The Offices of Christ

Preliminary:

Thanks for songs, testimonies, etc

Invite to

Deuteronomy 18:15-18.

Heb. 7:25-28.

Rev. 19:16.

You read in the Bible where Jesus slept during a storm, Daniel slept in the lions den. Peter slept in prison, Elijah slept while running from his executioners.

No matter the circumstances. You should take a nap - the Bible says so...

Just not while I’m preaching this morning....

Deuteronomy 18:15-18 - I want to talk to you this morning about the three offices of Christ

Read

Deuteronomy 18:15–18 KJV 1900

15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Then turning to Heb 7:25-28

Hebrews 7:25–28 KJV 1900

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. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Then we want to take a look at Rev. 19:16

Revelation 19:16 KJV 1900

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The study of The Son of God is one of endless research.

Just looking briefly at these three offices of Christ is enough for me to realize this is true.

No one can boast of having a more illustrious ancestry than Jesus.

And he alone is Prophet, Priest, and King

New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic (Biblical Background)

The offices of Christ are based on the pattern of Israel in the OT, in line with the Jewish roots of the NT.

The Christ was the anointed one, long expected as the one who would come to deliver his people.

Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit at the Jordan at his installation in office (Matt. 3:13–17).

This approach to the work of Christ follows the pattern of the three great functions or offices in Israel.

Priests in Israel, who were to administer the *sacrificial system and to represent the people before Yahweh, were taken from the tribe of Levi, the high priest from the sons of Aaron.

Kings, after Saul, were descendants of David, from the tribe of Judah.

There was a clear separation of the two—occupants of one office could not function in the other.

Prophets, however, were called directly by Yahweh as his mouthpieces. The striking point about Jesus Christ is his fulfilling and occupying all three offices.

I want to try to talk just a little this morning of how he both possessed and executed these three offices

The early Methodist preachers were encouraged to “preach Christ in all of his offices!”

John Calvin wrote...

The Word of Life: Systematic Theology, Volume Two (Three Ministries of the Mediatorial Office)

The overarching theme of Christ’s saving work is this: Jesus first appeared as a teacher in the prophetic office; then as high priest and lamb sacrificed in his suffering and death; and finally by his resurrection received his kingdom and remains active in his office of cosmic governance, as eschatological ruler in this kingdom. “The office enjoined upon Christ by the Father consists of three parts,” wrote Calvin, “prophet, king, and priest” (Inst. 2.15.1).

These biblical “offices” are Prophet, Priest, and King. These are the three ministries of Christ’s role as Mediator between God and man.

The Word of Life: Systematic Theology, Volume Two (The Offices Uniquely Cohere in Jesus Christ)

The three offices of the Expected One uniquely cohere in the ministry of Jesus. As the “one mediator between God and men” (1 Tim. 2:5),

he is at the same time the teacher of true religion, expiator of sin, and bearer of legitimate authority to guide and judge future history.

No one before Jesus had adequately united the three offices.

Moses, the prototype of the prophet and lawgiver, was neither priest nor king.

Aaron, the priest, was neither prophet nor king.

David, the prototype of the messianic king, was not a priest.

Ezekiel came closer to integral fulfillment of the offices, for as prophet he was also priest, but not king.

In one figure alone were all offices adequately united, sufficiently displayed, and fully consummated—Jesus Christ.

“Jesus first appeared as a teacher in the prophetic office; then as high priest and lamb sacrificed in his suffering and death; and finally by his resurrection received his kingdom and remains active in his office of cosmic governance, as eschatological ruler in this kingdom.” (Tom Oden, Word of Life, p. 280)

Jesus was a type of Moses, Aaron, and David. Moses was prophet, Aaron was a priest, and David was a king. Jesus fulfilled each of these types. 

Why was it necessary for Christ to fulfill all of these offices? It is because a triple cure for sin was needed.

The Triple Cure for Sin

"As prophet Christ had to penetrate the self-deceptions of sin, effectively calling humanity to repentance; as priestly sacrifice Christ took our sins upon himself and reconciled us to God; as legitimate recipient of final authority and power, he began to reorder the distorted powers at work in the world, and he continues to do so." ( Oden, Word of Life, p. 282)

As Prophet:

Deut 18:15-18 “15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

The biblical teaching concerning the office of a prophet is that the prophet is the mouthpiece of God speaking to man (Dt. 18:18; Jer. 1:9; Gal. 1:11f; 1 Cor. 15:1–4).

The prophet thus reveals to man the word of God, which may be a statement and explanation of that which was past, is present, or will come in the future (Dt. 34:10f; Jgs. 2:1–5; 3:9–11; Jer. 15:1).

Jesus Christ Our Lord (Christ as Prophet)

Without question, Christ is the greatest of the prophets.

His teachings contained in the four Gospels demonstrate a greater variety of subjects, a broader scope of prophecy and a more comprehensive revelation than is found in any of the Old Testament records of the prophets.

In almost every aspect of revelation, Christ made a distinct contribution.

Unlike all other prophets, Christ revealed God not only in His spoken ministry but in His life and person.

As the Logos of John, Christ was eternally the source of knowledge, truth, wisdom and light.

When He became incarnate, He became a declaration in human flesh of what God is (John 1:4–18).

As prophet Christ was the cure for the first part of sin in that he taught us the truth, enlightening our minds because they had been darkened.

As Priest:

Heb 7:25-28 “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. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”

This refers to Psalm 110:4 “4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.”

The office of priest differs from that of prophet in that instead of representing God to man, the priest represents man to God.

His purpose is to restore men to fellowship with God who is justly angered at man for his rebellion and his rejection of the truth.

This the priest does by the sacrifice of a substitute for man whereby he makes atonement, and by intercession on man’s behalf....

As the one who made atonement for Israel the priest stood between the sinner and God, symbolically bringing the two together in reconciliation.

Jesus Christ Our Lord (The Office of Priest)

According to the epistle to the Hebrews, Christ fulfilled the five necessary requirements of the priesthood:

(1) He was qualified for the office (Heb. 1:3; 3:1–6);

(2) He was appointed of God (Heb. 5:1–10);

(3) His priesthood was of a higher order than that of Aaron’s—Christ’s priesthood superseded Aaron’s as Aaron’s had superseded the patriarchal system (Heb. 5:6, 10; 7:1—8:6);

(4) all functions of the priesthood were performed by Christ (Heb. 7:23–28; 9:11–28; 10:5–18);

(5) His priesthood is eternal, indicating His superiority and finality (Heb. 7:25).

Christ offered himself up as a sacrifice for our sins, since our sins had separated us from God.

As King:

Rev 19:16 “16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Answers to Common Questions about Jesus (Question 24: In What Way Was Jesus a King?)

Though Jesus never called Himself a king, the prophecy that Jesus fulfilled declares Him to be a king (Zech. 9:9);

the wise men adored (Matt. 2:1–2, 9–12)

and Herod feared the baby born king (Matt. 2:3–4, 16–18);

the crowds hailed Him as such (Matt. 21:9, 15; Mark 11:9–10; John 12:13)

and His disciples considered Him to be king (John 1:49);

His enemies accused Him of claiming to be king (Luke 23:2; John 19:12)

and mocked Him for this perceived claim (Matt. 27:29, 37, 42),

but Pilate, ironically, confirmed that He was King of the Jews (Matt. 27:37);

the authors of the New Testament believed Him to be king (1 Tim. 1:16–17; Rev. 17:14; 19:15–16)

and Jesus indicated before Pilate that He was king of another world (John 18:33–37),

but before the Sanhedrin, He clearly indicated that He would return as King at His second coming (Mark 14:62).

Answers to Common Questions about Jesus Question 24: In What Way Was Jesus a King?

The significance of Jesus’ kingship is that as the Son of David, the king, He has a right to be legal heir as king over the nation of Israel. As God, the Son has been king over the universe, but the significance of Jesus’ kingship as a son of David is that He has a legal right to reign over the nation of Israel, something to occur yet in the future. At the present, He is sitting on His throne in heaven with the Father, but at His coming He will put down all opposition and sit on David’s throne—His own throne—in Jerusalem

Christ sets us free from the power of the devil, who had held our wills in bondage.

Christ will set us free from the power of death, hell and the judgment

In order to accomplish our reconciliation to God, Christ fulfilled all of these offices at the same time. No one before him had brought together all three offices. 

 Notes from THEO322 Systematic Theology 2 GBS

I love how Paul words a great truth in Colossians 2:9-10 “9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

He is My King

i hope he is your’s too.

Philip Bliss wrote that beautiful hymn that speaks of the man of sorrows but answers with Hallelujah what a Savior writes in the last verse

When He comes, our glorious King, All His ransomed home to bring, Then anew His song we’ll sing: Hallelujah! What a Savior!

another wrote:

“That name still lives and will live on forever

while kings and kingdoms will forgotten be

Through mist or rain, ‘twill be beclouded never

That name shall sine and shine eternally

And one day the Father is going to give the signal and the heavenly stable door is going to fling wide open

and a white horse hooves sparking on the golden street

with him who is called Faithful and True astride will come galloping at high speed he will come in righteousness and judgement

with eyes as a flame of fire

the many crowns jostling on His Regal head

clothed in a vesture dipped in blood

and he will go forth conquering

Revelation 19:16 KJV 1900

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The sun will burn your eyes out from 92 million miles away, and earthly kings and kingdoms think they will stand strong and bold in the presence of its creator - no they’re going to fall under his rule

And He shall reign for ever and ever and ever and ever and ever

And as S.M Lockridge says, when you get through all the forevers then AMEN!!!