The Intercession of Christ

I have been on a brief holiday during which time I read John Bunyan's The Intercession of Christ. It's a wonderful book which I strongly recommend.

Jesus Christ: a complete Saviour

Hebrews 7:25. ‘Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.’

Romans 8:33-35. ‘Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

I would like to make a few observations on the text from Hebrews. First of all, whom does the Lord Jesus save? Those who come to God through Him. Secondly, to what extent does He save them? To the uttermost, to the nth degree, absolutely, completely, forever. Thirdly, how is He able to do that? He makes intercession for them before the Father. Intercession is not always made in favour of someone (cf. Romans 11:2, KJV), but in the case of a high priest, it always is. ‘For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for [or ‘on behalf of’] men in things pertaining to God’ (Hebrews 5:1). So the intercession of Christ is between God and mankind, for the good of mankind.

So this intercession is based upon His priesthood. Psalms 110:4. ‘The LORD has sworn and will not relent; ‘You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”’ Therefore, there is a certainty of those for whom our Lord prays reaping the benefit of His intercession. ‘He is able to save them to the uttermost.’ As priest, He has offered the one, perfect sacrifice of Himself, and He prays for all His people that they may be brought home to God. “I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours ….Father, I desire that they also whom You have given Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world’ (John 17:9, 24).

Now we know that the Father is satisfied by the atonement rendered by Christ, because it was He who set Christ forth to be a propitiation by His blood, and the Lord Jesus is able to declare, “I have finished the work You gave Me to do” (John 17:4). Also by our Lord’s resurrection, God showed Himself satisfied with His work (Romans 1:4).


So what does He pray for in His intercession? Firstly, He prays that all God’s people down the ages may be brought home to God. “I do not pray for these alone [i.e. only those already converted] but also for those who will believe in Me through their work,’ or as He puts in in verse 2, “As many as You have given [Me].’ And the reason for that is that He has paid a ransom for them (Mark 10:45), so that when He makes intercession for ungodly sinners (as all the unconverted elect are) He is asking for His own, His purchared ones, those for whom He died.

Secondly, He prays that their sins committed after conversion may be forgiven them. This is shown by the intercession of the high priest in the O.T. Leviticus 5:20. ‘So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for the sin which he has committed, and it shall be forgiven him.’ He also prays that His people should be kept from the dominion of Satan (John 17:15). Thirdly, He prays that those graces which they received at conversion should be maintained. Luke 22:31-32. Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail….’ (c.f. also John 17:11).

Fourthly, He prays that we may be preserved and brought into His heavenly kingdom. Firstly, because they are His “They were Yours; You gave them to Me.” Seondly, He pleads that He has already given (in promise) glory to them, and they must not therefore go without it. “And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them’ (John 17:22).

It should not be imagined that the Lord Jesus is trying to change His Father’s mind; that somehow He is reluctant to save the people whom He has given to Christ. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’ These things are shown to us to reveal how absolutely certain is the salvation of everyone for whom Christ died. “My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me, and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”