73%
Confidence
Belief overview
Jesus as mediator subordinate to the Father
Jesus mediates the will of God, but is not God himself in full equality.
3
Supportive
0
Contrary
0
Neutral
What it is: The belief affirms that Jesus exercises a singular mediation between God and humanity, but in a relation subordinate to the Father.
How the tradition understands it: The mediatorial role of Christ can include teaching, example, atonement, resurrection, and exaltation granted by God. This does not make him, in the unitarian reading, the same God in personal identity and essence.
Textual basis or tradition: 1 Timothy 2:5, John 14:28, and Acts 2:36 are widely used texts.
Historical context: This position allowed many unitarians to maintain high reverence for Christ without accepting Nicene Christology.
Common objections: Critics understand that this reading does not adequately explain high-Christology texts in the New Testament.
Internal variations: Some speak of a mere exalted humanity; others admit some kind of subordinate pre-existence.
Documentary evidence
Supportive
1 Timothy 2:5
One God and one mediator, the man Christ Jesus.
Reference: 1 Timothy 2:5.
Content: The text speaks of one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus.
Use in debate: It is a central passage for Unitarian Christology and the subordinate mediating role of Jesus.
John 14:28
The Father is greater than I.
Reference: John 14:28.
Content: Jesus declares that the Father is greater than he is.
Use in debate: It is a classic text in Unitarian argumentation about the subordination of Christ.
John 20:17
Jesus speaks of the Father as his God.
Reference: John 20:17.
Content: Jesus speaks of his Father and of his God.
Use in debate: It is used by Unitarians to highlight the distinction between Jesus and the supreme God.