Christ as Prophet

Text - Acts 3:18-26

Acts 3:18–26 KJV 1900

18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Introduction

The role of Christ as a prophet is one of the threefold offices of Christ, alongside His roles as priest and king. This concept is rooted in the understanding that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament offices and prophecies, bringing them to their ultimate completion.

Definition and Role

In His prophetic role, Christ is seen as the ultimate revealer of God's will and truth. Prophets in the Old Testament were messengers of God, tasked with delivering His word to the people. They often called for repentance, provided guidance, and foretold future events. Jesus, as the ultimate prophet, not only delivers God's message but embodies it. He is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), revealing God perfectly and fully.

In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses speaks of a prophet like himself whom God will raise up, and this is understood in the New Testament as a reference to Christ (Acts 3:22-23).

Deuteronomy 18:15 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;

Jesus Himself refers to His prophetic mission in passages like Luke 4:18-21, where He reads from Isaiah and declares that the scripture is fulfilled in Him.

Luke 4:18–21 KJV 1900

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

The significance of Christ's prophetic office lies in His role as the ultimate teacher and guide for humanity. Through His teachings, parables, and actions, He reveals the nature of God, the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the path to salvation. His life and words provide the foundation for Christian doctrine and ethics.

Application & Closing

For believers, Christ's prophetic role means that He is the authoritative source of truth and guidance. Christians are called to listen to and follow His teachings, as they are the words of God. This role also emphasizes the importance of Scripture, as it contains the record of Christ's teachings and the revelation of God's will.

Christ as a prophet is central to understanding His mission and message. He fulfills and surpasses the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament, providing a complete and final revelation of God's will to humanity.