Description of Christ's Prophetic Function

Driving home: Though we separate the offices for study, and though the scriptures warrant our contemplating Christ in his various offices, both for our comfort and for his praise, we must never think that he ever exercises any one of …

The analogy explains how Christ's offices (prophet, priest, king) specifically address humanity's needs (ignorance, guilt, rebellion/helplessness).

our Lord accomplishes his work while officially functioning as a prophet, as a priest, and as a king. Since we as sinners are guilty, ignorant, rebellious, and helpless, Christ's work as prophet, priest, and king answers specifically to our need. Because we are guilty, we need him as our priest to forgive us. Because we are ignorant, we need him as our prophet to teach us.

1:15 - 1:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Have an appetite to behold your Savior, even in instructional sermons.

The two great historical events, Christ's first advent and His second coming, are presented as the focal points around which all history centers, providing a framework for understanding redemptive history.

Well, let's consider him in the period of preparation. As far as God is concerned, all of history centers around two great historical events. What are they? Do you have them firmly fixed in your mind?

9:06 - 9:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Unlike His priestly office, Christ's prophetic ministry was active before the incarnation. This is seen in Old Testament theophanies, the 'Angel of Jehovah,' and most clearly…

The appearances of God in visible form in the Old Testament, such as in the Garden of Eden or the burning bush, are presented as possible pre-incarnate manifestations of the Son of God exercising His prophetic role.

And though I would not be dogmatic, I would say in very guarded language, there is much biblical evidence to indicate that Jesus Christ was the great prophet of his church during the entire period of preparation. Now I did not say the evidence is conclusive, but it is strong and I find it quite compelling that as God would instruct his church in the entire period of preparation, he instructs his church through the second person of the God, the eternal word, the one who ultimately takes to himself a true humanity and then is visibly and publicly declared to be God's final prophet. How then did ...

11:45 - 13:09 Read in full sermon

Driving home: So Christ in that sense is the very prophet who prophesies of his own coming and describes his sufferings and the glories that should follow. He was the great prophet in the Old Testament, people of God, speaking through…

The mysterious figure of the Angel of Jehovah in the Old Testament, who bears God's name, receives worship, and reveals God's will, is presented as a strong indication of pre-incarnate manifestations of Christ as prophet.

they could well be pre-incarnate manifestations of the Son of God revealing the mind and the will of God to the people of God. But we can be a bit more certain with respect to this strange personage called the angel of Jehovah. This strange being who comes to us in the pages of the Old Testament, who bears in himself the name of Jehovah. Jehovah says my name is in him.

13:09 - 13:39 Read in full sermon

Driving home: So Christ in that sense is the very prophet who prophesies of his own coming and describes his sufferings and the glories that should follow. He was the great prophet in the Old Testament, people of God, speaking through…

Isaiah's prophecies about the suffering servant are quoted to illustrate how the Spirit of Christ in Old Testament prophets foretold Christ's sufferings and glories, demonstrating Christ's prophetic activity through them.

1 Peter chapter 1. Peter having spoken of the wonderful salvation that the people of God have received, a salvation which enables them to rejoice in the midst of suffering, goes on to speak further of that salvation in 1 Peter 1.10, concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow them. Here the teaching of the passage is clear that wh...

14:45 - 16:12 Read in full sermon

Driving home: So Christ in that sense is the very prophet who prophesies of his own coming and describes his sufferings and the glories that should follow. He was the great prophet in the Old Testament, people of God, speaking through…

The answer to question 43 of the Westminster Larger Catechism is quoted to support the idea that Christ executes His prophetic office 'in all ages,' reinforcing the sermon's timeline approach.

And so we must never think of Christ in his prophetic office, as being bound by the days of his flesh, as we look at that prophetic office unfolding on the biblical timeline. He is acted as a prophet in the days of preparation. This is why the wise theologians who framed the Westminster Confession framed the answer to question 43 in the larger catechism in this way. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

18:43 - 19:14 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We learn that in the period of manifestation Jesus Christ is indeed God's final prophet.

The appearance of Moses (head of theocracy, greatest prophet) and Elijah (head of prophetic school) with Christ at the Transfiguration is used to illustrate Christ's supremacy as God's final prophet, with the Father commanding, 'Listen to Him.'

There on the Mount of Transfiguration Luke chapter 9. Who appears in glory with our Lord? Why it is Moses who stands as the head of the theocracy. Who was the greatest of all the prophets.

24:08 - 24:24 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We learn that in the period of manifestation Jesus Christ is indeed God's final prophet.

The crowd's reaction to Jesus's teaching ('never man spake like this man spake') is used to highlight the breathtaking authority and finality of His prophetic words, distinguishing Him from common rabbis.

We can't imagine what it would be like to see someone who appeared in the common garb of a young rabbi saying in the face of all of the great learned doctors of the law that you people have heard what this bunch have said but I will say unto you that my words have precedence over all their words. To hear him say my words are spirit and my words are life. He that rejects my words shall be damned. My words are of the destinies of men.

26:15 - 26:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Worship and love Christ as your prophet, embracing all His words, even the difficult ones.

The account of many disciples leaving Christ after 'hard sayings' and Peter's confession, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life,' is used to challenge believers to embrace all of Christ's prophetic words.

Oh, dear Christians, may I urge you this morning to worship and love him as your prophet. Is not that the very thing that Peter did when the Lord, having spoken as God's final prophet, some things that were hard upon the ears and multitude now reject as a prophet, they say, as long as he speaks, when he begins to speak hard things, it says in John six, they went back and walked with him no more. And he turns and he says to Peter and the others, will you also go away? They say, Lord, to whom else shall we go?

39:51 - 40:30 Read in full sermon