Of the prophetic office of christ
John Gill
Having gone through Christ's
estates of humiliation and exaltation, I shall next consider the offices
sustained and executed by him in those estates. His office in general is that of
Mediator, which is but one; the branches of it are threefold, his prophetic, priestly, and kingly offices; all which are included
in his name, Messiah, or Christ, the anointed; prophets, priests, and kings,
being anointed, when invested with their several offices; as Elisha the
prophet, by Elijah; Aaron the priest, and his sons, by Moses; Saul, David, and
Solomon, kings of Israel: these offices seldom, if ever, met in one person;
Melchizedek was king and priest, but not a prophet; Aaron was
prophet and priest, but not a king; David and Solomon were kings and prophets,
but not priests: the greatest appearance of them was in Moses, but whether all
together is not so clear; he was a prophet, none like him arose in Israel till
the Messiah came; he was king in Jeshurun; and officiated as a priest, before
his brother Aaron was invested with that office, but not afterwards: but in
Christ they all meet; he is a Prophet mighty in deed and
word, a Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and is King of kings and Lord of
lords. The case and condition of his people required him to take upon him and
execute these offices. They are dark, blind, and ignorant, and need a prophet
to enlighten, teach, and instruct them, and make known the mind and will of God
unto them; they are sinful, guilty creatures, as all the
world are before God, and need a Priest to make atonement for them; in their
unconverted state they are enemies to God, and disobedient to him, and need a
powerful Prince to subdue them; to cause his arrows to be sharp in their
hearts, whereby they fall under him, and become willing to serve him, in the
day of his power: and in their converted state are weak and helpless, and need
a King to rule over them, protect and defend them. And
though there are many other names and titles of Christ, yet they are all
reducible to these offices of Prophet, Priest, and King: and it may be
observed, that these are executed by Christ in the order in which they are here
put: he first exercised the prophetic office, which he entered into upon his
baptism, and continued it throughout his life: at his death, as a Priest, he offered himself a sacrifice to God for the sins of his
people, and now ever lives to make intercession for them; and upon his
ascension to heaven, was made and declared Lord and Christ, and sits as a King
on his throne, and has been ever since exercising his kingly office; and will
do so more apparently hereafter. I shall begin,
With his
prophetic office; which was foretold in the writings of Moses and the prophets;
the proof and evidence of which, as belonging to Jesus, lies in his miracles;
each of the parts of his office will be inquired into; and the time of his
execution of it.
1. First,
It was foretold that Christ should appear in the character of a Prophet, and
therefore was expected by the Jews as such; hence when they saw the miracles he
wrought, they said; "This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into
the world", #Joh 6:14 meaning, that was prophesied of by Moses, to whom
the Lord said, "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren
like unto thee", #De 18:18,15 which cannot be
understood of a succession of prophets, as say the Jews {1}; for a single
Person is only spoken of: and this not Joshua, nor David, nor Jeremiah; only
Jesus of Nazareth, to whom they are applied, #Ac 3:22 7:37 and with whom all
the characters agree: he was "raised" up of God as a Prophet; this
the people of the Jews were sensible of; and therefore glorified God on that
account, and considered it as a kind and gracious visitation
of his, #Lu 7:16. He was raised up "from among his brethren", being
the Son of Abraham, the Son of David; of the tribe of Judah; born in Bethlehem;
and so was of the Israelites, according to the flesh: he was "like unto
Moses"; a prophet, like unto him, and greater than he; as the law came by
Moses, grace and truth came by Christ: as Moses was raised up, and
sent to be a redeemer of Israel out of Egypt; Christ was raised up, and sent to
be a Saviour and Redeemer of his people, from a worse than Egyptian bondage: as
Moses was faithful in the house of God, so Jesus; they are compared together,
but the preference is given to Christ, #Heb 3:2-6. The words of God were
"put into the mouth" of Christ; the doctrine, he preached was not his
own, but his Father's; he spoke not of himself; what he
spoke, as the Father said unto him, so he spoke; and he spoke "all"
that he received from him, and that he commanded him; and so was faithful to
him that appointed him, #Joh 7:16 8:29 12:49,50 15:15 #Joh 17:6,8 and therefore
to be hearkened to; as his Father directed his apostles to do; saying,
"This is my beloved Son; hear ye him": plainly referring to the above
prophecy, #Mt 17:5.
The qualifications of Christ
for this prophetic office were also foretold; which lie in the gifts and graces
of the Spirit, which he received without measure: "The Spirit of the Lord
God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto
the meek", #Isa 61:1 from which passage of scripture Christ preached his
first sermon, at Nazareth; and having read the text, said,
"This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears", #Lu 4:16-21 see
also #Isa 11:1,2. There are also several names of Christ, by which he is called
in the Old Testament, which refer to his prophetic office; as a Messenger, the
messenger of the covenant, whose work it was to explain it, and declare the
sense of it; the same with the apostle of our profession, "an
interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness"; an
interpreter of the mind and will of God, who lay in his bosom, and has revealed
it, and whose business it was to preach righteousness, even his own, in the
great congregation, and has done it, #Job 33:23 Ps 40:9. He goes by the name of
"Wisdom", who cries and calls to the sons of men, and gives
instructions to them, #Pr 1:20 8:1,2. He is called a
"Counsellor"; not only because he was concerned in the council of
peace; but because he gives counsel and advice in the Gospel, and by
ministering of it, both to saints and sinners, #Isa 9:6 Re 3:18. He is
represented as a "Teacher" of the ways of God, and of the truths of
the Gospel, called his law, or doctrine, #Isa 2:2,3 42:4 #Joe 2:23. Likewise,
as a "Speaker", who has the tongue of the learned,
to speak a word in season, #Isa 50:4 52:6 Heb 2:3. Moreover, he is called a
"Light" to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the Jews; and to give a
clear knowledge of the truth as it is in himself, #Isa 9:2 42:6. And likewise,
"a Witness of the people", #Isa 55:4 and to bear witness to the truth
he came into the world; and a faithful witness he is, #Joh 18:37 Re 3:14. All
which belonged to, and pointed at the prophetic office of
Christ, and have all appeared and met in our Jesus; yea, the very place, and
more particular parts of Judea, where he was chiefly to exercise as a prophet
were foretold; see #Isa 9:1 compared with #Mt 4:12-15.
2. Secondly, The evidence and
proof of Jesus being that prophet that was to come, are the
miracles which were wrought by him: upon Christ's working the miracle of
feeding five thousand persons with five loaves and two small fishes; some of
the Jews, that saw the miracle, were convinced, and said, "This is of a
truth that Prophet that should come into the world", #Joh 6:14. And upon
his raising from the dead the widow's son of Naim, as he was carrying to the
grave, they said, "A great Prophet is risen up among
us", #Lu 7:16. So Nicodemus was convinced that Christ was "a Teacher
come from God", from his miracles, #Joh 3:2. The Jews expected, that when
the Messiah came he would do many and great miracles; as they had just reason
for it; for it was foretold he should, #Isa 35:4-6 therefore, when they saw
what kind of miracles, and what numerous ones were wrought by Christ, some of the Jews were convinced by them that he was the Christ, #Joh
7:31. When John sent two of his disciples to Christ, to inquire of him, whether
he was "he that should come", the prophet that was to come; or
whether they were to "look for another"; he bids them go and tell John
what they had seen and heard, meaning the miracles wrought by him, which he
particularly mentions, and closes the account with saying, "the
poor have the gospel preached to them"; plainly intimating, that he was
that prophet that should preach glad tidings to the poor; and his miracles were
a confirmation of it, #Mt 11:2-5. And he frequently appeals to his miracles,
not only as proofs of his Deity, but of his Messiahship, #Joh 5:36 10:37,38
which miracles were true and undoubted ones; they were such as exceed the laws
and power of nature; what a mere creature could never
perform: nor could they be attributed to diabolical influence; for Satan, had
he a power to work miracles, Would never assist in them, to confirm doctrines
subversive of his kingdom and interest, as our Lord argues, #Mt 12:24-26. Nor
did Christ ever work any miracles to serve any temporal interest of his own,
but purely for the good of men, and the glory of God; and these were openly and publicly done, and liable to the strictest
examination; so that there could be no fraud nor deceit in them. The next thing
to be considered is,
3. Thirdly, The parts of the
prophetic office executed by Christ; and which lay,
3a. First,
In foretelling future events; as he is God omniscient, he knew all things
future, even the more contingent, and did foretell them; as of a colt tied at a
certain place, which he bid his disciples go and loose; and intimated to them
what would be said by the owners of it, and what they should say to them; and
of a man's carrying of a pitcher of water, whom his disciples were to follow,
which would lead them to the master of a house, where the
passover was to be provided for him and them, #Mr 11:2-6 #Mr 14:13,16. But more
particularly and especially, Christ foretold his sufferings and death; and the
kind and manner of it, crucifixion, #Mt 16:21 20:18,19 Joh 12:31,32 the means
by which his death should be brought about, by one of his disciples betraying
him into the hands of his enemies: he knew from the beginning who
would betray him; and declared to his disciples in general, that one of them
would do it; and to Judas in particular he directed his discourse, and bid him
do what he did quickly: and when the time drew nigh for the execution of the
scheme Judas had formed, Christ said to his disciples with him, "He is at
hand that doth betray me"; and immediately Judas appeared with a great
multitude, and a band of soldiers, to seize on Jesus, upon
a signal given them, #Joh 6:64 13:18,21 Mt 26:46,47. Christ foretold the
behaviour of his disciples towards him, upon his being apprehended, that they
would all be offended with him and forsake him; and that, particularly, Peter
would deny him thrice before the cock crew: all which exactly came to pass, #Mt
26:31 #Mt 26:34,56,74,75. Likewise, his resurrection from the dead,
on the third day; which he gave out, both in more obscure and figurative
expressions, and in more plain and easy ones, and directed to the sign of the
prophet Jonah, as a token of it; and notwithstanding all the precautions of the
Jews, so it came about, who owned, that in his lifetime he predicted it, #Joh
2:19 Mt 16:21 12:39,40 #Mt 27:63-66. He spoke beforehand of the treatment and
usage his disciples should meet with from men after he was
gone; that they should be delivered up to councils, and scourged in synagogues,
and be brought before kings and governors for his sake; and that they should be
put to death, and those that killed them think they did God good service: all
which came to pass, and was fulfilled in all his disciples, #Mt 10:17,18 Joh
16:2. He predicted the destruction of Jerusalem; the signs
going before of it, its distresses, and what followed upon it, #Mt 24:1-51
which, in every particular, was accomplished, as the History of Josephus
abundantly shows. To observe no more, the Book of the Revelation is a prophecy
delivered by Christ to John, concerning all that were to befall the church and
world, so far as the church was concerned with it, from the resurrection of
Christ to his second coming; the greater part of which has
been most amazingly fulfilled; and there is the utmost reason to believe the
rest will be fulfilled in due time.
3b. Secondly, Another part of
the prophetic office of Christ lay in the ministration of the word; which is
sometimes in scripture called prophecy, #1Co 14:3 and this was not
only exercised by Christ, in interpreting the law, giving the true sense of it,
and pointing out its spirituality and extensiveness, and vindicating it from
the false glosses of the Pharisees, #Mt 5:1-48 but chiefly in preaching the
gospel; for which he was in the highest degree qualified; and was most
assiduous in it, preaching it in one city, and then in another, whereunto he
was sent, and that throughout all Galilee, and other parts,
#Lu 4:43 Mt 4:23 and which he delivered with such authority as the Scribes and
Pharisees did not, #Mt 7:29 even the whole of it; declaring all that he had
heard of the Father, and who spoke his whole mind and will by him; and so
sealed up prophecy: hence no regard is now to be had to the pretended prophecy
and revelations of men, inconsistent with the word of God, #Joh 1:17 15:15 Heb 1:1,2 #Da 9:24 and which he taught freely, boldly, and without
fear or respect of persons, as the Jews themselves acknowledged, #Mt 22:16 and
with such wisdom, prudence, and eloquence, as never man spake, #Joh 7:46 and
with such gracefulness, and such gracious words, grace being poured into his
lips, as was astonishing to those that heard him, #Ps 45:2 Lu 4:22 and this
part of his prophetic office lay not only in the external
ministry of the word, but in a powerful and internal illumination of the mind,
in opening the heart, as Lydia's was, to attend to the things spoken; and in
opening the understanding to understand the Scriptures, and to receive and
embrace the truths thereof; the word coming not in word only, but with power,
and in the Holy Ghost, and much assurance.
4. Fourthly, The time when
this office was executed by Christ; and it may be observed, that this office
may be considered as executed either "immediately" or
"mediately".
4a.
Immediately, by Christ, in his own Person, by himself; and this was here on
earth, in his state of humiliation; for he came a Teacher from God; being sent
and anointed by him to preach the gospel; and on which office he entered quickly
after his baptism, and continued in the exercise of it until his death; but
only to the lost sheep of Israel, to whom he was sent, and to them only did he
give his apostles a commission to preach the gospel during
that time; for he was "a Minister of the circumcision"; that is, a
Minister to the circumcised Jews, and to them only, #Ro 15:8.
4b. Mediately, by his Spirit,
and by the prophets of the Old Testament, and by the apostles
and ministers of the New; and in this sense he exercised the office of a
Prophet both before and after his state of humiliation.
4b1. Before
his incarnation: he did indeed sometimes personally
appear in an
human form, and preached the gospel to men, as
to
our first parents in the garden of Eden, immediately
after their
fall; declaring, that "the Seed of the woman",
meaning
himself, would "break the serpent's head": and thus
the gospel,
strictly speaking, "began to be first spoken by
the
Lord", #Ge 3:15 Heb 2:3. And so, under the name of the
Angel
of the Lord, and very probably in an human form, he
appeared to
Abraham, and preached the gospel to him; saying,
"In thy
seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed",
#Ge 22:15-18
Ga 3:8. He was with the thousands of angels at
mount Sinai,
even he who ascended on high, and led captivity
captive:
he was with Moses in the wilderness, to whom he
spoke at
Sinai; and gave unto him the lively oracles of God,
#Ps 68:17,18
Ac 7:38. But at other times we read of his
preaching by
his Spirit unto men; Noah was a preacher of
righteousness,
even of the righteousness of faith; and
Christ
preached in him, and by him: he, by his Spirit, went
and preached
to the ungodly world, to those who were
disobedient
in the times of Noah; the same who in the times
of the
apostle were spirits in prison: and as Christ was
spoken of by
all the holy prophets that were from the
beginning
of the world; so he, by his Spirit, spoke in them,
and testified
of his own sufferings, and the glory that
should
follow, #1Pe 3:18-20 1:11.
4b2. Christ
continued to exercise his prophetic office, after his
state
of humiliation was over, and he was raised from the
dead, and had
glory given him; for he appeared to his
disciples
after that, and expounded to them the scriptures
concerning
himself, and opened their understanding, that
they might
understand them; and spoke unto them of the
things
concerning the kingdom of God, and instructed them in
them, and
renewed their commission to preach and baptize,
and enlarged it;
promised his presence with them, and with
their
successors to the end of the world; and by them, and
not in his
own person, after his ascension to heaven, he
went
and preached peace to them that were nigh, and to them
that were
afar off, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ speaking
in and by his
ministers; so that they that hear them, hear
him; and they
that despise them, despises him: and so he
continues,
and will continue, to exercise his prophetic
office
in and by his ministers, and by his Spirit attending
their
ministrations, throughout all ages, to the end of
time, until
he has gathered in all his chosen ones.
{1} See my Book of Prophecies
literally fulfilled in Jesus, p. 134, &c.