The Messiah as Prophet, Priest and King
“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” – Mark 1:14-15 ESV
My Thoughts:
The time had come for the Jewish dreams to come true and for them to turn towards God and believe in the messiahship of Jesus Christ. Jesus, in using the phrase ‘the time is fulfilled’ was making a direct reference to the Jewish tradition of expectation for the Messiah and a new Deliverer. To speak of God’s kingdom arriving now was to summon together the entire messianic narrative and to say that it was about to be fulfilled. As Andrew, one of Jesus’ first disciples will say to his brother after his first meeting with Jesus, “We have found the Messiah!” (John 1: 41 CEV). But Jesus gives the messianic tradition a new twist and develops it beyond what the Jews would have thought was possible by transforming it into something new. Instead of being either a king who rules and possibly liberates us, a priest who bears our sin and saves us, or a prophet who teaches us, Jesus Christ occupies all three mediating roles, becoming the all-sufficient Savior.
In God’s kingdom the long-awaited for Messiah is a prophet, priest, and king. God’s prophets proclaimed the Word of God. And as a prophet, the Messiah will speak God’s words, call people to conversion, and predict future events. Jesus’ parables, prophecies, and miracles are a testament to His prophetic abilities. Christ uses many agricultural stories to explain the truth to people. And Jesus predicts the Temple’s destruction rather than restoration, like so many prophets before Him. More than that, not only does Christ proclaim God’s Word, He IS the Word (John 1:1). Jesus Christ is the True and Final Prophet whose message’s content is about Himself.
God’s anointed kings ruled over the Jewish people with righteousness and wisdom. And as a king, the Messiah is the true king who rules over his people, not letting sin reign over Him or His followers. Jesus announced the coming of the kingdom of God, which was His kingdom. And yet in this spiritual form of the kingdom God would reign in the hearts of believers. “Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place’” (John 18:36 NIV). Jesus’ kingdom wasn’t connected to earthly political and national institutions. While these earthly kingships must use force to maintain themselves, Jesus will forcefully conquer sin in His kingdom, which exists in the spiritual dimension until Christ’s millennial reign at His Second Coming. At that time, the kingdoms of this world will be conquered by Jesus when He establishes the earthly form of His kingdom. Many of Jesus’ closest disciples called Him Lord or Master, which is a title of kingship with divine overtones. He IS the king of kings (Rev 19:16). Yet he will be a royal but suffering servant who will die. Jesus Christ is the True King of God’s kingdom.
And God’s High Priests entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple once a year to offer a sacrifice to God on behalf of the people on the Day of Atonement. And as a priest, the Messiah will offer sacrifices to God in order to cleanse the people from sin. The Messiah will suffer and die to defeat the powers of evil and free all of us from sin. And a greater temple, found in Jesus Himself, will overshadow the Second Temple. The place where heaven and earth meet will no longer be the Temple in Jerusalem. In Jesus of Nazareth, heaven and earth meet, for He is the New Temple. “Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’ They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body” (John 2:19-21 NIV). As the New Temple, Jesus’ sacrificial death will finally end the need for the temple animal sacrifices as an offering for sin. “We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God” (Heb 4:14 CEV). Jesus, as our High Priest will offer the sacrifice once and for all for sin. But more than that, He IS the sacrifice. Christ is the True High Priest who offers Himself as the final sacrifice.
Jesus Christ has become the mediator, as prophet, priest, and king, between God and humanity (1 Tim 2:5) in the New Covenant. He, as the God-man with links to both sides, is the go-between who brings the two alienated and warring parties together. He IS the long-awaited for Messiah.
Action:
Listen to the lyrics of the Christmas song We Three Kings with the spiritual symbolism of these three roles in mind. As the song says, “Glorious now behold Him arise, King and God and Sacrifice.”
Benediction:
Almighty God,
by the prayer and discipline of Lent
may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,
and by following in his Way
come to share in his glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
