own times"; that is, the sum and substance of what is before said is the Gospel, which is a testimony concerning the person, office, and grace of Christ, exhibited in the times of the Messiah, or the Gospel dispensation. Some copies read, "the mystery", which is another word often used for the Gospel; for that that is intended, appears by what follows. (y) Sepher Shorash. rad. (z) Misna Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 1. (a) Jarchi & Bartenona in ib.”

“There is one God - Who is the maker, governor, and preserver of all men, of every condition, and of every nation, and equally wills the salvation of all. And one mediator - The word μεσιτης, mediator, signifies, literally, a middle person, one whose office it is to reconcile two parties at enmity; and hence Suidas explains it by ειρηνοποιος, a peace-maker. God was offended with the crimes of men; to restore them to his peace, Jesus Christ was incarnated; and being God and man, both God and men met in and were reconciled by him. But this reconciliation required a sacrifice on the part of the peace-maker or mediator; hence what follows.”

“One mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: who gave himself a redemption for all. Take all these words together, and we may easily understand in what sense the apostle calls our Saviour Christ, the one or only mediator; that is, he is the only mediator, who at the same time is our Redeemer; the only mediator who could mediate betwixt God, the person offended by sin, and men the offenders; the only mediator who reconciled God to mankind by his incarnation and death, by the infinite price of his blood, by his own merits, independently of the merits of any other. All Catholics allow that the dignity and office of mediator in this sense belongs only to our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, made man to save us. The sense then of this place is, that as there is but one God, who created all, so there is but one mediator, who redeemed all. But yet the name of mediator is not so appropriated to Christ, but that in an inferior and different sense the Angels and saints in heaven, and even men on earth, who pray to God for the salvation of others, may be called mediators, intercessors, or advocates; and we may apply ourselves to them to pray, intercede, and mediate for us, without any injury to Christ, since we acknowledge that all their intercession and mediation is always grounded on the merits of Christ, our Redeemer. The same word for mediator, in the Greek as well as in the Latin, is given to Moses, God’s servant. (Galatians iii. 19.) See also Deuteronomy v. 5. The words of our Saviour himself, (Matthew xxiii.) taken according to the letter, contain an express prohibition of being called masters, or fathers; and this reason is given, because all men have one Father in heaven, and because Christians have one master, Christ. Yet no one can justly pretend from thence, that in a different sense, a man may not be called father or master, without any injury to God, or to Christ. (Witham) — Christ is the one and only mediator of redemption; who gave himself, as the apostle writes, a redemption for all. He is also the only mediator, who stands in need of no other to recommend his petitions to the Father. But this is not against our seeking the prayers and intercessions, as well of the faithful upon earth, as of the saints and Angels in heaven, for obtaining mercy, grace, and salvation, through Jesus Christ. As St. Paul himself often desired the help of the prayers of the faithful, without any injury to the mediatorship of Jesus Christ. (Challoner) — If there be other mediators among the Angels and saints, they are only so in subordination to the first[Christ], who by themselves have no right to mediation or favours, and who cannot demand them but through the merits of him[Christ] who is our only essential mediator. (Estius, Menochius, &c.) Consult Judges iii. 9; 2 Esdras ix. 17; Acts vii. 35. — A redemption for all. Not only for the predestinated, not only for the just, not only for the faithful, but for all Gentiles and infidels: and therefore he says again, (chap. iv. 10.) that Christ is the Saviour of all men, and especially of the faithful. See St. Augustine[1] and St. Chrysostom.[2] (Witham)”

“For there is one God--God's unity in essence and purpose is a proof of His comprehending all His human children alike (created in His image) in His offer of grace (compare the same argument from His unity, Rom 3:30; Gal 3:20); therefore all are to be prayed for. Ti1 2:4 is proved from Ti1 2:5; Ti1 2:1, from Ti1 2:4. The one God is common to all (Isa 45:22; Act 17:26). The one Mediator is mediator between God and all men potentially (Rom 3:29; Eph 4:5-6; Heb 8:6; Heb 9:15; Heb 12:24). They who have not this one God by one Mediator, have none: literally, a "go-between." The Greek order is not "and one mediator," but "one mediator also between . . . While God will have all men to be saved by knowing God and the Mediator, there is a legitimate, holy order in the exercise of that will wherewith men ought to receive it. All mankind constitute, as it were, ONE MAN before God [BENGEL]. the man--rather "man," absolutely and genetically: not a mere individual man: the Second Head of humanity, representing and embodying in Himself the whole human race and nature. There is no "the" in the Greek. This epithet is thus the strongest corroboration of his argument, namely, that Christ's mediation affects the whole race, since there is but the one Mediator, designed as the Representative Man for all men alike (compare Rom 5:15; Co1 8:6; Co2 5:19; Col 2:14). His being "man" was necessary to His being a Mediator, sympathizing with us through experimental knowledge of our nature (Isa 50:4; Heb 2:14; Heb 4:15). Even in nature, almost all blessings are conveyed to us from God, not immediately, but through the mediation of various agents. The effectual intercession of Moses for Israel (Num 14:13-19, and Deu. 9:1-29); of Abraham for Abimelech (Gen 20:7); of Job for his friends (Job 42:10), the mediation being PRESCRIBED by God while declaring His purposes of forgiveness: all prefigure the grand mediation for all by the one Mediator. On the other hand, Ti1 3:16 asserts that He was also God.”