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Intercession of Christ is the

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

belief in the continued

intercession Intercession or intercessory prayer is the act of praying to a deity on behalf of others, or asking a saint in heaven to pray on behalf of oneself or for others. The Apostle Paul's exhortation to Timothy specified that intercession prayers sh ...

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...

and his advocacy on behalf of humanity, even after he left the earth.''Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Part 13'' by James Hastings and John A. Selbie 2003 page 38

/ref> In Christian teachings, the intercession of Christ before God relates to Jesus' Anamnesis (Christianity), anamnesis before God during the

Last Supper Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...

and the continuing memorial nature of the Eucharistic offering.''The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: 4 Vol.'' by Geoffrey W. Bromiley 1995 page 166 From the Christological perspective, the intercession of Christ is distinguished from the

Intercession of the Spirit The Intercession of the Spirit is the Christian belief that the Holy Spirit helps and guides believers who search for God in their hearts.''Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Part 13'' by James Hastings and John A. Selbie 2003 page 38/ref> In t ...

. In the first case Christ takes petitions to the

Father A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...

Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

, in the second case the

Comforter A comforter (in American English), also known as a doona in Australian English, or a continental quilt (or simply quilt) or duvet in British English, is a type of bedding made of two lengths of fabric or covering sewn together and filled with in ...

(the Spirit) flows from Heaven toward the hearts of believers.

Biblical basis

The theological basis for the belief in the intercession of Christ is provided in the

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chris ...

. In the

Epistle to the Romans The Epistle to the Romans is the sixth book in the New Testament, and the longest of the thirteen Pauline epistles. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by Paul the Apostle to explain that salvation is offered through the gospel of Jes ...

(Romans 8:34)

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

states:

It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

This intercession resonates with John 17:22, which refers to the "heavenly communion" between Christ and

God the Father God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity. In mainstream trinity, trinitarian Christianity, God the Father is regarded as the first person of the Trinity, followed by the second person, God the Son Jesus Christ, and the third pers ...

. The

First Epistle of John The First Epistle of John is the first of the Johannine epistles of the New Testament, and the fourth of the catholic epistles. There is no scholarly consensus as to the authorship of the Johannine works. The author of the First Epistle is ter ...

(1 John 2:1-2) states:

And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

In the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 7:25) the author wrote of the "salvation to the uttermost" through the continued intercession of Christ:''Talking to God: the theology of prayer'' by Wayne R. Spear 2002 page 5

/ref>

Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

The intercession of Christ in Heaven is seen as a continuation of the prayers and petitions he performed for humanity while on Earth, e.g. as in Luke 23:34: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do".

Christology

In Pauline

Christology In Christianity, Christology (from the Greek grc, Χριστός, Khristós, label=none and grc, -λογία, -logia, label=none), translated literally from Greek as "the study of Christ", is a branch of theology that concerns Jesus. Diff ...

the intercession of Christ has two components, both in the present and at the Last Judgement.''Studies in Early Christology'' by Martin Hengel 2004 page 159 This is expressed in Romans 8:33-34 in terms of "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" and "Who is he that condemneth?", and then in Hebrews 7:25 in terms of the activities of Christ as the

High Priest The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious caste. Ancient Egypt In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many gods rev ...

. In Christian teachings, the intercession of Christ before God relates to Jesus' '' Anamnesis (Christianity), anamnesis before God'' during the

and the continuing memorial nature of the Eucharistic offering. In the Christology of salvation, the one time offering of Christ via his willing sacrifice at Calvary is distinguished from, but relates to his continued intercession from Heaven in his role as the

, and his role at the Last Judgement.''Toward a christology of Christ the high priest'' by Michael Keenan Jones 2006 pages 57-58 The notion of intercession by Christ as the

Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...

relates to the imagery of the Lamb in Revelation 14:1:5 where those who are first saved "were purchased from among men" through the sacrifice of the lamb:

These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, o bethe firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.

From the Christological perspective, the intercession of Christ is distinguished from the

.''Reconstructing pastoral theology: a Christological foundation'' by Andrew Purves 2004 page 122 While 1 John 2:1 states "We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous", John 14:16-17 includes the statement:

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter A comforter (in American English), also known as a doona in Australian English, or a continental quilt (or simply quilt) or duvet in British English, is a type of bedding made of two lengths of fabric or covering sewn together and filled with in ...
, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.

The distinction between the two forms of the advocacy can be interpreted in terms of the direction of the flow: in the first case Christ takes petitions to the Father in Heaven, in the second case the comforter (the Spirit) flows from Heaven toward the hearts of believers.

References

{{Christianity footer, state=collapsed Christology Christian prayer

Biblical basis

Christology

See also

References