Book II Chapter VI Section 1-4

This chapter is a turning point in Calvin’s thought. Up until this point in the Institutes we have been on a downward spiral beginning at what we were like when first created, then how that nature was marred by our first father’s rebellion, then how the curse put on him spread to all future generations, then how this corruption permeates the depths of our hearts and finally how we are powerless to alter our condition. But now we have the first glimmer of hope for mankind. If we have been sinking deeper and deeper into the blackness of the human condition, we have finally hit the bottom. There is no bad news left, we now have a correct view of the reality of the human heart and the abyss separating us from God. Now it is time for the long journey back to God.

Calvin begins this journey by briefly outlining the key concepts in the work of the Saviour, namely Jesus is the:

One True Seed – Christ is the One promised seed of Abraham, in whom all nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 3.16). For although the entire Jewish nation was physically the seed of Abraham, many were not Abraham’s seed spiritually (Romans 9.6).

One Mediator – Through the ceremonial law God sought to develop the concept of a mediator in the minds of the Israelites. They had an elaborate system of priests who daily interceded on the behalf of the people through sacrifices and offerings. But this was never an end in itself and was to be understood as a type of the One Mediator who would be the perfect priest, without any sin of His own, able to always live and intercede for them as both man and God (Hebrews 10.4).

One Redeemer – although the Israelites willing committed themselves to the conditions of the covenant, they were unable to keep it and repeatedly strayed from their obligations. But despite their failure, the covenant could not be broken and God would Himself provide the One to redeem them from their spiritual slavery. The Redeemer was promised who would bring them back to God once and for all.

One Shepard – many judges, prophets and kings would rule over Israel, but they would only ever have one Shepard. God promised to care for them as a loving shepard, to protect them from harm and deliver them safe home. One day the true Shepard would come to rid the land of the false shepards, who only loved to feed themselves (Ezekiel 34).

One Deliverer – throughout their history the Israelite nation experienced many great deliverances from their enemies. However, as the nation slipped into apostacy, God called to them through the prophets that one day they would not only be delivered from their enemies but also from themselves. A deliverance that would last beyond a temporal military victory. There would be a deliverer, of the line of David, who would deliver them from the power of a fallen nature.

Response

One man to do all this? One man to reverse the effects of the fall? No one tainted with the corruption of our nature could accomplish this. No one bound under the love of sin could break these chains. No one struggling with his own obedience could bear this burden. This person must enter the world with the same free will as Adam had, the freedom to choose to obey God from an innocent nature. The man must not have a single stain his character if he is to stand before God as the representative of others rather than himself. He must live his whole life in complete obedience if he would seek to redeem his people through a spotless sacrificial death. He must face the greatest ever onslaughts of the Devil himself if he would fulfill his mission.

The entire history of the human race lay in the hands of one man.  A man who hungered, wept, slept, worked and died. A real physical man. A man who lived the life that Adam should have, whose perfect life and undeserved death destroyed the curse of the fall and the condemnation of the law. One man to vanquish the curse – this would be God’s strategy to deal with the mess we made of creation. It would cost this man his life, but his blood would remove the curse of the law on us forever.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit”. Galatians 3.13+14

Father, we thank you that before we were born you were preparing the way back to You. Thousands of years ago You were laying the foundation for the sending of Your Son to provide a solution to the corruption and bondage we were under. We thank you for Jesus’ willingness to come and suffer in our place, we give Him all the glory and praise, Amen.