Calvin on Prayer -- The Risen Christ Is Our Mediator

In his discussion of proper prayer, Calvin continues to direct us outside ourselves to focus upon the role of Jesus as our mediator—he intercedes with the holy God on behalf of his sinful people. All Christian prayer is mediated through Jesus Christ which is why Christians pray in his name and for his sake.

18. The Risen Christ as Our Intercessor

Calvin reminds us that this is what Jesus taught his disciples.

And we ought carefully to note the circumstance of the time when Christ enjoins his disciples to take refuge in his intercession, after he shall have ascended into heaven. “In that hour,” he says, “you will ask in my name.” (John 16:26)

Those prayers not offered to God through the intercession of Christ are not heard (i.e., received). We learn this in the Old Testament, Calvin says, through the foreshadowing of the law and the offering of sacrifices in the temple. Since our sin bars us from God’s presence, we must seek the divinely appointed means (cleansing from sin) so that our prayers are heard and answered. This requires both a priest and a mediator who can offer sacrifices which can remove the guilt of sin.

It is certain that, from the beginning, those who prayed were not heard save by the Mediator’s grace. For this reason, God had taught in the law that the priest alone entering the sanctuary should bear the names of the tribes of Israel upon his shoulders and the same number of precious stones on his breastplate (Ex. 28:9–21), but the people should stand afar off in the court, and there join their petitions with the priest. Nay, the sacrifice even had value in ratifying and strengthening the prayers. Therefore, that foreshadowing ceremony of the law taught us that we are all barred from God’s presence, and consequently need a Mediator, who should appear in our name and bear us upon his shoulders and hold us bound upon his breast so that we are heard in his person; further, that our prayers are cleansed by sprinkled blood—prayers that, as has been stated, are otherwise never free of uncleanness. And we see that the saints, when they desired to obtain something, based their hope on sacrifices, for they knew them to be the sanctions of all petitions. “May he remember your offering,” says David, “and make your burnt sacrifice fat!” (Ps. 20:3). Hence we infer that God was from the beginning appeased by Christ’s intercession, so that he received the petitions of the godly.

Since the Old Testament points us ahead to Jesus (as our great high priest), therefore we are to pray in his name. Having completed his priestly work on earth, Jesus ascended to the Father’s right hand where he continues that priestly work through his intercession for us as our advocate, consecrating our prayers with his shed blood and righteousness. This knowledge enables us to pray confidently.

Why, then, does Christ assign a new hour wherein his disciples shall begin to pray in his name unless it is that this grace, as it is more resplendent today, so deserves more approval among us? And he had said a little before in the same sense: “Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask” (John 16:24). Not that they understand absolutely nothing about the office of Mediator, since all the Jews were steeped in these rudiments, but because they did not yet clearly understand that Christ by his very ascension into heaven would be a surer advocate of the church than he had been before. Therefore, to console their grief at his absence with some uncommon benefit, he takes upon himself the office of advocate, and teaches that they had hitherto lacked the peculiar blessing that will be given them to enjoy when, relying upon his protection, they more freely call upon God. Thus the apostle says that the new way is consecrated by his blood (Heb. 10:20). The less excusable is our frowardness [habitually disposed] unless we embrace with both arms, as the saying is, this truly inestimable benefit, which is destined for us alone.

Institutes 3.20.18