Intercession
Intercession (from Latin intercessio, intercede) is entreaty in favor of another, the act or instance of interceding, an interposing or pleading on behalf of another person. In Roman history intercession was the interposing of a veto by a tribune or other magistrate, as an intervention in a matter of law.
In ecclesiastical terms, intercession (verb) is the act of interceding or offering petitionary prayer to God on behalf of others, and an intercession (noun) is such a petitionary prayer, also called intercessory prayer. In the Bible St. Paul says
| “ | I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intecessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour. (1 Timothy 2:1-3 KJV [1]) | ” |
Intercession is frequently confused with mediation in a dispute, and the two terms are often erroneously regarded as synonyms. St. Paul says in the same place
| “ | For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV [2]) | ” |
Protestant Christians, Evangelicals, Fundamentalists and others object to the Catholic and Orthodox doctrine of the intercession of the saints because they take intercession to be the same as mediation.