Does the wording of 1 Timothy 2:5—“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”—mean that Jesus is not God?

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Does the wording of 1 Timothy 2:5—“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”—mean that Jesus is not God?

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Does the wording of 1 Timothy 2:5—“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”—mean that Jesus is not God?

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So how should we understand what Paul says in the verse in question, 1 Timothy 2:5? Let’s first consider the context. In 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Paul is encouraging that prayers and intercession be made for all men, all people, as that follows God’s desire to save everyone. Paul points to his own assignment as a teacher of the gentiles, or non-Israelite nations, toward this end. Moreover, he shows that this desire of God has been made plain through the ultimate intercession of the mediatory work of Christ.

A mediator is a go-between who intercedes between multiple parties, representing the interests of each in bringing the sides together. Look at what Paul stated earlier in Galatians 3:20: “Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.” Why did he say this? He was talking there about God having obligated Himself to fulfill promises of inheritance made to Abraham—promises that required no mediation, as God was the only party with terms to fulfill by His own declaration (Galatians 3:18). This was in contrast to, in the same discussion, the law or legal system given to Israel “appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator” (Galatians 3:19)—in that case Moses—under which terms both God and the people had obligations.

The Amplified Bible renders Galatians 3:20 as follows, including the clarifications in brackets: “Now the mediator or go-between [in a transaction] is not [needed] for just one party; whereas God is only one [and was the only One giving the promise to Abraham, but the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity depended on both].” Note that the reference to God as “one” in this verse is not in terms of God as a single Being. Rather, it refers to God as “one party” in terms of mediation or not. A party in such terms can denote an individual or a group on one side of an agreement.

So now let us return to 1 Timothy 2:5. It begins, as often translated, “For there is one God . . .” Yet, while a true statement in and of itself, we should consider that there does not seem to be a clear reason for Paul to say this in the immediate context. At issue here is not monotheism, the existence of only one God, but mediation to save all people.

Some render the opening phrase of the verse differently. The original Greek word order is “one, for God,” with no “is” (that having to be inserted in translation). Some render the phrase as “For God is one” (Complete Jewish Bible, Green’s Literal Translation). It can also be translated “For one [is] God” (Young’s Literal Translation, brackets in original). The focus here could be that on one side or one hand is God and that One, Christ, is Mediator between God and the other side, human beings. The Living Bible paraphrases the point of the verse this way: “That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together.”

This could also be read to say that, in reference to God’s desire to save all people, One is in the position of God as the offended party to be reconciled to (the Father), and One is in the position of doing the reconciling as Mediator.

Referring to Christ as Mediator and Man here does not exclude Christ from being God. Yet some read the phrase “one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” in this very way—as He is specified to be “the Man” and not God. It should be pointed out that in the original Greek there is no definite article “the” before “Man.” Some render the phrase here as “a man” or “Himself human.” That does not deny Christ’s divinity. It simply stresses that the One serving as Mediator for people was Himself a human being. Consider that Jesus is able to represent both sides perfectly in His mediatory work by virtue of having been both God and man.

But why is the human aspect stressed here? Because it was critical to the means of mediation and reconciliation—His death. Note the statement as it continues into the next verse: “. . . one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6, New Revised Standard Version). It was only through becoming human that Jesus was able to die for man’s sins. Yet we should remember that it was because He was God that His death was able to pay the ransom for the sins of all humanity.

Furthermore, it’s been pointed out that since Christ’s mediatory role is also one of intercession for others as High Priest, the only way that Jesus could serve as Mediator for all human beings as they come before God is if He is omniscient as God along with the Father—and indeed He is.

In any case, there is nothing in 1 Timothy 2:5 and surrounding verses that denies Jesus being God along with the Father. Paul goes on to declare Him to be God. And this is the consistent message of the New Testament.

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Comments

  • vincent1

    The Bible is very clear that there is only One God, not 2, 3 or 4 or any other number.
    Jesus is God Who became a human and also came to this earth, so is the Holy Spirit and the Father, plus the Angel of the Lord. Very simply they are all the same Person. God alone has the ability to be in different places at the same time in His total Person, not as fragments of Himself, he also has different identities but all the same person.

  • Butch Jones

    If what you're saying is true, then the Bible lies in many places:
    1 Corinthians 11:3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and THE HEAD OF CHRIST (Christou) IS GOD (Theos).
    1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
    Romans 8:3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh
    John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
    Matthew 11:27 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father.
    John 14:28 You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for THE FATHER IS GREATER THAN I. (how can he be greater than himself, there are 2)

    Who did the Son pray to when he was in the Garden? Who was it in heaven saying "this is my son" when Jesus was baptized?

    They are TWO separate beings.

  • Tholp1

    Regardless, Jesus did Separate the two of them when He the Father is greater than I. If they were one they would be equal and all the same, but Christ explains that they are not. We should teach that God and Christ are separate beings but, they work as one.

  • AnthonyDimitui

    Translation/s of the original Biblical text, as good intentions to have humankind understand the Gospels better, tends to give a totally different meaning to some who uses the translation as a tool to disprove or prove Jesus Christ divinity. Iglesia Ni Cristo also called as Church of Christ use these translations as tools to prove that Jesus is only a man. I truly believe that if the original Biblical texts is purely translated into the original English context without adding anything to complete the sentence will have greater meaning to those who truly is given the power of the Holy Spirit to understand the mysteries of the gospel. Didn't Jesus say that the scriptures are God breathed? Then we should not change or have different variations of translations to confuse true believers and followers of Christ and God the Father in heaven. This is my own personal opinion since I also believe once that Christ was a "man" but changed my beliefs and faith because of reading and studying the Bible more closely. Others do not have the luxury that I have, especially those who's being taken advantage by the antichrist and false churches.

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