Survey
of the Letters of Paul: 1 Timothy 2:5
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
| Ephesians 4:6 One God - The same God; therefore there should be unity. Were there many gods to be worshipped, there could be no more hope of unity than there is among the worshippers of Mammon and Bacchus, and the various other idols that people set up. People who have different pursuits, and different objects of supreme affection, can be expected to have no union. People who worship many gods, cannot hope to be united. Their affections are directed to different objects, and there is no harmony or sympathy of feeling. But where there is one supreme object of attachment there may be expected to be unity. The children of a family that are devoted to a parent, will be united among themselves; and the fact that all Christians have the same great object of worship, should constitute a strong bond of union among themselves - a chain always kept bright. And Father of all - The meaning here is, that God is the common Father of “all” his people - of the rich and the poor; the bond and the free; the learned and the unlearned. He is no respecter of persons. Nothing would tend more to overcome the prejudices of color, rank, and wealth, than to feel that we all have one Father; and that we are all equally the objects of his favor. Who is above all - Who is supreme; who presides over all things. And through all - He pervades universal nature, and his agency is seen everywhere. And in you all - There is no one in whose heart he does not dwell. You are his temple, and he abides in you; see Ephesians 2:22; notes, 1 Corinthians 6:19. The argument here is, that as the same God dwelt in every heart, they ought to be one. See this argument beautifully expressed in the Saviour’s prayer, John 17:21; compare John 14:23. ~Barnes Notes Quoted verses: Ephesians 2:22 ...reference made to God abiding in us In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19 ...reference made to God abiding in us What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? John 17:21 ...Jesus' prayer about the Father being in us That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 14:23 ...Jesus' prayer about the Father being in us Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Commentary on Romans 3:29-30 Is he the God ... - The Jews supposed that he was the God of their nation only, that they only were to be admitted to his favor. In these verses Paul showed that as all had alike sinned, Jews and Gentiles; and as the plan of salvation by faith was adapted to sinners, without any special reference to Jews; so God could show favors to all, and all might be admitted on the same terms to the benefits of the plan of salvation. It is one God - The same God, there is but one, and his plan is equally suited to Jews and Gentiles. The circumcision - Those who are circumcised - the Jews. The uncircumcision - Gentiles; all who were not Jews. By faith ...through faith - There is no difference in the meaning of these expressions. Both denote that faith is the instrumental cause of justification, or acceptance with God. ~Barnes Notes |
Now back to the commentary on 1 Timothy 2:5:
The man Christ Jesus - Jesus was truly and properly
a man, having a perfect human body and soul, and is
often called a man in the New Testament. But this
does not prove that he was not also divine - anymore
than his being called God (John 1:1; John 20:28;
Romans 9:5; 1 John 5:20; Hebrews 1:8), proves that
he was not also a man. The use of the word man here
was probably designed to intimate that though he was
divine, it was in his human nature that we are to
consider him as discharging the office. Doddridge.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses: ...all referring
to Jesus as man and God...
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
John 20:28
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and
my God.
Romans 9:5
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the
flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for
ever. Amen.
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath
given us an understanding, that we may know him that
is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his
Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal
life.
Hebrews 1:8
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for
ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the
sceptre of thy kingdom.
Now let us look at more commentaries on 1 Timothy
2:5
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 mediator, signifies,
literally, a middle person, one whose office it is
to reconcile two parties at enmity; and hence Suidas
explains it by 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. ~Adam Clarke
Now let us look at now the Geneva Bible Translation
Notes handles this:
1 Timothy 2:5: (4) For [there is] one God, and one
mediator between God and men, the (b) man Christ
Jesus;
(4) God should not otherwise be manifested to be the
only God of all men, unless he should show his
goodness in saving all types of men. Neither should
Christ be seen to be the only mediator between God
and all types of men, by having taken upon him that
nature of man which is common to all men, unless he
had satisfied for all types of men, and made
intercession for all.
(b) Christ Jesus who was made man. ~Geneva Bible
Translation Notes
Now let us look at the John Gill commentary:
For there is one God - This does not so much regard
the unity of God, with respect to himself, or his
divine essence, though that is a truth; but does not
carry in it any apparent and forcible reason why all
men should be prayed for, for which it is produced;
but the unity of God with respect to men, as that
there is but one God, who is the Creator of all men,
and who, in a providential way, is the Saviour of
all men; and in a way of special grace is the one
God, the one covenant God of all sorts of men, of
Jews and Gentiles; for he has taken of the latter
into the covenant of his grace, as well as the
former, and has loved them with a special and
distinguishing love, has chosen them in Christ to
salvation, and has sent his Son to redeem them; and
of these he calls by his grace, regenerates,
sanctifies, adopts, pardons, and justifies; see
Romans 3:29 [quoted above in the other commentary]
and therefore all sorts of men, Gentiles as well as
Jews, are to be prayed for.
and one Mediator between God and men - a Mediator is
of more than one, and has to do with two parties;
and these at variance among themselves, between whom
he stands as a middle person; his business is to
bring them together, and make peace between them;
and such an one is Christ: the two parties are God
and his elect, who in their natural state are at a
distance from God, and at enmity to him, and who
have broken his law, and affronted his justice;
Christ stands as a middle person, a daysman between
them, and lays his hands upon them both; has to do
with things pertaining to the glory of God, and
makes reconciliation for the sins of the people;
brings them that were afar off nigh to God, and
makes peace for them by the blood of his cross, by
fulfilling the law, and satisfying justice for them;
in consequence of this he appears for them in the
court of heaven, intercedes and pleads for them, is
their advocate, and sees that all covenant
blessings, of which he is the Mediator, are applied
unto them, and preserves their persons, which are
committed to his care and charge, safe to
everlasting happiness.
the man Christ Jesus - not that he is a mere man,
for he is truly and properly God; or that he is a
Mediator only according to the human nature: it was
proper indeed that he should be man, that he might
have something to offer, and that he might be
capable of obeying, suffering, and dying, and so of
making satisfaction in the nature that had sinned;
but then, had he not been God, he could not have
drawn nigh to God on the behalf of men, and
undertook for them, and much less have performed;
nor would his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice,
have been available to cleanse from sin, to procure
the pardon of it, justify from it, make atonement
for it, or make peace with God: the reason why he is
particularly mentioned as man, is, with a view to
the argument in hand, praying for all men; since he
who is the Mediator between God and man, has assumed
a nature which is common to them all: and this
Mediator is said to be one, not so much in
opposition to other mediators, angels or saints
departed, though it is a truth, and stands full
against them, but with respect to men; there is but
one Mediator between God and all sorts of men,
through whom both Jews and Gentiles have an access
to God, and peace with him; and therefore prayer
through this Mediator should be made for all. So the
Jews say of the Messiah, that he is a Mediator,
God", a middle person between God and men. And they
call him "the Pillar of mediation" or the middle
Pillar; that is, the Mediator or Reconciler. And
Philo the Jew speaks of the word, a "middle" person,
and standing in the middle between the dead and the
living, and between God and men. The Ethiopic
version here renders it, "there is one elect of
God"; which is one of the characters of the Messiah,
Isaiah 42:1. ~John Gill
Let us finish now with the related scriptures to
each part of 1 Timothy 2:5 from the Treasury of
Scriptural Knowledge:
For there is one God:
Deuteronomy 6:4
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Isaiah 44:6
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his
redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am
the last; and beside me there is no God.
Mark 12: 29-33
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the
commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is
one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,
and with all thy strength: this is the first
commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other
commandment greater than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou
hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there
is none other but he:
33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all
the understanding, and with all the soul, and with
all the strength, and to love his neighbour as
himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices.
John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent.
Romans 10:12
For there is no difference between the Jew and the
Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all
that call upon him.
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.
Galatians 3:20
Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is
one.
And one mediator between God and men:
Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the
uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 8:6
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry,
by how much also he is the mediator of a better
covenant, which was established upon better
promises.
Hebrews 9:15
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new
testament, that by means of death, for the
redemption of the transgressions that were under the
first testament, they which are called might receive
the promise of eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 12:24
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and
to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better
things than that of Abel.
The Man Christ Jesus
Matthew 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall
bring forth a son, and they shall call his name
Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Luke 2:10-11
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for,
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of
David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made
a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening
spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual,
but that which is natural; and afterward that which
is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second
man is the Lord from heaven.
Philippians 2:6-8
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross.
Hebrews 2:9-13
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than
the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should
taste death for every man.
10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and
by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto
glory, to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are
sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not
ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren,
in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto
thee.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again,
Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
back to the main page