Intercession in the Bible

By JOHN CHOPORES

Romans 8:26 ¶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

As we do our part, the Spirit helps us.

" for we know not what we should pray for as we ought--It is not the proper matter of prayer that believers are at so much loss about, for the fullest directions are given them on this head: but to ask for the right things "as they ought" is the difficulty. This arises partly from the dimness of our spiritual vision in the present veiled state, while we have to "walk by faith, not by sight" (see JFB on "1Co 13:9"; and see JFB on "2Co 5:7"), and the large admixture of the ideas and feelings which spring from the fleeting objects of sense that there is in the very best views and affections of our renewed nature; partly also from the necessary imperfection of all human language as a vehicle for expressing the subtle spiritual feelings of the heart. In these circumstances, how can it be but that much uncertainty should surround all our spiritual exercises, and that in our nearest approaches and in the freest outpourings of our hearts to our Father in heaven, doubts should spring up within us whether our frame of mind in such exercises is altogether befitting and well pleasing to God? Nor do these anxieties subside, but rather deepen, with the depth and ripeness of our spiritual experience.

but the Spirit itself--rather, "Himself."….

maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered--that is, which cannot be expressed in articulate language. Sublime and affecting ideas, for which we are indebted to this passage alone! "As we struggle to express in articulate language the desires of our hearts and find that our deepest emotions are the most inexpressible, we 'groan' under this felt inability. But not in vain are these groanings. For 'the Spirit Himself' is in them, giving to the emotions which He Himself has kindled the only language of which they are capable; so that though on our part they are the fruit of impotence to utter what we feel, they are at the same time the intercession of the Spirit Himself in our behalf." " [JFB].

" {Helpeth our infirmity} (sunantilambanetai th asyeneia hmwn). Present middle indicative of sunantilambanomai, late and striking double compound… to lend a hand together with, at the same time with one. Only twice in N.T., here and #Lu 10:40 in Martha's plea for Mary's help. Here beautifully Paul pictures the Holy Spirit taking hold at our side at the very time of our weakness (associative instrumental case) and before too late… {Maketh intercession} (uperentugcanei). … It is a picturesque word of rescue by one who "happens on" (entugcanei) one who is in trouble and "in his behalf" (uper) pleads "with unuttered groanings" (instrumental case) or with "sighs that baffle words" (Denney). This is work of our Helper, the Spirit himself" [RWP].

"

The apostle here suggests two privileges more to which true Christians are entitled:--

I. The help of the Spirit in prayer. While we are in this world, hoping and waiting for what we see not, we must be praying. Hope supposes desire, and that desire offered up to God is prayer; we groan. Now observe,

1. Our weakness in prayer: We know not what we should pray for as we ought.

(1.) As to the matter of our requests, we know not what to ask. We are not competent judges of our own condition. Who knows what is good for a man in this life? #Ec 6:12. We are short sighted, and very much biassed in favour of the flesh, and apt to separate the end from the way. You know not what you ask, #Mt 20:22. We are like foolish children, that are ready to cry for fruit before it is ripe and fit for them; see #Lu 9:54-55.

(2.) As to the manner, we know not how to pray as we ought. It is not enough that we do that which is good, but we must do it well, seek in a due order; and here we are often at a loss--graces are weak, affections cold, thoughts wandering, and it is not always easy to find the heart to pray, #2Sa 7:27. The apostle speaks of this in the first person: We know not. He puts himself among the rest. Folly, and weakness, and distraction in prayer, are what all the saints are complaining of. If so great a saint as Paul knew not what to pray for, what little reason have we to go forth about that duty in our own strength!

2. The assistances which the Spirit gives us in that duty. He helps our infirmities, meant especially of our praying infirmities, which most easily beset us in that duty, against which the Spirit helps. The Spirit in the word helps; many rules and promises there are in the word for our help. The Spirit in the heart helps, dwelling in us, working in us, as a Spirit of grace and supplication, especially with respect to the infirmities we are under when we are in a suffering state, when our faith is most apt to fail; for this end the Holy Ghost was poured out. Helpeth, sunantilambanetai--heaves with us, over against us, helps as we help one that would lift up a burden, by lifting over against him at the other end--helps with us, that is, with us doing our endeavour, putting forth the strength we have." [MATTHEW HENRY].

" But the Spirit itself— auto to pneuma, The same Spirit, viz. the Spirit that witnesses of our adoption and sonship, Romans 8:15, 16, makes intercession for us. Surely if the apostle had designed to teach us that he meant our own sense and understanding by the Spirit, he never could have spoken in a manner in which plain common sense was never likely to comprehend his meaning. Besides, how can it be said that our own spirit, our filial disposition, bears witness with our own spirit; that our own spirit helps the infirmities of our own spirit; that our own spirit teaches

our own spirit that of which it is ignorant; and that our own spirit maketh intercession for our own spirit, with groanings unutterable? This would have been both incongruous and absurd. We must therefore understand these places of that help and influence which the followers of God receive

from the Holy Ghost; and consequently, of the fulfillment of the various promises relative to this point which our Lord made to his disciples, particularly in John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27;

16:7; and particularly John 16:13, 14: Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will

guide you into all truth; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." [ADAM CLARKE].

Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

" (according to God). The Holy Spirit is the "other Paraclete" (#Joh 14:16) who pleads God's cause with us as Christ is our Paraclete with the Father (#1Jo 2:1). But more is true as here, for the Holy Spirit interprets our prayers to God and "makes intercession for us in accord with God's will."" [RWP].

" maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God--As the Searcher of hearts, He watches the surging emotions of them in prayer, and knows perfectly what the Spirit means by the groanings which He draws forth within us, because that blessed Intercessor pleads by them only for what God Himself designs to bestow. " [JFB].

" Verse 27. He maketh intercession for the saints— The word entugcanw signifies to apply one’s self to a person in behalf of another; to intercede or negotiate for." [ADAM CLARKE].

"To search the heart is the prerogative of God, as it implies omniscience.

…Knoweth the mind of the Spirit. By fro>nhma tou~ pneu>matov is meant the meaning, intention of the Spirit, what he means by these unutterable groanings. By Spirit must be here understood, as the context requires, the Holy Spirit. It is that Spirit who intercedes for the saints and in them, and who is expressly distinguished from the soul in which he dwells. God is said to know the mind of the Spirit. As the word to know is so often used with the implication of the idea of approval, this

may mean, God recognizes or approves of the mind of the Spirit.

…If this be the meaning of the word, then the following o[ti is causal, and introduces the reason why God thus approves of the mind of the Spirit. It is because the Spirit maketh intercession for

the saints kata< Qeo>n according to God, i.e. agreeably to his will. The desires produced by the Spirit of God himself are, of course, agreeable to the will of God, and secure of being approved and answered. This is the great consolation and support of believers. They know not either what is best for themselves or agreeable to the will of God; but the Holy, Spirit dictates those petitions and excites those desires which are consistent with the divine purposes, and which are directed towards the blessings best suited to our wants. Such prayers are always answered. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us," 1 John 5:14. [HODGE].

"Ver. 27. — And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

It might be objected, To what purpose are those groanings which we cannot understand? To this the Apostle very fully replies in this verse, —

1. God knows what these prayers mean, for ‘He searcheth the hearts’ of men, of which he hath perfect knowledge. The believer sighs and groans, while, owing to his perplexity and distress, he cannot utter a word before God; nevertheless these sighs and groanings are full of meaning.

2. God knoweth what is ‘the mind of the Spirit,’ or what He is dictating in the heart, and therefore He must approve of it; for the Father and Spirit are one.

3. Because, or rather, ‘that He maketh intercession.’ We are not to understand His intercession as the reason why God knows the mind of the Spirit, but as the reason why He will hear and answer the groans which the Holy Spirit excites. A further reason is, that this intercession is made for the saints; that is, for the children of God, of whom He hath said, ‘Gather My saints together unto Me, those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice,’ Psalm 1:5.

Finally, it is added, that it is ‘according to God,’ or to the will of God.

These prayers, then, will be heard, because the Spirit intercedes for those who are the children of God, and because He excites no desires but what are agreeable to the will of God. From all this we see how certain it is that these groanings which cannot be uttered must be heard, and consequently answered. For ‘this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask

anything according to His will He heareth us.’ The best prayers are not those of human eloquence, but which spring from earnest desires of the heart. This verse is replete with instruction as well as consolation. We are here reminded that the Lord is the searcher of hearts. ‘Hell and destruction are before the Lord; how much more then the hearts of the children of men.’

The reasons of the perfect knowledge that God has of our hearts, are declared in the

139th Psalm: —

1. The infinity, the omnipresence, and omniscience of God.

2. He forms the heart, and knows His own work.

3. He preserves and maintains the heart in all its operations.

4. He conducts and leads it, and therefore knows and sees it. The prayer of the heart, then, is attended to by God, as well as the prayer of the lips. Yet this does not prove that oral prayer is unnecessary — not even in our secret devotions.

…the operation of the Spirit; but this is not the first work of the Spirit in them. He first sanctifies and then intercedes. First, He puts into us gracious dispositions, and then stirs up holy desires; and the latter supposes the former. In those in whom the Spirit is a Spirit of intercession, in them He is a Spirit of regeneration. These are therefore joined together in Zechariah 12:10, ‘The Spirit of grace and of supplications.’ [HALDANE].

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

One might ask, "where is thee safe place to be?" the answer is in the Will of God!

The Devil is always ready, to work on our human minds, but God is greater! As we let Him, the Holy Spirit will renew our minds! Cf. Romans 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot;

Romans 8:27 And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

The intercession of Christ, helps us to lead a holy life.

" Who is he that condemneth? who can prevail against God, so as to destroy, or ultimately injure us? It is Christ; who from love, died in our stead when we were his enemies. But Paul cannot leave the subject here, since without the resurrection, ascension, and intercession of Christ, his death would be ineffectual to our redemption. He therefore passes on to these: yea rather, that is risen again, etc." [FAMILY].

" {He pleadeth} (entugcanei). See on "8:27". entugcanw means to happen on one and so to converse with (#Ac 25:24), to plead for (#Ro 8:27,34), to plead against as here with kata, but the "against" is in kata." [RWP].

Romans 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

" how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying: that is, how he spoke to God in prayer concerning Israel; and instead of praying for them, as the prophets were wont to do, he was obliged to bring a complaint against them for their idolatry, contempt of the worship of God, and violent persecution of his true followers." [JOHN GILL].

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

How great and marvelous it is to have the Perfect intercessor praying for us! We are still, to do our part, but where we are weak, He is strong. In other words, as long as we are in His Will, the job will get done!

As always, let us do all things in faith. For when we act in faith, we are strong! Cf. James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

" come unto God--by faith.

by him--through Him as their mediating Priest, instead of through the Levitical priests.

seeing he ever liveth--resuming "He continueth ever, "#Heb 7:24; therefore "He is able to the uttermost"; He is not, like the Levitical priest, prevented by death, for "He ever liveth" (#Heb 7:23).

to make intercession--There was but the one offering on earth once for all. But the intercession for us in the heavens (#Heb 7:26) is ever continuing, whence the result follows, that we can never be separated from the love of God in Christ. He intercedes only for those who come unto God through Him, not for the unbelieving world (#Joh 17:9). As samples of His intercession, compare the prophetical descriptions in the Old Testament. "By an humble omnipotency (for it was by His humiliation that He obtained all power), or omnipotent humility, appearing in the presence, and presenting His postulations at the throne of God" [BISHOP PEARSON]. He was not only the offering, but the priest who offered it. Therefore, He has become not only a sacrifice, but an intercessor; His intercession being founded on His voluntary offering of Himself without spot to God. We are not only then in virtue of His sacrifice forgiven, but in virtue of the intercession admitted to favor and grace [ARCHBISHOP MAGEE]." [JFB].

" By him; as their high-priest, not venturing before God in their own name." [family].

" seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them; Christ ever lives as God, he is the living God; and though he died as man, he is risen from the dead, and will not die again, but live for evermore; and he lives as Mediator and Redeemer, and particularly as a priest; one branch of whose office it is to intercede for his people:" [JOHN GILL].

" Verse 25. Wherefore— Because he is an everlasting priest, and has offered the only available sacrifice, he is able to save, from the power, guilt, nature, and punishment of sin, to the uttermost, eiv to pantelev, … He ever was and ever will be the High Priest, Sacrifice, Intercessor, and Mediator of the human race. All successive generations of men are equally interested in him, and may claim the same privileges. But none can be saved by his grace that do not come unto God

through him; i.e. imploring mercy through him as their sacrifice and atonement; confidently trusting that God can be just, and yet the justifier of them who thus come to him, believing on Christ Jesus.

… says Dr. Macknight,… the Jewish high priest made intercession for the people on the day of atonement, and which was a type of Christ’s intercession in heaven. He made it, not by offering of prayers for them in the most holy place, but by sprinkling the blood of the sacrifices on the

mercy-seat, in token of their death. And as, by that action, he opened the earthly holy places to the prayers and worship of the Israelites during the ensuing year; so Jesus, by presenting his humanity continually before the presence of his Father, opens heaven to the prayers of his people in the present life, and to their persons after the resurrection." [ADAM CLARKE].

 

Lets take a look at how different people, in the Bible, did Intercession.

Moses

Exodus 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

Moses was willing to paid the greatest price, that he could!

" and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of the book which thou hast written;

… is no other than the book of life of the Lamb," [JOHN GILL]. Cf. Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Philippians 4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Num. 12: 1 ¶ And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

" Moses; in this we have his patience tried by his own relations.

I. Miriam and Aaron, his own brother and sister, affronted him, #Nu 12:1-3.

II. God called them to an account for it, #Nu 12:4-9.

III. Miriam was smitten with a leprosy for it, #Nu 12:10.

IV. Aaron submits, and Moses meekly intercedes for Miriam, #Nu 12:11-13.

V. She is healed, but put to shame for seven days, #Nu 12:14-16." [MATTHEW HENRY].

2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

" 3. the man Moses was very meek--(#Ex 14:13 21:7 32:12,13 De 9:18). This observation might have been made to account for Moses taking no notice of their angry reproaches and for God's interposing so speedily for the vindication of His servant's cause." [JFB].

Numbers 12:13 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

" Ver. 13. And Moses cried unto the Lord, &c.] With a loud voice, and with great earnestness and importunity, being heartily affected with the miserable condition Miriam was in:

saying, heal her now, O God, I beseech thee; in the original text it is, "O God now, heal her now"; for the same particle is used at the close as at the beginning of the petition; and the repetition of it shows his earnestness and importunity that she might be healed directly, immediately, without any delay; and Moses uses the word "El", which signifies the strong and mighty God, as expressive of his faith in the power of God, that he was able to heal her; and at the same time suggests that none but he could do it; and so Aben Ezra interprets it,

``thou that hast power in thine hand, now heal her; ''

this prayer is a proof of his being of a meek, humble, and forgiving spirit." [JOHN GILL].

Numbers 14:19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

"Ver. 19. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people, according unto the greatness of thy mercy, &c.] Intimating, that though the sin of this people was great, the mercy of God to pardon was greater; and therefore he entreats that God would deal with them, not according to the greatness of their sins, and the strictness of justice, but according to the greatness of his mercy, who would, and does, abundantly pardon;

and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now; which shows both that these people had been continually sinning against the Lord, ever since they came out of Egypt, notwithstanding the great goodness of God unto them, and that he had as constantly pardoned; and therefore it was hoped and entreated that he would still continue to pardon them, he being the same he ever was, and whose mercy and goodness endure for ever: he had pardoned already sins of the like kind since their coming out of Egypt, as their murmurings for bread in the wilderness of Sin, #Ex 16:1-7, and for water at Rephidim, #Ex 17:1-7, and even a greater sin than these, idolatry, or the worship of the calf, #Ex 32:1-10." [JOHN GILL].

Numbers 14:20 ¶ And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:

" The extremity of the sentence is receded from (#Nu 14:20):

"I have pardoned, so as not to cut them all off at once, and disinherit them."

See the power of prayer, and the delight God takes in putting an honour upon it. He designed a pardon, but Moses shall have the praise of obtaining it by prayer: it shall be done according to thy word; thus, as a prince, he has power with God, and prevails." [MATTHEW HENRY].

Exodus 32:10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Remember, that the promise was made to Abraham and his seed. Moses was part of that line and God could though him continue that line!

" that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: which suggests that they were deserving of the wrath of God to the uttermost, and to be destroyed from off the face of the earth, and even to be punished with an everlasting destruction:

and I will make of thee a great nation; increase his family to such a degree, as to make them as great a nation or greater than the people of Israel were, see #De 9:14

… Bishop Patrick observes, if this people had been destroyed, there would have been no danger of the promise not being made good, which was made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, concerning the multiplication of their seed, urged by Moses, #Ex 32:13 seeing that would have stood firm, if a large nation was made out of the family of Moses, who descended from them: this was a very great temptation to Moses, and had he been a selfish man, and sought the advancement of his own family, and careless of, and indifferent to the people of Israel, he would have accepted of it; it is a noble testimony in his favour, and proves him not to be the designing man he is represented by the deists. " [JOHN GILL].

Exodus 32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

" Ver. 11. And Moses besought the Lord his God, &c.] As the Lord was the God of Moses, his covenant God, and he had an interest in him, he made use of it in favour of the people of Israel:

Exodus 32:12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.

Exodus 32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

Exodus 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

 

Deuteronomy 9:26 I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

We notice that, as Moses prays, he talks about what God has done in the past.
He does not demand that the Lord God, not "destroy" Israel , but asks.

 

Samuel

1 Samuel 7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

We see here that one man praying for a nation can have an effect!

Should we not also, pray for the nation, were we live?

1 Sam. 7: 6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

There are times when we are called fast, as well as pray.

" and fasted on that day, and said there, we have sinned against the Lord; Samuel prayed in public for them, with whom they joined; and they fasted in a literal sense, abstaining from food, and made a confession of their sins; this was the work of that day:" [JOHN GILL].

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 7:16 ¶ Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.

" 16. When people are given up to judicial hardness of heart, intercessory prayer for them is unavailing (#Jer 11:14 14:11 15:1 Ex 32:10 1Jo 5:16)." [JFB].

" He gives him a reason for this prohibition. Praying breath is too precious a thing to be lost and thrown away upon a people hardened in sin and marked for ruin.

1. They are resolved to persist in their rebellion against God, and will not be turned back by the prophet's preaching. For this he appeals to the prophet himself, and his own inspection and observation (#Jer 7:17): Seest thou not what they do openly and publicly, without either shame or fear, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? This intimates both that the sin was evident and could not be denied and that the sinners were impudent and would not be reclaimed; they committed their wickedness even in the prophet's presence and under his eye; he saw what they did, and yet they did it, which was an affront to his office, and to him whose officer he was, and bade defiance to both.

… 2. God is resolved to proceed in his judgments against them, and will not be turned back by the prophet's prayers (#Jer 7:20): Thus saith the Lord God, and what he saith he will not unsay, nor can all the world gainsay it; hear it therefore, and tremble. [MATTHEW HENRY].

Christ

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

" made intercession, etc.--This office He began on the cross (#Lu 23:34), and now continues in heaven (#Isa 59:16 Heb 9:24 1Jo 2:1). Understand because before "He was numbered...He bare...made intercession." His meritorious death and intercession are the cause of His ultimate triumph." [JFB].

" And made intercession for the transgressors; as he did upon the cross, even for those that were the instruments of his death, #Lu 23:34 and as he now does, in heaven, for all those sinners for whom he died; not merely in a petitionary way, but by presenting himself, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; pleading the merits of these, and calling for, in a way of justice and legal demand, all those blessings which were stipulated in an everlasting covenant between him and his Father, to be given to his people, in consequence of his sufferings and death; see #Ro 8:33,34 Heb 7:25 9:24 1Jo 2:1,2." [JOHN GILL].

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

" to make intercession--There was but the one offering on earth once for all. But the intercession for us in the heavens (#Heb 7:26) is ever continuing, whence the result follows, that we can never be separated from the love of God in Christ. He intercedes only for those who come unto God through Him, not for the unbelieving world (#Joh 17:9). As samples of His intercession, compare the prophetical descriptions in the Old Testament. "By an humble omnipotency (for it was by His humiliation that He obtained all power), or omnipotent humility, appearing in the presence, and presenting His postulations at the throne of God" [BISHOP PEARSON]. He was not only the offering, but the priest who offered it. Therefore, He has become not only a sacrifice, but an intercessor; His intercession being founded on His voluntary offering of Himself without spot to God. We are not only then in virtue of His sacrifice forgiven, but in virtue of the intercession admitted to favor and grace [ARCHBISHOP MAGEE]." [JFB].

" seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them; Christ ever lives as God, he is the living God; and though he died as man, he is risen from the dead, and will not die again, but live for evermore; and he lives as Mediator and Redeemer, and particularly as a priest; one branch of whose office it is to intercede for his people: this he does now in heaven;

… removing the charges and accusations of Satan: the things he intercedes for are," [JOHN GILL].

" The phrase entugcanein tini, to make intercession for a person, has a considerable latitude of meaning. It signifies,

1. To come to or meet a person on any cause whatever.

2. To intercede, pray for, or entreat in the behalf of, another.

3. To defend or vindicate a person.

4. To commend.

5. To furnish any kind of assistance or help." [ADAM CLARKE].