38问：中保为什么必须是上帝呢？

答：中保必须是上帝，才能：1）使祂的人性在上帝的震怒以及死亡的权势下，持守得住，不致沉沦（徒2:24-25；罗1:4，比较罗4:25；来9:14）；2）为祂的受苦、顺服、代求，带来有价值的果效（徒20:28；来9:14；7:25-28）；3）满足上帝公义的要求（罗3:24-26），得着恩典（弗1:6，7；太3:17），买赎了一群独特的子民（多2:13-14），将自己的灵赐给他们（加4:6），并征服他们所有的仇敌（路1:68-69，71，74），把他们带入永远的救恩（来5:8-9；9:11-15）。

Question 38: Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?

Answer: It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death; give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession; and to satisfy God’s justice, procure his favor, purchase a peculiar people, give his Spirit to them, conquer all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting salvation.

39问：中保为什么必须是人呢？

答：中保必须是人，才能在我们的人性中（来2:17），显明祂对律法的顺从（加4:4），并为我们受苦代求（来2:14；7:24-25），体恤我们的软弱（来4:15），使我们得着儿子的名分（加4:5），可以坦然无惧，来到施恩的宝座前（来4:16）。

Question 39: Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?

Answer: It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature, perform obedience to the law, suffer and make intercession for us in our nature, have a fellow feeling of our infirmities; that we might receive the adoption of sons, and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.

40问：中保为什么必须在同一位格中既是上帝又是人呢？

答：中保为要使人与上帝和好，就必须在同一位格中既是上帝又是人，以便于此二性中为我们所成就的全人之工，既得以蒙上帝所悦纳（太1:21，23；3:17；来9:14），又得以为我们所信靠（彼前2:6）。

Question 40: Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person?

Answer: It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us, and relied on by us, as the works of the whole person.