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‘How a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.’
Gal_3:20
Amongst all the meanings, however, which have been attached to it, there are two which stand out so distinct, and are so far superior to all the rest, that the true understanding of the words must be in one or the other, or in both unitedly.
I. The one is this.—‘Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one. A ‘Mediator’ implies that there are two parties concerned. There cannot be mediators unless there are two between whom ‘the mediator’ is to act. And the two must be, more or less, at variance, otherwise there would be no need, or occasion, for the mediation. Here, then, there must be two. Two? God is one of the two, one of those two between whom the mediation takes place. Then, who was the other? Who was the other? St. Paul leaves an awful blank! Who is the other? Man. In what condition, then, must man be? At enmity with God! Else, he would not need a mediation. Therefore, the fact of the existence of a mediation proves that man is alienated from God. ‘A Mediator is not a Mediator of one, but God is one.’ Who is the other?
II. The other interpretation is this.—The words are intended to draw a contrast between the Law and the Gospel. The mediation of the Law—which was conducted by Moses—was of the nature of a contract between two parties—God on the one side, man on the other. And each must fulfil his part in the contract, or else it would not be valid. Therefore the contract of the Law, observe this! leaves the issue uncertain, for it depended, on one side, on man’s obedience, which was an exceedingly doubtful thing; it certainly cannot be depended upon! But just the contrary to that is the contract of the Gospel. In that contract God is all in all. It depends on the will and power of God. It is all, from beginning to end, His work. He elects the soul; He makes the faith; He makes the obedience; He makes the holiness; and He has provided, and He Himself gives, and is, the reward. There is nothing but God in it. So the unity of God is complete. There is nothing but God. ‘God is one.’ The mediation is entirely different from the mediation of the law. There the parties mediated were two. Here all are one. God the Author, God the Finisher; only God on either side, in His electing love, in the sinner’s penitence, in the sinner’s peace, in the sinner’s eternal life. It is all God. One; alone. ‘Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one, but God is one.’
III. But why may we not embrace the two, and read both in this very deep verse? Thus: man is separated from God. The fact that there is a Mediator, the necessity of a Mediator proves it. We are all at variance with God. A controversy between a man and God is, on reasonable, and rational principles, hopeless. I am one and alone in my deep, sinful degradation. God is one and alone in the solitude of His infinite and unapproachable holiness. There is not the vestige of a hope for me unless there be a Mediator. ‘But God is one.’ One, up in heaven, in His fore-ordaining love; one, in my poor heart, working there, in His grace and mercy; one, in His eternal sovereignty; one, in His power and will to make me all He would have me to be. One to plan, one to execute, His grand design. One to begin, one to perfect my salvation. One to save me, and glorify Himself by my everlasting happiness.
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Rev. James Vaughan.