There were three major, distinct offices among the people of Israel: (1) Prophet (i.e., spoke God’s words to the people, such as Nathan, 2 Samuel 7:2), (2) Priest (i.e., offered sacrifices, prayers and praises to God, such as Abiathar; represented the people to God, 1 Samuel 30:7) and (3) King (i.e., ruled over the people as God’s representative, such as King David, 2 Samuel 5:3). Jesus fills these offices in the following ways.
Jesus as Prophet
A prophet of God is someone who reveals God, speaks for God and communicates to people the truths that God wants them to know. Unquestionably, Jesus did this when He came to do the will of the Father (Luke 22:42), to reveal the Father (Matthew 11:27) and to communicate the things of the Father (John 8:28; 12:49). Moses’ prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:15) was fulfilled in Jesus (Acts 3:22-23).
Jesus as Priest
The priests were the ones in the Old Testament who offered sacrifices to God in order to cleanse the people of sin. Ultimately, all such priests were representations of Jesus Who is the True Priest Who offered Himself as a once for all time sacrifice (Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:26-27; 10:12), by which He cleanses us from our sins (1 John 1:7). Jesus has gone into the heavenly equivalent of the Holy of Holies, into the very presence of God (Hebrews 6:19-20); therefore, He continually leads us into God’s presence, so that we no longer need the Jerusalem Temple (Hebrews 9:24).
Jesus as King
A king is someone who has authority to rule and reign over a group of people. Jesus is just such a King. He is called the King of the Jews by the Magi (Matthew 2:2), yet He refused any attempt by people to make Him an earthly king (John 6:15; 18:36-37). Is there a kingdom of God without a King? No! Jesus is our King: “Are You the King of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, It is as you say”(Matthew 27:11).
Conclusion
Eusebius wrote, “And we have been told also that certain of the prophets themselves became, by the act of anointing, Christs in type, so that all these have reference to the true Christ, the divinely inspired and heavenly Word, who is the only high priest of all, and the only King of every creature, and the Father’s only supreme prophet of prophets” (Hist. eccl. 1.3.8, qtd. in Philip Schaff, ed., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series (New York, 1890), 1:86).
