Lesson Seven
The Deity of Christ, the Perfect Prophet, Priest and King
This lesson establishes the deity of Christ from Scripture. Having done that, however, we must learn to apply what it means for us, the saints of God, that Christ is God in the flesh. The doctrine of the deity of Christ must not be just a point of factual debate, but a solid foundation to build on. It is one thing to know that Jesus Christ is God, the Son. It is another, and a much more helpful teaching too, to know that He is our Prophet, Priest and King. As we study how He is all three of these, we will find out how Jesus Christ satisfies both the Sovereign demands of God’s justice and our most far-reaching needs.
I. The Deity of Christ Established by Evidence:
A. His Life and Death show His Deity.
1. Virgin Birth - Matt. 1:22, 23
2. Marvelous Knowledge - John 4:29; 7:45- 46
3. Power over Disease, Death, Nature, Demons - Luke 4:39; Mark 5:35; Matt. 8:26- 27; Mark 5:8-13
4. His Commission of the Twelve - Mark 3:13- 19
5. His Transfiguration - Luke 9:30- 35
6. His Death and Resurrection - John 10:18
B. He is Worshipped as God.
From the text and the Bible, find several instances of Christ being worshipped: _____________________
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C. He is recognized as God. (see text)
What four classes of persons give recognition of the deity of Christ?
1._____________________ 2._____________________ 3._____________________ 4._____________________
D. Jesus Himself claims to be God. - John 10:22- 25, 30- 33; 14:7- 11; Luke 22:66- 71
II. The Deity of Christ Applied to Believers: Christ our Prophet, Priest, King: - Psalm 110; Isa. 42:1- 4; Luke 1:26- 38; Acts 3:17- 26; Heb. 5:5- 6, Dan. 9:24.
A. General comments about all three offices together:
1. Christ was anointed to all three offices:
a. Prophet: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me...anointed Me to preach” (Isa. 60:1-2 (comp. Luke 4:18-19).
b. Priest: Psa. 132: 9- 10, 16- 17.
c. King: Psalm 2:2 “against the Lord and His Anointed”; Psa. 45:6- 7.
So when we speak of “Christ” (“Anointed One”) we automatically refer to these offices. He is anointed to prophesy (in the sense of “foretell” and “forth-tell”), minister as priest and rule as king..
2. Both in His humiliation and exaltation, Christ is seen as Prophet, Priest and King.
3. The Jews’ threefold rejection of their Christ in all three offices.
a. Prophet: John 6:60.
b. Priest: Heb. 10:29.
c. King: John 19:14- 15; Luke 19:14.
4. Christians need Christ in all three offices. Salvation requires that we be fed by our Prophet (John 6:63, etc,, cleansed by our Priest Heb. 7:24- 8:2
Question: Considering the last-mentioned passage,how would you describe our great High Priest, especially in relation to our salvation?
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B. Particular comments of each office:
1. The Perfect Prophet: Jesus was the supreme Prophet of God, God’s Word in the flesh. - Deut. 18:15; Acts 3:22- 23; John 8:26- 28; 3:2; 4:19, Heb. 1:1- 3, etc.
“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. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”
“The Old Testament prophet was a kind of mediator between God and the people of Israel. He spoke to the people on behalf of God”. He was to do three things: 1,. Expound the Law, 2. declare the will of God and 3, foretell things to come. Christ does all of these, as well as another function that no prophet could do: 4. He speaks to us Words of life, Spirit and truth. In the same way that God’s Word spoke creation into existence, so Christ, by the Word of Christ, makes us into new creatures, and sustains us by the same. What verses prove this?
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2. The Perfect Priest -
“The priest spoke to God on behalf of the people. Jesus also filled the role of the great High Priest. ... Jesus’ offering to the Father was the sacrifice of Himself. He was both the Offering and the Offerer.”
Christ our High Priest:
a. Was a go-between for God and sinners.
b. To be both offering and offerer, He had to be God Himself (Psa. 2:7, 110:4 with Heb. 5:5- 6)
c. Eternal priesthood. I Pet. 2:5 “The power of an endless life” ( ).
d. Perfect offering - His life was perfect. Acceptable to God and exemplary for us. “We should walk as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
e. Substitution -
f. Reconciliation - Eph 2:14ff. He took down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile. There is now only one flock, one people of God.
g. Demonstration - His resurrection showed (a) His Father’s satisfaction and (b) the Son’s victory over Satan, sin, death, etc.
h. Intercession - Heb. 7:24- 25; John 17 (verses 9, 11, 15, 17, 20- 23, 24). Looking at these verses in particular, what are some of the details of Christ’s intercession for the elect?
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Meditating on these should be a great source of encouragement and growth in grace. If He is for us in such a powerful way who (or what) can be against us?
3. The Perfect King
What is He King over?
a. The Universe Psa. 2:8-9; Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:20-22; Phil. 2:9-11 (These are all after His exaltation).
b. Individuals and nations
c. Satan - He bound the “strong man (Satan) at the Cross.
d. Death
e. Church (saints)
How long will He reign? “Eternal King” Psa. 45:6 (with Heb 1:8); 72:17; 89:36- 37; Isa. 9:7; Dan. 2:44; Luke 1:33.
Overlooked aspects of the Kingdom of God/Heaven
a. Already/not yet
b. Spiritual, not physical
c. Spiritual, “not carnal Flesh and blood will not inherit....”
In the Old Testament there are three types of people who are anointed of God for any service. What types are these? How do they point to Christ? (Hint: The first answer is part of found at the beginning of this section.) The three types:
1. ____________________________ 2. ______________________________ 3.____________________________
How do these types point to Christ?_____________________________________________________________
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Due Next Week:
Read chapter 8: The Death of Christ.
Answer:
1. What Scripture passages teach the the eternal existence of Christ?
2. According to Eph. 4:11- 13, when will Christ’s ministry as our Prophet end? Or is this verse not appropriate?
3. How do Christ’s divine attributes, and His incarnation, make Him the perfect Prophet, Priest and King?
4. Considering what we know of Christ’s Melchizedekan Priesthood, that He is perfect and eternal, what place is there for any other priesthood? What does this say about our salvation?
Digging Deeper:
Suggested reading to study more on Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King:
“Christ, a Complete Saviour” An exposition of Heb. 7:25, Christ’s past, present and eternal Priesthood - John Bunyan
Calvin’s Institutes, Book 2, Chapter 15.
“The Threefold Office of Christ” (Chapter 35 of “Essential Truths of the Christian Faith”, R.C, Sproul)