Thanksgiving, Part 2: Jesus, Divine Mediator

In Part 1 [Click HERE.], we highlighted the amazing life of Squanto, the Native American of the Patuxent tribe who resided in what is now Massachusetts.  God providentially prepared Squanto with knowledge of European culture and character qualities that suited him to become a mediator between his native people and the Pilgrims who were struggling to survive at Plymouth Rock. 

God used Squanto’s mediation to literally save the lives of the Pilgrims.  However, as amazing as Squanto’s life was, his mediation was limited in scope and lasting effects, especially when compared to the mediation of Jesus Christ that we discussed in Part 1.

Thanksgiving Meditations:  Squanto and Jesus Christ
The declaration of Scripture in 1 Timothy 2: 5-6a, that there is “one Mediator…the Man Christ Jesus,” is supported by dozens of other Scriptures affirming that God’s Messiah was fully human and fully God.  It is clear that Christ is far superior to any human mediator.  Indeed, how can we wrap our finite minds around the claim in John 1: 14 that “the Word [Jesus Christ] became flesh and dwelt among us…?”  However, we have found it helpful to compare Christ's mediation with that of a "human mediator" like Squanto.

In order to make the comparison of Christ's mediation with that of Squanto, let's return to our account of Squanto and utilize the five qualities of an effective human mediator we listed in Part 1.  Each of the qualities include Scriptures and commentary suitable for a daily meditation leading up to Thanksgiving.  Please allow each Scripture to stimulate further study.  We  hope your study will inspire you to reverent worship and adoration of Christ, our divine Mediator.

1) Knowledge of the Language and Cultures
Long before the Pilgrims desperately needed help, God was preparing Squanto to be their mediator.  By the time the Pilgrims needed Squanto’s mediation, he had become equipped with knowledge of the language and culture of both Native Americans and of the Pilgrims.  On a much grander scale, God planned and sent His Son, Jesus Christ as divine Mediator between a Holy God and sinful man:

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1: 14

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.  -- Isaiah 53:  5

God made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  -- 2 Corinthians 5: 21

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  -- John 14:6

Other Scriptures:   John 3: 16-17; Hebrews 2:14: 1 Peter 3: 18
Application: Do you believe Jesus IS God in human flesh?  Why is the incarnation of Jesus Christ [the Word made flesh] so essential to His role as Mediator between God and mankind? 

2) Vision of a “Higher Purpose”
Squanto’s international experience, delivery from bondage, experience of human kindness by people of God, and his opportunity to learn the English language and culture must certainly have transformed him.  What’s more, he was invited to experience Christian worship and to learn from God’s Word.  It is likely that he grasped a sense of the larger purpose to which God (or the “Great Spirit”) had called him.  The same was true of Jesus Christ:

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.  – Hebrews 1: 1-3a

But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.  - Galatians 4: 4-5

Jesus, anticipating the Cross:  Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name!”  -- John 12:27-28

Other Scriptures:  Isaiah 50: 5-7; Hebrews 5: 8-9
Application:  Do you believe God is a God of purpose?  Have you discovered His purpose(s) for your life?  What are ways we can identify God’s purposes for us?

3) Shows Empathy and Compassion
Like the patriarch Joseph in the Old Testament, Squanto was forcibly torn away from his own people and culture, and made to live and labor in a strange, far away land.  This traumatic experience happened twice; and each time, Squanto was set free by the kindness of people of faith in God.  Perhaps God used these experiences to help Squanto become a compassionate mediator.  The following Scriptures describe the preparation of Jesus as a compassionate Mediator:

[He] emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.  – Philippians 2: 7-8

When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd….  – Mark 6: 34a

For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.  – Hebrews 2: 18

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  – Hebrews 4: 15-16

Other Scripture:  Hebrews 5: 2
Application:  How have experiences of pain and suffering in your life helped you to become more compassionate toward others?  How have these experiences drawn you closer to Christ?

4) Builds Trust Between Adversaries
By definition, a mediator must stand between adversaries and encourage each side to fully trust him or her.  Very likely, the knowledge and experiences that Squanto gained through both harsh and affirming treatment had shaped him in character as one who could be trusted by both sides that he was seeking to reconcile.  The following Scriptures address the trustworthiness of God and His Son, our Mediator:

Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life. - John 5:24

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. – Romans 5: 8-10

Other Scripture:  Jeremiah 31: 33-34; Colossians 1: 13-14
Application:   Have you come to the point in your life where you can trust that Jesus Christ is the only way to receive forgiveness and salvation from your sin through “justification by faith” in Him?  If so, on what does your faith rest?  If not, what will it take?

5) Provides for Ongoing Mediation
Squanto not only mediated for peace between his own people and the Pilgrims, but he showed the Pilgrims how to grow crops and obtain fish from the ocean.  Providentially, God had expanded Squanto’s horizon both in space and time so that he could envision a coexistence of two very different cultures there in what is now Massachusetts.  God’s “vision” is infinitely greater based on His knowledge, omnipresence, and omnipotence.  Most of all is God’s great covenant love which redeems all who believe in Christ, our Mediator and makes them one with Him forever.

Who is there to condemn us?  For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.  -- Romans 8:34

For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all His fullness to dwell in Him [Christ], and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.  Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds.  But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence… -- Colossians 1: 19-22

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  – Jeremiah 29: 11

Other Scripture:  Romans 8: 1; Romans 8: 28; 2 Corinthians 4: 17-18
Application:  We have examined five marks of a mediator evident in the life of Squanto and which point us to the work of Christ, our divine Mediator.  While we hope the comparisons have been helpful, there remains some glaring differences between Squanto, a “human mediator,” and Christ, our divine Mediator.  What differences can you identify?  What is the significance to you personally of the differences?

Christ:  More Than a Human Mediator
Unlike Squanto, Jesus Christ is divine, fully God and fully man.  What’s more, Christ’s mediation between a holy God and sinful man required His willing sacrifice as “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1: 29).”

Whereas, some human mediators may die to bring reconciliation, it was preordained that Christ would die for our sin, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit… (1 Peter 3: 18).  Because of His great love for mankind, God gave His greatest gift, His much beloved Son, to take our punishment and die in our place for our sin—specifically, to satisfy God’s holy wrath (propitiation; 1 John 2: 2) and to carry away our sin and related guilt (expiation; Hebrews 1: 3; 1 John 1: 7).  When Christ rose from death to eternal life, He demonstrates His Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice.  Romans 5 provides a wonderful summary:

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.  – Romans 5: 6-11

Mediation: “Place of One”
Michael A. Zeytoonian, Founder and Director of Dispute Resolution Counsel, LLC,  is a lawyer, mediator and ombudsman.  He describes the goal of successful mediation as follows:
“There is this ‘place of one’ in every dispute and it offers the most complete resolution. It is different for each team of rivals and each situation.  In order to fulfill the law, the Mediator’s higher purpose is to transform the minds of the two sides, so that they can go beyond just settling, to find, or perhaps rediscover, their “place of one.”  [Read more HERE.]

Those who belong to Christ have been united with Him into a “place of one” through the abiding Holy Spirit who reminds us through His Word (emphasis added):  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3: 27-28).

Now “clothed with Christ” who is our Great High Priest, we are sustained by His intercession at God’s holy throne on our behalf when we fall short of the mark (sin) and confess our sin.  Take time to reflect on God’s Gift of salvation and provision of forgiveness (1 John 1: 8-9).  

How about You?  Have you accepted God’s Gift of salvation by faith?  If so, do you regularly respond to His welcome at the throne of grace for regular cleansing from sin?  And remember, if you have been reconciled, you have also been called to be an “ambassador of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5: 20).  If you have questions, feel free to use the “Comment” link below or write to us at silviusj@gmail.com.

Helpful Resources:
“Steps to Peace with God” Click HERE.
“Have You Made the Discovery of the Spirit-Filled Life?”  Cru Publication.  Click HERE.
Oikonomia blog, August 25, 2025.  “Winsome Witness 2.  Being Salt in Controversy.  Click HERE.