Final answer:
Jesus is described as "the one and only mediator between God and humanity" in Christian theology due to his role in providing the possibility of eternal life through his crucifixion and resurrection, as seen in the Christian belief as the divine Son of God who provided spiritual salvation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Christians describe Jesus as "the one and only mediator between God and humanity" because of the beliefs encapsulated in Christian theology. Christianity posits that God's nature is a triune being—God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. This trinity is foundational to the understanding that Jesus, through his sacrifice on the cross, enabled the possibility for human beings to have eternal life in heaven. Furthermore, this concept aligns with the idea that Christ is the second Adam and his mother Mary as the second Eve, counterbalancing the original sin brought into the world by the first Adam and Eve with the potential for redemption and eternal life through Christ's sacrifice.
In Christian belief, Jesus is seen as the messiah who, unlike the Jewish expectation of a political liberator, offered spiritual salvation and liberation from sin. Although Jesus lived a human life and displayed human traits, he is venerated as the divine Son of God who performed miracles and rose from the dead. This divine-human nature gives him a unique standing as the intermediary capable of bridging the gap between humanity and the divine.
The gospels depict Jesus as teaching a message of salvation and forgiveness during his ministry, ultimately leading to his crucifixion. This act of sacrifice is seen as a pivotal event for human salvation in Christian doctrine, solidifying his role as the sole mediator with God. Maimonides and later thinkers, such as Spinoza, offer a different perspective on the divine, with Maimonides promoting a concept of God devoid of human form. Nevertheless, within Christianity, Jesus is central to the narrative of salvation as depicted in biblical scripture.