Tyler Vela Systematic Theology II
The Offices of Christ Introduction When the Scriptures speak of
the office of Mediator and Redeemer, in general, and of the Christ
(that is, the anointed one) in specific, there are actually three
offices being addressed, which are called the Munus Triplex. It is
proper to see these in germinal from the very beginning with the
First Man Adam, that they take root in the nation of Israel, and
that they find their fullest expression in the Second Man, Jesus.
These three offices are that of prophet, priest, and king. It is in
these three offices that Christ discharges his role as mediator and
redeemer. This paper will attempt to address these offices of our
Lord from a redemptive-historical perspective, in which all three
offices are eternally held by the Son, but first established in the
garden and then find a more concrete and formal expression in the
governance of Israel. Yet in both cases these offices are not
merely for the benefit of the community, but rather are indicators
pointing forward to their future realization in Christ. It should
be noted before too much is said that there is some level of debate
among theologians on several aspects of how Christ discharges these
three offices. There are varied views on just how Christ acted in
these offices before his incarnation as well as after his
incarnation, such as Bellarmine and Petavius who claimed that
Christ could not have been mediator prior to his incarnation.1
Others doubt whether or not he held the office of prophet, or
merely acted in the manner of one. There has also been some debate
on if a certain office can be rightly subsumed under another, such
as in the case of the Socinians who believed1
Bavinck. Reformed Dogmatics. p364.
1
that the priestly work of Christ was actually a facet of his
kingly office.2 Finally, the office of king itself seems to have
the most diverse views due to its incontrovertible link to
eschatology. Some, such as Chafer, even purposefully limit their
discussion of this office within the segment on the Munus Triplex
and handle it more completely in their later segment on eschatology
and the millennial kingdom, in which, it is believed, that Christ
will reign as king on the reconstituted throne of David.3 For this
paper, the majority reformed position will be taken, that is, that
Christ is, in his eternal person, both prophet, priest, and king
and thus executes the Munus Triplex eternally before his
incarnation as well as eternally after his glorification. We also
know that the fact that they were established on earth ought to
lead us to the conclusion that they are patterned after Christ to
lead us to him, rather than that he was merely the final link in
their successive chain. As Bavinck states, He does not just perform
prophetic, priestly, and kingly activities but is himself, in his
whole person, prophet, priest, and kinghe bears all three offices
at the same time and consistently exercises all three at once both
before and after his incarnation, in both the state of humiliation
and that of exaltation.4 We will then explore the manner in which
Christ discharges each office in a loose chronological order. We
will first survey how he holds them in his pre-incarnate state,
then during his earthly incarnation, and finally after his
glorification and for all eternity. In this manner the entirety of
Christs ministry in these offices will be addressed. Christ the
Prophet All too often it is thought that the office of prophet is
merely a foretelling ministry of predicting future events, either
in the near future or quite far off. While it is accurate that2
3
Berkhof. Systematic Theology. p356. Chafer. Systematic Theology,
vol. III. p30. 4 Bavinck. Reformed Dogmatics. p367.
2
this is one function of the office of prophet, it would be an
incomplete view of this office to hold that this is all that it
consists of. In addition to the act of foretelling future events,
the prophet also forthtells the words and will of God to the people
of God. A proper, though general understanding of this office, may
include the idea that the prophet stands between God and man and
faces man-ward. It is with this understanding that we will approach
this office. The Hebrew word primarily translated as prophet is (
navi) and actually means to boil up, to boil forth, as a fountain,
and then came to later mean to pour forth words like one that is
divinely inspired, and is frequently used in the passive tense
verb, presumably due to the fact that the Hebrews saw the prophet
as one who was acted upon and moved by God.5 This view is still
clearly held up to the time of the Apostles when Peter declares,
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke
from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit, (2 Peter
1:21, emphasis added). We see the very first instance of the office
of prophet in its seed form in the ministry of Adam in the garden.
Like all three offices, Adam fulfills this office in a basic manner
and should not be expected to meet all the requirements of the
office that will blossom throughout redemptive history, such as
faithful predictions (Deut. 18:22). Yet we should recognize that
just as the tabernacle and the temple were foreshadowed in the
garden, the gospel of Christ was pre-announced in the fall, so too
the offices of Christ are present in the person and work of Adam.
Adam, in his state of rectitude was capable of knowing the truths
about God and stood in the very presence of the Almighty, listening
to his words, literally receiving
5
Hoeksema. Reformed Dogmatics. p366.
3
revelation night and day.6 Adam was the first to have revelation
granted to him and it was his duty to relay this message to the
people that God had created, which at that time was only Eve.
Whether or not Adam adequately functioned in this office based on
Eves response to the serpent in which she had altered the previous
words of God are futile this side of heaven. It is possible that
Adam had added the precaution to not touch the fruit, or that Eve
had simply added it herself when speaking to the serpent.
Regardless of this, we see that Adam is the first human to be given
the duty of forthtelling. Yet the fall corrupted his sinless state
and broke his ability to perfectly know and receive the revelation
of God because he was no longer in the presence of God, and his
mind was marred by the effects of sin. We then come to the office
of prophet in early Israel. The very first official prophet to
Israel was Moses who was responsible for speaking the word and will
of God to the Israelites while in their bondage in Egypt, and then
further during their time in the desert. In Deuteronomy 18:15-22,
Moses gives the basic modes by which this office will function for
the nation as well as giving explicit prophecy to the coming of a
future prophet like himself. The manner in which Jesus is the
fulfillment of Deuteronomy 18:15, 17 will be discussed in the
section on the office after the incarnation, but for now it is
beneficial to simply note that he is mentioned here in the first
passage which lays out the two functions of a true prophet of God,
and that while he is the culminative prophet, the prophets before
him were to be patterned after him. This passage tells us that a
true prophet was appointed by God himself, (v18) and that if
someone attempted to carryout this office without this appointment,
God would demand from him his life (v20). As Robertson states, The
person of the prophet substitutes6
Ibid. pp366-367.
4
for the presence of almighty God himself. The small single voice
replaces all the fearsome signs that accompanied the theophany at
Sinai.7 Next we are told that the prophets first duty was to speak
to the people on behalf of God: I will put my words in his mouth,
and he shall speak to them all that I command him, (v18). It was
the role of the prophet to deliver the revelation of God. This was
to be carried out with the utmost reverence and care, for the very
life of the prophet hung in the balance of whether he performed
this duty faithfully. Finally, we are told that the other work of a
prophet was to foretell events. This was not explicit but rather
was implied by Gods response to the question of how the people may
know if it was indeed the word of God that was spoken. God replied
that, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a
word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken
presumptuously, (v22). We can see that some of the pronouncements
of a prophet are to come to pass or come true and thus must be a
foretelling of what God has revealed about the near future. While
the sensationalist in all of us focuses in on the foretelling
ministry of the prophets, Chafer reminds us that the ministry of
the prophets in the Old Testament was primarily that of reformer
and patriot. He sought the restoration to covenant blessings of the
people who were under the covenants.8 Thus it was the first duty of
the prophet, to forthtell, that is the primary function of the
prophet. Robertson also points this fact out to us when he reminds
us that it was not Moses main role at Sinai to predict the future
of Israel, but rather to declare Gods will as it was revealed to
him.9 Thus, even when a prophet was foretelling future events, this
was merely a specific application of his ministry of forthtelling,
in which he was proclaiming a revelation that God had granted to
him. Like all7 8
Robertson. The Christ of the Prophets. p26. Chafer. Systematic
Theology, vol III. p17. 9 Robertson. The Christ of the Prophets.
p26.
5
later prophets, not only did Moses reveal the will of God for
the moral purity of the people, but also proclaimed many of the
blessings that God was promising to his people. Berkhof reminds us
that it is also evident from Scripture that the true prophets of
Israel typified the great coming prophet of the futureand that He
was already functioning through them in the days of the Old
Testament.10 The Westminster Larger Catechism, in Q. 43, answers
that Christ executeth the office of prophet, in His revealing to
the church, in all ages the whole will of God, in all things
concerning their edification and salvation.11 (emphasis added)
However, we now may ask the question, how does Christ execute the
office of prophet before his incarnation? According to 1 Peter
1:11, it was the Spirit of Christ that was in the prophets giving
them revelation, specifically revelation concerning himself. Hodge
states that consequently as Mediatorial Prophet [he] is that
original fountain of revelation of which all other prophets are the
streams. He is the Prophet of all prophets, the Teacher of all
teachers.12 We can further see this in such passages as Isaiah
49:1-7 and 50:5-9 that the prophet Isaiah clearly spoke from the
identity of Christ. Hoeksema even reminds us that the words of the
Redeemer in Isaiah 61:1-3 are explicitly attributed to the words
and ministry of Christ in the New Testament, (cf. Luke 4:18) and we
cannot say that these words are fulfilled in any way by Isaiah
himself. We know that David in Psalm 22 likewise spoke from the
identity of Christ on the cross. We may even grant that in passages
which speak of the Angel of Lord that we are witnessing the act of
direct revelation being given by Christ to his people, such as the
burning bush and Moses in Exodus 3:2, and the revelation to Hagar
concerning the future of10 11
Berkhof. Systematic Theology. p358. Beeke & Ferguson.
Reformed Confessions Harmonized. p69. (emphasis added) 12 Hodge.
The Confession of Faith. p135.
6
Ishmael in Genesis 16:1-14, as well as many others. It seems
clear that Jesus was acting as a prophet to his people long before
the incarnation. In fact, when John tells us in his opening chapter
to his gospel that Jesus had come into the world, Jesus was already
functioning prior to that as the Word. He says the Word was made
flesh, and dwelt among us, (Jn. 1:14, emphasis added). He then adds
in 1:18 that no one has ever seen God, the only God, who is at the
Fathers side, he has made him known. From this Chafer correctly
comments, Whenever truth about the Person of God or His message is
to be disclosed the Second Person as Logos is the One who
reveals.13 We then come to the discharge of this office during the
incarnation of Jesus on earth. We must first recognize that the
prophet who was to come and was to be like Moses as promised in
Deuteronomy 18:15-17, was not merely a New Testament invention
reinterpreting the words of Moses. The people of Jesus day were
acutely aware of this coming prophet and seemingly were constantly
on the look out. They recognized that the Christ was to be the
Prophet. Even the Samaritan woman said, I know that the Messiah is
coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us
all things, (Jn. 4:25, emphasis added). Just two chapters later in
John 6:14 when the Jews wanted to make Jesus king by force, which
also indicates that Messiah was seen not only as prophet but as
king, they announced, This is indeed the Prophet who is to come
into the world! In fact, Jesus himself declared this truth when he
had resurrected and beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he
interpreted them to them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning himself, (Lk. 24:27). Christ even called himself a
prophet explicitly when he stated that a prophet is not without
honor except in his hometown and in his own household, in Matthew
13:57. We also know from Acts 3:22-23 and then again in13
Chafer. Systematic Theology, vol. III. p21.
7
Stephens testimony before the Jewish council, that the
Deuteronomy 18:15-17 promise of a Prophet like Moses was
specifically applied to Christ. Yet how is it that Christ functions
as Prophet during his incarnation. That is, how is his ministry
that of revelation from God to man. First, Christ himself asserts
that his message is given to him by the Father and it is by the
Fathers authority that he speaks. While such passages as John 7:16;
8:28; 12:49-50 and many others have been used as platforms to
question how the Son could be God and still submit to the authority
of the Father and yet remain God, it is clear that the intent of
these passages is not to speak to the make-up of the Trinity, but
rather to the fact that Christ is the prophet par excellence,14 who
forthtells the words and will of God to his people. It was a common
occurrence that people took note of the teaching of Jesus because,
unlike the other Rabbis, he spoke with authority, (Mt. 7:29; Mk.
1:27). While he spoke the message the Father had given him, he
frequently began his statements with, Truly, truly I say to you. By
hearing these words, Gods people hear the words of God, for he is
in himself the originator of the divine word.15 We know, as per the
Deuteronomy 18:22 requirement, that the mighty works of Christ
served to validate the message of Christ. There was nothing that
Christ has spoken that was not from God and did not come to pass,
save those things that are reserved for the last days. This should
bolster our hope in these yet unfulfilled promises as well, that
because Christ is the true prophet whose words must come to bear,
all that he has promises has already been assured. It is with
little doubt that Jesus was called a prophet so frequently
14 15
Hoeksema. Reformed Dogmatics. p372. Robertson. The Christ of the
Prophets. p55.
8
during his earthly ministry, (Mt. 21:11, 46; Lk. 7:16; 24:19,
Jn. 3:2; 4:19; 6:14; 7:40; 9:17).16 We now move on to how Christ
functions as our prophet following his ascension and glorification.
Chafer points out that in Acts 1:1 Jesus only began to teach,
implying that there was more to his teaching and revealing than
what he had only started here on earth.17 This reinforces the idea
that Christ continues to function as prophet in and through his
messengers. In John 16:13 we are told that it is only after Christ
leaves that we will receive the Spirit who is to guide us into all
truth, and that the Spirit does not speak by his own authority, but
will speak only what he hears. Owen states that Christ continues as
our Prophet first, internally and effectually, by His Spirit,
writing his law in our hearts; secondly, outwardly and
instrumentally, by the Word preached.18 It is vital to our
understanding of the power behind the proclamation of the word and
the illumination of the Scriptures that we understand the continued
execution of the office of prophet by Christ. Bavinck concludes his
section on the office of prophet by stating, To teach, to
reconcile, and to lead; to instruct, to acquire, and to apply
salvation; wisdom, righteousness, and redemption; truth, love, and
God-to-humanity relation, he is prophet.19 Christ the Priest Christ
was not only acting from God toward man, but also had a ministry
from man toward God. It is this office of Priest that Christians
seemingly know the most about, for it is this office which deals
with Jesus sacrificial death and his continual intercession to
the
16 17
Berkhof. Systematic Theology. p359. Chafer. Systematic Theology,
vol. III. p26. 18 Goold. The Works of John Owen, vol I. p483. 19
Bavinck. Reformed Dogmatics. pp367-368.
9
Father. One fascinating correlation of this office to the
previous office of prophet, is found in Exodus 7:1 where Aaron, who
would be the founder of the Levitical priesthood, is called by God
to be the prophet for Moses to Pharaoh. While the offices are often
regarded as mutually exclusive in the governance of Old Testament
Israel, it is clear that from the earliest of times, God had
planned that these two offices would function under one person,
namely, Jesus Christ. As with the other offices, the Priesthood was
not formed first, and then worked its way to Christ, but rather it
was typologically fashioned after Christ to point to him alone. Our
first glimpse at a Biblical priest is, as before, found in the
garden in the person of Adam. Adam was given charge to work and
keep the garden, the first temple where God took up his dwelling
among His creation. He was told to ( vd) and to ( mr) the garden in
which God had placed him it. While these terms have been
traditionally translated to work and to keep, these same two verbs
were used in conjunction to describe the priestly duties in the
tabernacle: They shall keep guard ( )over himbefore the tent of
meeting, as they minister ( )at the tabernacle, (Num. 3:7; cf.
4:23-24, 26).20 Fesko adds that, read within the larger context of
Scripture, Adams responsibilities in the garden are primarily
priestly rather than agricultural.21 One final topic of interest
that ought to be noted before moving on from the priesthood found
in Adam, is the vestments that God had made for Adam and Eve before
casting them from the garden. We see Pharaoh clothes Joseph when he
commissions him in Genesis 41:42, Aaron receiving holy garments in
Exodus 40:13 and Leviticus 8:13, and finally Saul clothed David in
armor in 1 Samuel 17:38. It is clear that in the Ancient Near
20 21
Fesko. Last Things First. p71. Ibid. p71.
10
East, those who are commissioned for service where given
garments as a sign of their installment into office.22 Even
further, the priests were not allowed to enter the temple with
their genitals exposed (Ex. 20:26; 28:42), most likely a command
dating back to Adam and Eve no longer being allowed to appear naked
in Gods presence.23 Yet in all these, the message of the gospel of
Christ was being planted. These vestments foreshadowed the covering
that God would provide for his people in the righteousness of
Christ. Shortly after this in the book of Genesis, we encounter a
man named Melchizedek, the Priest-King from Salem. Much can be said
about his connection to Christs priesthood that is of great import.
While tomes can and have been written about the priesthood of
Melchizedek, this paper will touch only on major themes relevant
for our discussion here. The priesthood of Melchizedek preceded the
Levitical priesthood that does not become established until the
time of Moses and Aaron. Due to the fact that Christ is of the
order of Melchizedek, (Ps. 110:4) it is clear that Christs
priesthood predates that of the priesthood in Israel. More
discussion will follow on the exact manner in which Christ belong
to this order, as well as met the requirements for the Levitical
order, when we address the specific manner in which Christ
exercises this office further on. For now, let us simply be content
with understanding the predecessory nature of this priesthood over
the Levitical one. Yet Melchizedek is not the only foreshadow of
the ministry of Christ. In fact, the most beloved truths of this
office derive their nature from that of the Levites . The Hebrew
term used almost entirely for priest is ( kohen). While its
original meaning is uncertain,
22 23
Ibid. p72. Ibid. p73.
11
Berkhof tells us that the word certainly always referred to
someone who was serving in an official ecclesiastical function.24
While the office of prophet had previously faced toward man from
God, the primary function of the priest was the exact reverse; it
faced God from man. The prophets major role was that of the
religious teacher who revealed the will and words of God to the
people. The chief duty of the priest, however, was to be mans
representative before God and the very nature of this mediatorial
role should be a strong indicator to the ministry of the Son. While
many passage in the Old Testament may be called upon to map out the
duties of the priest in specific detail, it is in Hebrews 5:1 that
we obtain the most basic of definitions. The author writes, For
every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on
behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for
sins. We see not only that the priest must be commissioned by God,
but that the primary duty is to act as mediator between men and God
in regards to ritual observances and sin. Yet we also know that in
order to carry out this basic duty, the priest not only offered
sacrifices, but he would also intercede on their behalf (Heb.
7:25), and would bless them in the name of the Lord, (Lev. 9:22).
It is these sacrifices and intercessions in which we rightly say
that Christ was both the High Priest, as well as the sacrifice for
sin; the unblemished Lamb. We may now ask how Christ functioned as
priest prior to his incarnation. We will quite easily see this
office being carried out in his incarnation and glorified state,
but it is usually difficult to understand the manner in which
Christ executed the office of priest prior to his humiliation.
24
Berkhof. Systematic Theology. p361.
12
We can solidly establish this truth as fact without elucidating
how he actually discharged this office prior to his incarnation. We
see in Hebrews 7:3 that while Christ may be in the order of
Melchizedek, it is actually Melchizedek who is made resembling the
Son of God, (ESV) or made like the Son of God, (NASB). Melchizedek,
back in the time of Abraham, was fashioned after the Son of God to
be priest. Clearly Christ must have already been functioning in
this fashion in order for this to take place, as we have also
established previously that Christ discharges these not just in
action, but in his very person. We can observe that Melchezidek is
a God-designed type of Christs priesthood in the fact that he is a
king of peace, without record of father or mother, and without
recorded beginning or ending of days.25 While the actual manner in
which Christ executed this office is rather obscure before his
incarnation, we can see that this office was decreed by the Father
long before that time. (Ps. 110:4) We now arrive at the earthly
ministry of Jesus and how he fulfilled the office of priest during
his death on the cross, although we should not limit it to merely
his death. When John the Baptist saw Christ coming down to the
Jordan, he cried out, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the
sins of the world! (John 1:29) We often think of Jesus baptism as
the inauguration of his ministry on earth, yet we should also see
it as his commissioning into the priesthood, for Jesus was also
meeting the requirements of Numbers 4:3 in which priests were to be
consecrated at the age of thirty, as well as Numbers 8:7 which
describes the manner which this was to be performed. While Jesus
was not a Levite, it is not shocking that God accepted this
commissioned priesthood and declared His approval. It is also clear
that Jesus offered up a priestly prayer on behalf of his disciples
in the Gospel
25
Chafer. Systematic Theology, vol III. p29.
13
of John starting in chapter 17, and even interceded on behalf of
those crucifying him in Luke 23:34. Nevertheless, much of what we
think of when we talk about the priesthood of Christ occurs at his
death on the cross. As before, the amount of discussion on this
topic alone could cover several volumes, so for our discussion
here, let it suffice to state that it is in the same manner as the
atonements of the Old Testament sacrificial system that Christ
bears the burden of our sins. The Westminster Larger Catechism in
Q. 44 says that he was a sacrifice without spot to God, to be a
reconciliation for the sins of His people, 26 and then again in the
Shorter Catechism in Q. 24 that Christ executeth the office of a
priest, in His once offering up of Himself a sacrifice to satisfy
divine justice and reconcile us to God.27 Repeatedly throughout the
New Testament, Christs death is pictured as a sacrifice on behalf
of the elect. We see in 1 Corinthians 5:7 that Christ, our Passover
lamb, has been sacrificed. Later in 2 Corinthians 5:21 we are told
exactly why Christ was the lamb and how his death was effectual
when Paul states that for our sake he made him to be sin who knew
no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God, a
verse which is closely related to Christ redeemed us from the curse
of the law by becoming a curse for us, in Galatians 3:13. John Owen
wrote that the death of Christ is effectual first, in that it
satisfied the justice of God; secondly, it redeemed us from the
power of sin, death, and hell; thirdly, it ratified the new
covenant of grace; fourthly; it procured for us grace here and
glory
26 27
Beeke & Ferguson. Reformed Confessions Harmonized. p69.
Ibid. p71.
14
hereafter;-by all which means the peace and reconciliation
between God and us is wrought.28 This sacrifice, however, was
perfect and without need for repetition because of the nature of
Christ. Christ himself was without sin. The author to the Hebrews
goes to great lengths to show that former priests would have to
first offer sacrifices for themselves and then for the people, and
this must be done each year, but that because Christ was the
sinless Son of God, the spotless lamb and the High Priest, that
this was done once and for all, without need for repetition, (cf.
Heb. 9:7, 14). Here Christ is seen in the order of Melchizedek,
that is, that he is without beginning, end, or replacement. He is
our eternal High Priest and we are never in need of another. Yet as
with the other offices, Christ executes this office into eternity.
This is not only clear when the author to the Hebrews states that
his is an eternal priesthood, but also in that Christ continually
brings us into the presence of the Father, and that Christ makes
persistent intercession on our behalf. The curtain in the temple
has been torn and by Christ we can come into the presence of God.
Indeed, in a very real sense, we are the temple in which God
resides, and Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 6:19 when he tells
us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. The author to
the Hebrews again tells us that we have confidence to enter the
sanctuary by the blood of Jesus and since we have a great priest
over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, (Heb. 10:19). Not only does Christ grant us
access to the presence of God, but he also ministers in our behalf
to God through intercession; through his continual soliciting of
God on our behalf, begun here in fervent prayers, continued in
heaven by appearing as our advocate at28
Goold. The Works of John Owen, vol. I. p481.
15
the throne of grace.29 Christ always lives to make intercession
for them, (Heb. 7:25) and Paul says that Christ is the only one who
intercedes for us, (Rom. 8:34). The verb used in both cases is and
means not only to ask of someone, but to approach them and ask for
it.30 In both cases, Christ makes intercessions based on his
previous death and sacrifice for our sins. Berkhof reminds us that
we cannot divorce the ministry of intercession from the ministry of
atonement. He says, They are but two aspects of the same redemptive
work of Christ the essence of Intercession is Atonement; and the
Atonement is essentially an Intercession.31 Because of this, that
the atoning and intercessory work of Christ are so interlinked, it
is proper for Berkhof to add that Christ intercedes for all those
for whom he has made atonement, and for those only.32 Finally it is
clear that Christ is the only one who is to be mediator between men
and God. Paul tells us in that there is one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for
all, (1 Tim. 2:5-6). Again, the mediatorial role of Christ Jesus in
intercession is based on the historical fact of the vicarious death
of Christ on the cross to atone for the sins of the elect. This
again is vital for us to understand. Hoeksema reminds us that it is
the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ, and that
righteousness absolutely alone, is the sure basis of our hope in
God, our salvation, and our eternal peace.33 Christ the King As
before, the office of king is not without overlap of the previous
offices. Melchizedek was not merely a priest, but was a
priest-king. Psalm 110, which speaks of the29 30
Ibid. p483. Verbrugge. New International Dictionary of New
Testament Theology. p189. 31 Berkhof. Systematic Theology. p402. 32
Ibid. p402. 33 Hoeksema. Reformed Dogmatics. p392.
16
Messiah being a priest in the order of Melchizedek, also states
that he is to be [sent] forth from Zion, your mighty scepter, (v2)
he will shatter kings, (v5) and execute judgment among the nations,
(v6); and Zechariah says that there shall be a priest on his
throne, (Zech. 6:13). In Israels governance the three offices were
never to be held by one person, yet in these passages we see them
clearly foretelling that the Messiah will indeed embody all three
offices.34 Yet when we are talking about the kingship of Christ as
mediator (regnum oeconicum), we should not confuse his kingship
that he possess with the Father and the Spirit from all eternity
(regnum essentiale). As with the previous two offices, we again
find the first establishment of the office of king on earth in the
garden. We see that Adam is given authority over all of creation,
not only in his subduing of it, and in his exercising of dominion,
but also in that he was given the role of naming the animals. Adam
is the vice-regent of God within creation and is appointed to rule
over it. Of all the offices, the kingship of Christ seems to have
the most diversity of views among theologians. While some deny that
Jesus was king before his incarnation, others deny that Jesus was
king during his incarnation, and still others deny the kingship of
Christ in present day, while further still, others do not believe
that Christ will have an earthly throne this side of the final
judgment. Per usual, to adequately answer these questions in this
paper would be a futile attempt, seeing as many books have been
written on the subject. While we will address these areas, they
will be admittedly brief. First, as with the other offices, we can
say that Christ is king not as an exercise of work, but based on
his very nature. While we cannot say that Christ discharges the
office of king by his participation in the Trinity and its ultimate
rule over creation, we can say that34
Robertson. The Israel of God. p59.
17
Christ was appointed king before creation. We see in Psalm 2:6
that God set up his Son as king on Zion, his holy hill, long before
the incarnation and the nations are commanded to swear allegiance
to him. We can even infer that when the Israelites demanded a king
in 1 Samuel 12:12, and denied that God was their king, that they
were denying the immediate kingship of Christ. For this is not
speaking of Gods sovereign rule over all creation, but his specific
reign over his chosen people, the very aspect that designates the
kingship of Christ. At the birth of Christ it was announced that he
was the king of the Jews, (Matt. 2:2), yet unlike the kings
previously that ruled over Israel, Christ was now the true
Theocratic King, entirely faithful to the Lord, subject to his
will, and designed to direct all things to Gods honor.35 It is
undeniable that Christ was king while on earth. He claimed to be
king before Pilate in Matthew 27:11 and John 18:37; he died under
the accusation of attempting to be king in Matthew 27:37; and he
was seen by the people as king and heir apparent to the throne of
David in John 12:13. Jesus taught on behalf of the kingdom to bring
people into citizenship in the kingdom. And when Christ returns he
is called King of kings, and Lord of lords is Revelation 19:16.
Martin Luther spoke of those who attempted to deny that Christ was
king presently, imaging just as foolishly that Christ sits idly
somewhere and waits for the Judgment Day, when He will thunder
against sinners, that, on the contrary, we must hold that he
working. We must believe that he rules and fights, that he has a
throne and scepter, preserving and bestowing righteousness, and
that he does all this daily and with great power in the
church.36
35 36
Bavinck. Reformed Dogmatics. p365. Pelikan. Luthers Works, vol.
12. p232.
18
We must see that Christ is ruling as king over his church
presently. He has purchased us already to be his people and we are
called a kingdom, (Rev. 1:6) and a holy nation, (1 Pet. 2:9). We
are told that we are ruled over by Christ who is far above all rule
and authority and power and dominion in this age and in the age to
come, (Eph. 1:21) and that he is head over all things to the
church, (Eph. 1:22). This headship is not synonymous with one who
merely leads or guides, but rather this term follows hard on the
heels of the absolute authority given to Christ in 1:20-21 and
shows that Christ is head over the church by authority and rule, in
a very judicial manner.37 We also observe that the kingdom rule of
Christ was already present in the time of Jesus and the Apostles,
such as in Matthew 12:28 where Jesus announces the presence of the
kingdom as evidenced by his exorcism of demons, as well as in Luke
17:21 where Jesus says, behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst
of you. Yet when we speak of the kingship of Christ, we are also
speaking in more tangible terms in which Christ rules over his
church specifically. Owen states that Christs kingly office is of a
two-fold power, first, his power of ruling in and over his church;
secondly, his power of subduing his enemies.38 Surely, Owen would
agree with Hoeksema that when Paul speaks of Christ as the head of
the church, he means it in nearly a judicial and royal manner. Yet
how do we see Christ ruling in and over the church? It should
support our claims to perform tasks in the power and name of
Christ, when we understand that we carry them out as ambassadors to
our King. When people are converted, it is by the power of Christ
who regenerates their will to be obedient. When we
37 38
Hoeksema. Reformed Dogmatics. p393. Goold. The Works of John
Owen, vol. I. p480.
19
establish church government and authority, it is only by the
authority given to us by Christ as he reigns over us that these are
accomplished. The second part of Owens definition, however, speaks
to the kingship of Christ as it is exercised at the Second Coming.
While we will not here establish any millennial schema, it is
proper to state that there will be a day when the kingship of
Christ will be consummated. There will be a time when the rule of
Christ will be total and absolute over all of humanity, without
exception. His kingdom will not end but be for all of eternity as
explicitly taught in Scripture, (Ps. 45:6; 72:17; Is. 9:7; Dan.
2:44; 2 Sam. 7:13, 16; 2 Pet. 2:5-11). Just as Christ is a prophet
forever and a priest forever, so too is he a king forever. As
Luther said, The kingdom of Christ, therefore, is really this, that
he rules in this life and after this life will fully confer
righteousness and eternal life.39 Conclusion It has been seen that
Christs office of mediator between man and God functions in the
Munus Triplex of Christ. He exercises the offices of prophet, of
priest, and of king, not only from before the creation of the world
and before his incarnation, but also during his humiliation on
earth and after his glorification into eternity. As Prophet, Christ
is our sole source for revelation of the mind and will of God; as
Priest, he is our only hope for salvation and intercession to God;
and as King, he is our sole authority and will guard and protect us
from all our enemies. Bavinck ends his section on the offices with
this statement, Though a king, he rules not by the sword but by his
Word and spirit. He is a prophet, but his word is power and really
happens. He is a priest but lives by dying, conquers by suffering,
and is all powerful by his love. He is always all these things in
conjunction, never the one without the other: mighty in speech and
action as a king and full of grace and truth in his royal rule.4039
40
Pelikan. Luthers Works, vol. 12. p232. Bavinck. Reformed
Dogmatics. p368.
20
It should be out aim to never lose sight of any office or place
one as of more import over the other as has been the habit of the
church in the past. Each of the offices, Christ performed before
even our creation and should prompt us to glorify him because he
was proactively achieving for us our redemption long before man was
even created for the fall. In this, we know that God does all
things and powerfully orders redemptive history for his glory, and
the Munus Triplex of Christ ought to cause us to stop and marvel at
the mighty sovereign works and wonders of our God.
21
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