Part One

Sin separates man from God and the only way back to regain that relationship comes through mediation. Man cannot get back to God on his own. He needs a mediator. You know that is Jesus, about whom the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

Reconciliation brings together two opposing or warring parties. A barrier separates them. Perhaps the two can reconcile without mediation. When it comes to God and man, the separation requires mediation for reconciliation to occur. Very often for two people to reconcile, mediation is also necessary.

Mediation is a means of reconciliation. Mediation must occur between man and God for reconciliation to succeed. Reconciliation very often requires mediation in order to succeed between other opposing parties: nations, tribes, families, and people. A rift can exist between two people impossible for them alone to eliminate. They need help.

The book of Philemon presents mediation by the Apostle Paul between Philemon and Onesimus. In so doing, it reveals many important components to successful mediation. Paul gives a master class on mediation between two conflicting people. It also provides the authority for the act of mediation. Mediation is scriptural.

Two churches, Jerusalem and Antioch, the first two churches in the world, came to a division between each other. They had to sort it out with one another in Acts 15. They were able to do so. In 1 Corinthians 11:18-19, Paul says that divisions will need to occur and for several reasons.  Despite those, the divided sides should strive for unity.

Mediation and Neutrality

I like the way Thayer puts it in his lexicon: “one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or to form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant.” Friberg lexicon says, “basically, a neutral and trusted person in the middle (Gk, mesos).  He continues, “one who works to remove disagreement, mediator, go-between, reconciler.”

When Moses called for witnesses (Ex 21:22-25, Dt 17:6-7), referenced by Jesus (Mt 18:16) and Paul (1 Tim 5:19), that meant neutral ones.  Neutral ones stand under cross examination.  Just because someone has two or three people who testify does not constitute biblical witness.

A legal component exists in mediation. The mediator, like a judge, ensures fairness in the process of reconciliation. He witnesses and weighs the speech and behavior between the two sides. Scripture illustrates this role in 1 Kings 3 with Solomon’s judgment of two women fighting for the same baby.

Real Desire for Reconciliation Wants Mediation Too

Both women claimed the same child as her own. Solomon said he would divide the child in two and give one half to each.  The true mother deferred.  She wanted the child to live. She would lose her own child to the other woman. Solomon knew the deferential mother was the true one.  Her response to mediation told a tale, as it most often does in conflicts.  The one who desires the relationship, really wants it, not just posing like the imposter mother did, also wants mediation.

You want a mediator to be just. He cannot judge in a biased way. Like Friberg said above, he must be a neutral party. Fair mediation requires equal justice. If you went for mediation and you found the mediator on the payroll of the other party, you might think him biased.  Just courts prohibit this in their judges and juries because of potential prejudice.

Someone really wanting reconciliation will accept mediation.  When a person does not want reconciliation, neither does he want mediation. He doesn’t want neutrality. He wants his way and a stamp of approval. This is not mediation. It is not even a witness in the arbitration of an event.

Pitfalls to Mediation

What happens in a broken relationship with friends, institutions, or family members and one side calls for mediation?  The other party rejects.  Maybe you reader too reject mediation.  Think about it.

People very often want vengeance in an issue.  Maybe they have a grudge.  They coddle and nurture wrath. They prefer a biased judge with a biased handpicked jury, who will give them the decision they want. This is the government of North Korea.  At a trial, you receive only the will the authoritarian leader.  Mediation will require humility.

Judges cloister juries against corrupting outside influences.  Information from outside the courtroom does not face cross-examination.  Personal feelings and gossip shape opinions.

During the Cold War, what deterred two warring nations was called “mutually deterred destruction.”  With the advent of nuclear weapons, nations would use their threat to take over as many other nations as they could.  The United States needed nuclear weapons to deter such actions. Ronald Reagan called this “peace through strength.”  Military power aided negotiations with a threatening enemy.  Both sides need similar strength for fair judgment.

More to Come, Lord-willing