Translation of the word "Mediator" (Part 2 of 5)

Meanings of ‘Mediator’

This discussion puts forward two very different and incompatible interpretations of the Greek word translated ‘mediator’. The first article, by A. Perry, argues that the word has the sense of ‘intermediary’. The last article in the set, by P. Wyns, argues for the sense of ‘reconciler’. These two articles also illustrate two different ways of going about the business of interpretation. The two articles in between the first and the last are included for background information.

Introduction

The Greek term translated ‘mediator’ is not an uncommon word in Greek literature and so scholars will study other uses of the word when deciding what its use in the NT means, especially when that usage is only six occurrences. This article gives a few examples of the word outside the NT.

Mediator

The occurrence of mesi,thj ( ‘mediator’) is rare in the NT (Gal  3:19-20; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24) and the word is only found once in the Greek LXX in Job 9:33—“Would that he our mediator (mesi,thj) were present, and a reprover, and one who should hear the cause between both” (Brenton).

The word is used in Josephus (Ant. 4.133; 16.24; for the related verb, see 7.193; 16.118) and Philo (used for angels Som. 1.142-3; and for Moses Vit. Mos. 2:166). It is worth quoting these texts in order to broaden our database of usage for the term:[1]

This they said with an oath, and called God for the arbitrator of what they promised; and this with tears in their eyes, and all such marks of concern, as might show how miserable they thought themselves without them, and so might move their compassion for them. Ant. 4.133

Hereby Joab was persuaded, and pitied the distress that Absalom was in, and became an intercessor with the king for him. Ant. 7.193

And, indeed, the king bestowed a great many benefits on every city that he came to, according as they stood in need of them; for as for those who needed either money or kind treatment, he withheld nothing from them; but he supplied the former himself out of his own expenses: he also became an intercessor with Agrippa for all such as sought after his favour, and he brought things so about, that the petitioners failed in none of their suits to him… Ant. 16.24

We are willing to make a larger defence for ourselves; but actions never done do not admit of discourse. Nay, we will make this agreement with you, and that before Caesar, the lord of all, who is now a mediator between us… Ant. 16.118

The uses of the related noun and verb here are, respectively, i) God being called upon to guarantee the promise the men of Israel give to the Midianite women (Ant. 4.133); ii) Joab interceding for Absalom (Ant. 7.193); iii) King Herod interceding for supplicants with Agrippa (Ant. 16.24); and iv) Caesar acting as a negotiator of peace between Herod and his sons (Ant. 16.118).

And it is in reference to this employment of theirs that the holy scripture has represented them as ascending and descending, not because God, who knows everything before any other being, has any need of interpreters; but because it is the lot of us miserable mortals to use speech as a mediator and intercessor; because of our standing in awe of and fearing the Ruler of the universe, and the all-powerful might of his authority; having received a notion of which he once entreated one of those mediators, saying: ‘Do thou speak for us, and let not God speak to us, lest we die.’ Som. 1.142-3

So Moses, being amazed, and being also constrained by this command, believes those incredible events, and springs down to be a mediator and reconciler; not however, in a moment, for first of all he addressed supplications and prayers on behalf of his nation to God, entreating God that he would pardon these their sins; then, this governor of and intercessor for his people, having appeased the Ruler of the universe, went down at the same time rejoicing and feeling sorrowful; he rejoiced indeed that God had admitted his supplication, but he was full of anxiety and depression, being greatly indignant at the lawless transgression of the multitude. Som. 2.166

Here, Philo sees angels as intermediaries carrying the word of God to mortals (Som. 1.142-3) and he sees Moses as a mediator and reconciler, perhaps seeing the mediator function as one of reconciliation (Som. 2.166).

Analysis

The Greek mesi,thj has a range of usage and our task to is to determine what it means in any given text. We should not take a lexicon and simply transfer the range of English equivalents and apply them all to our target texts, as if there is some one complex composite meaning. These examples that we have given illustrate the separate ideas of an intermediary, an intercessor and a negotiator. The tendency to collect up meanings is illustrated by M. Gill when he states, “The use of mesi,thj in Josephus and Philo, reflects the Hellenistic idea of an umpire, guarantor, or negotiator of peace”.[2] Gill is synthesizing here in the direction that he prefers; we ought to hold instead the range of meaning for our term as a spectrum of ideas. The analysis that we give of the primary data is important and under our control. We can choose to distinguish or we can choose to bring together. We can also choose to draw in texts that do not use the word mesi,thj.

Conclusion

Taking extra-Biblical usage into account, the term mesi,thj could connote an individual functioning with two parties (in the middle), usually with the intention to intercede and negotiate a peace; or it could refer to an individual acting as an intermediary for one party towards another taking something to that party.

[1] Our texts are from Bibleworks.

[2] M. Gill, Jesus as Mediator: Politics and Polemic in 1 Timothy 2:1-7 (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2008), 126.