Hi, John —

The pope is not a mediator between God and man. He is a man. Jesus is the only Real Mediator between God and man because He is both, God and Man. Scripture never says there should not be leaders within the community of men that may mediate God's grace, truth, and authority for other worshippers.

In fact, that's exactly what an ordained priest does. Jesus established Twelve Leaders or Pillars of the Church. The Apostles, and their legitimate successors are today's Pope and Bishops.

The idea that there should not be any hierarchal order of authority within Christ's body is not found in Scripture; in fact, the opposite is found.

Thanks for the question,

Paul

Hi, John —

As Paul has pointed out, Jesus is the only Real Mediator but also, as Paul said, it is because He is also a Man. In fact, when St. Paul writes to Timothy he says there is one mediator the Man, Christ Jesus so the emphasis is really on the Man or, better put, on the Incarnation.

St. Paul, in the same passage, encourages all men everywhere to pray and intercede. Well, praying and interceding is a form of mediating so the point is, we mediate by virtue of being in Christ.

St. Peter tells us that we are a nation of priests and kings (1 Peter 2:9) but that's because we participate in the priesthood of Christ Himself, because we are part of His Body. Well, if we are all priests by faith and our baptism, then we are all obviously mediators.

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus gives specific authority to St. Peter. He also gives him the keys to the Kingdom. The Pope is the successor of St. Peter. He has the same authority but his authority is actually service. His title is also Servant of the servants of God. He is the Chief pastor of the entire Church.

• I assume you go to some kind of Church; doesn't that church have a pastor?
• Where does that pastor get His authority?

I'm assuming you give this pastor respect and take his sermons and spiritual instruction to heart.

• Why do you do that?

Read Ephesians, Chapter 4. There Paul tells us that God gave us authorities that served as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11-16) These people all mediate in one way or another so the Bible never says that there are no other mediators besides Jesus.

What it says is that Jesus is the one mediator, but it also says we are in Christ as part of His Body. Therefore in one way or another we are all mediators.

John

Hi, John —

I just wanted to comment on one of my colleague's statements.

John said:

• I assume you go to some kind of Church; doesn't that church have a pastor?
• Where does that pastor get His authority?

I'm assuming you give this pastor respect and take his sermons and spiritual instruction to heart.

• Why do you do that?

Read Ephesians, Chapter 4. There Paul tells us that God gave us authorities that served as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11-16) These people all mediate in one way or another. . .

While what John says is true, you have to remember the authority your pastor, or any Protestant minister has, is not the same authority that Paul is referring to in Ephesians, Chapter 4.

If your pastor has not had his hands laid on him (which is referred to as the laying on of hands)
by a (successor to the Apostles, or a Catholic bishop), his authority is false.

• Could some of his teachings be good or very good?
  <Sure!>
• Could some of his pastoral advice be good or very good?
  <Sure!>

Nevertheless if, as Paul states, these apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers have not been approved by the Church or local Catholic parish, their authority is false.

That said, the whole Catholic Christian community, welcomes and embraces those areas where our Protestant ministers agree with us on teachings and sees them as fellow Christian ministers helping in the faith.

Nevertheless, we can't deny the difference  between:

• a ministerial authority that is based on a human authority set apart from the Church from
• a priestly authority that is based on Christ's and His Church's Authority:
  
  the Church He established on St. Peter and his successors.

Mike

John —

The Pope is not a mediator between God and man. Only Christ is. The Pope is simply Christ's vicar — shepherding the sheep of the visible Church in His name, preserving His Teaching.

Mary Ann