intercession Summary and Overview

INTERCES'SION , Heb 7:25, means interposition by prayer for others, 1 Tim 2:1, and implies wants and needs. Our Lord, by reason of his highpriestly office, performs the functions of intercessor or advocate. 1 John 2:1. He performed this office while on earth. The most conspicuous instance is found in the so-called sacerdotal prayer, John 17, where intercession is made for the disciples, v.9, and for future believers, v.20. Our Lord continues to make intercession for us in his state of exaltation. Heb 9:24;Rom 8:34. The Holy Spirit is also said to make intercession. Rom 8:26. This is accomplished through his dwelling in the hearts of believers, praying in them and enabling them to pray. Believers also have the privilege of making intercession for one another and for the unconverted. Gen 18:23-33; 1 Thess 5:25 etc.

I. Christ's intercession: (1) In a general sense, for transgressors: Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34, for His murderers. (2) In a special sense, for His believing people alone: "I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me" (John 17:9). His prayer of compassion is for self destroying sinners. His pleading as Advocate is for His believing people, claiming their justification as a matter of right, on the ground of His righteousness. "We (who walk in the light as He is in the light) have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous" (1 John 2:1, compare 1 John 1:7; Romans 8:33-34; Hebrews 7:25). He died once for all, atoning for all sin; but "He ever liveth to make intercession for them that come unto God by Him," and for them alone. As examples of His intercession compare Isaiah 62:1, for Zion; Zechariah 1:12; Zechariah 1:14; Psalm 69:6-7, "let not them that wait on Thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed, for My sake," etc. II. The Holy Spirit's intercession: Romans 8:26-27. Christ intercedes for us above; the Holy Spirit, in Christ's personal absence, intercedes on earth in us. Hence, the Holy Spirit has the same title as Christ, the Paraclete (which in KJV is translated "Advocate" in the case of Christ, "Comforter" in the case of the Holy Spirit; the original word is the same for both). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of prayer in every one below for whom Christ pleads above. The Holy Spirit is said to intercede for us with groanings, because He makes us to "groan," or "sigh." Knowing our needs better than we, He breathes in our prayers spiritual desires which find utterance in inarticulate sighings; these the Searcher of hearts knoweth, and interprets and answers accordingly; for whatever aspirations the Holy Spirit breathes in us are "according to the will of God." III. Man's intercession: Romans 11:2, Elijah interceding against Israel, as elsewhere for the people (James 5:17-18). Paul often asks the prayers of, Christians in behalf of himself and other ministers, and the extension of Christ's kingdom (2 Thessalonians 3:1; Ephesians 6:18-19).