Understanding "የአዲስ ኪዳን መካከለኛ” from the EOTC Perspective

In the Christian tradition, particularly within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), the concept of mediation between God and humanity is central to its theology. This idea is beautifully expressed in two key biblical passages: Hebrews 12:24 and 1 Timothy 2:5. The verses proclaim, "የሐዲስም ኪዳን መካከለኛ ወደሚሆን ወደ ኢየሱስ፥ ከአቤልም ደም ይልቅ የሚሻለውን ወደ ሚናገር ወደ መርጨት ደም ደርሳችኋል" (Hebrews 12:24) and "አንድ እግዚአብሔር አለና፥ በእግዚአብሔርና በሰውም መካከል ያለው መካከለኛው ደግሞ አንድ አለ፥ እርሱም ሰው የሆነ ክርስቶስ ኢየሱስ ነው" (1 Timothy 2:5).

The EOTC firmly believes that our Lord Jesus Christ is the sole and authentic mediator between humanity and God. The Church teaches that this verse does not imply that Christ continues to intercede for us after His reconciliation with Himself, the Father, and the Holy Spirit on the cross; rather, it conveys the following interpretations:

1. The Incarnation: (የሰውን ሥጋ መልበሱ)

Our Lord Jesus Christ assumed human nature by taking his flesh and soul from the Holy Virgin Mary, as narrated in Luke 1:26-45 and Matthew 1:25. Had He not taken on human flesh, He could not rightfully be called a "man" or a mediator between man and God. Only Christ is both fully God and fully human, which is why He is called the Mediator. This is precisely why He can bridge the gap between humanity and the divine.

2. Mediator of the Old and New Testaments

Christ's crucifixion marked a pivotal moment in salvation history. Prior to His sacrifice, offerings of sheep and cattle were made for the forgiveness of sins. However, through His death, Christ established a new covenant (ኪዳን), providing not mere animal sacrifices but His own holy flesh and blood, thus fulfilling and replacing the old sacrifice. As articulated in Matthew 26:26-28, "ሲበሉም ኢየሱስ እንጀራን አንሥቶ ባረከ ቆርሶም ለደቀ መዛሙርቱ ሰጠና….," In 1 Timothy 2:5, St. Paul emphasizes that Christ's sacrifice is unparalleled, superior even to the blood of Abel, which could not clear sin. Instead, through His sacrifice, Christ offers a complete and ultimate reward, rendering subsequent animal sacrifices unnecessary.

As the ultimate mediator, Jesus bridges the gap between the Old Testament's priesthood and the New, representing both the fulfillment of the old covenant and the initiation of the new covenant. His role as mediator connects the saints of the past with those of the present, making Him the essential link in the history of salvation.

In conclusion, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's understanding of "የሐዲስ ኪዳን መካከለኛ" highlights the profound nature of Christ's mediation as both God and man. Through His sacrifice, He established a new covenant and eternally preserved the connection between the faithful of the past and present. This verse does not imply that Christ continuously intercedes for us; rather, it affirms that He reconciled us once and for all with Himself, His Father, and the Holy Spirit through His redemptive act.