By Evan Knies

A few Sunday nights ago, we walked through this study with our students. These notes are adapted from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic. 

There were three major offices among the people of Israel in the Old Testament: the prophet (Nathan, 2 Sam. 7:2), priest (Abiathar, 1 Sam. 30:7), and king (David, 2 Sam. 5:3). In the Old Testament the prophet spoke God’s Words to the people, the priest offered sacrifices, prayers, and praises to God on the behalf of the people, and the King ruled over the people as God’s representative. These offices foreshadowed Christ and his work. Christ is the final prophet as is the Old Testament in Incarnate. The Word has become flesh as the Gospel of John. But in Hebrews 1, God has spoken in His Son. Jesus is the final Word.  Religions like Islam fail because they see Christ as a good prophet, Muhammad as a better prophet. Jesus is not a prophet, He is the prophet. God’s Word is final in his son. Christ is the final priest because he offers himself as a sacrifice on our behalf. He is King because he rules over the church and the universe.

Christ as Prophet

In the Old Testament, Moses was the first major prophet, he wrote the first five books of the Bible. After Moses there was a succession of other prophets, who spoke God’s words. But Moses predicted another Prophet like himself would come.

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (Deut. 18:15-18)

When Jesus comes, He is this anticipated prophet like Moses.

John 6:14 says “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!” In Acts 3:22-24, Peter identifies Christ as the prophet predicted by Moses by quoting Deut. 18.

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.Jesus is the one about whom the prophecies in the Old Testament were made. (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Jesus was not just a messenger of revelation from God. He is the Son. Jesus spoke on his own authority because He is God.

Christ as Priest

In the OT, Priests were appointed by God to offer sacrifices. They offered prayers and praise to God on the behalf of the people. In the NT, Jesus becomes our great high priest. This theme is shown throughout the book of Hebrews.

Jesus offered a perfect sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 10:4 states, “it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins”. Instead, Jesus offered himself as a perfect sacrifice. 

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:24-26) 

This was completed and final sacrifice. Once for all.  He has appeared in the presence of the father on our behalf. There is no need for further sacrifices. Jesus continually brings us near to God (Hebrews 10:19-22) In Christ, we have confidence. Jesus as Priest continually prays for us. 

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.(Hebrews 7:25)

This is where Mary fails and praying to saints fail because they cannot bring you to the Father, only the Son can. 

Christ as King

In the OT, the king has the authority to rule over the nation of Israel. In the NT, Jesus was born to be the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2). He told Pilate in John 18:36, that his kingship is not of this world. After Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus was given by God the Father authority over the church and over the universe.

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.(Ephesians 1:20-23)

In Revelation 19, Jesus is coming back on a white horse. He will be acknowledged as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

You only get one life and it will soon pass. Only what is done for Christ will last! 

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Evan Knies is from West Monroe, LA. He is married to Lauren. He serves as Minister of Students at Bullitt Lick Baptist Church in Shepherdsville, KY. He also serves as the Executive Assistant of the Nelson Baptist Association. He is a graduate of Boyce College and presently an M.DIV student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in the Billy Graham School.