The Threefold Office of Christ:
Jesus' Ministry and Its Message

I. Between Mary and Pilate
Are the Gospels more than passion narratives?
Apostolic testimonies cover more than Jesus' death and aftermath
So his death and resurrection are not enough

Ordinary Time ...

reveals and explains the Jesus who died and was raised
is apocalyptic time

II. The Christ Story
Baptism is Jesus' anointing, his inauguration
The offices are Spirit-empowered
Each office ...

is grounded in Israel's anointed offices
begins in Jesus' baptism
is tested in the wilderness
unfolds in Jesus' career
climaxes on the cross
continues in and through the Church
culminates on the Last Day

III. The Prophetic Office
Jewish prophecy as speech-act (Jer. 1:4ff, Hos. 1, Jer. 19:1ff, John 2:1-11)

Israel awaits a "prophet like Moses" (Deut. 18:15-19)
Dilemma: he does not arrive (Deut. 34:10-12, cf. Acts 3:18-26)

Christ's prophetic mission: announce the Kingdom's approach (Is. 61:1-2 in Luke 4:18-22, Matt. 25:31ff)

Satan's plan for prophethood: seek a sign (Luke 4:3-4, Deut. 8:3; Matt. 12:38-39)
Prophetic highlights: Jesus does God's work, proclaims God's Reign, and reveals the Father (John 1:18)

Competing interpretations of Jesus' signs come from demons, crowds, authorities, and disciples (Mark 8:27ff, Mark 1:24; cf. David Blaine)
Prophetic climaxes: clearing the Temple, the cross
Jesus is God's definitive self-revelation (John 1:18)

We too are prophets (Acts 2, on Joel 2; 1 Cor. 11:5; John 16:12-15; Matt. 28:20) with whom Jesus speaks clearly (Num. 12:6-8; Mark 4:11-12, John 16:29)
Jesus' words open the final act (Rev. 5:1-5) that defeats sin forever (Rev. 19:15)

IV. The Priestly Office
Jewish Priesthood as worship-leading

Priests sacrifice, and are God's and Israel's sacrifice (Num. 8:5-22)
Priests intercede, teach the Torah, proclaim cleanliness, conserve Israel's holiness
Dilemma: The blood required (Ex. 12:12, 24:8) cannot work (Isa. 1:10-17, Heb. 10:3-4)

Christ's priestly mission: offer the resources of reconciliation (Heb. 9:14)

His baptism declares his Sonship (Ps. 2:7, Heb. 5:5) Satan's plan for priesthood: put God to the test (Luke 4:9-12, Ps. 91, Deut. 6:16, Ex. 17:2-7)
Highlights: teaching, cleansing, exorcism, healing, forgiving sins (Mark 1:21-2:12)
Jesus takes the Temple with him, practicing "offensive holiness"
Climax: the cross as representative atonement (cf. Heb. 10:12-13, Phil. 2:5-11, 1 Cor. 11:23-26)
Not qualified? (Heb. 7:14, Gen. 14:17-20, cf. Matt. 1)

Jesus' intercession continues (Heb. 7:23-25, 9:24, Rom. 8:34
through us (Is. 61:6 in Rev. 1:5-6, 5:10, 1 Pet. 2:5, 9)
with “the power of the keys” (Rev. 1:18, Matt. 16:18-19, John 20:23, Vatican seal)
Jesus is the temple of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:22, 27)

V. The Royal Office
Jewish monarchy as (mostly) a failure to trust God as king (1 Sam. 8:1-22)

King David, though a sinner, went "fully after God" (1 Kings 11:4-5, 2 Sam. 6:14-23)
God promises David's eternal restoration (Ps. 89:4, 132:11)
Dilemma: How can the kingdom of Israel be reconciled to the Kingdom of God?

Christ's royal mission: restore the Kingdom of David as the Kingdom of God

This "son of David" (Matt. 1:1-17) is born king (Matt. 2:2)
His baptism declares the Son God's heir (Ps. 2)
Satan's plan for royalty: reject God as King (Luke 4:5-8/Ps. 2:7-11, Deut. 6:10-15)
Jesus' signs and wonders bring the Kingdom of God (Matt. 12:28/Luke 11:20, Luke 17:21) as a new politics, a new order of holy relationships
Highlights: calling twelve disciples (Matt. 4:17-22 etc.), associating with outcasts (Mark 2:16), breaking tradition (Mark 2:23-28, 7:1-13, Matt. 11:19), inviting sinners to enter through him rather than "repentance," entering Jerusalem as its "king coming" (Mark 11:10, cf. Ps. 118:26; Matt. 21:5/John 12:15, cf. Zech. 9:9)
Climax: the cross as the parable of the vineyard (Mark 12:1-12), Rome's execution of "the king of the Jews" (Matt. 27:11, 27:29, 27:37, 27:42), and Jesus' exaltation (John 12:27-36)

Ascension and Pentecost show Jesus reigning over and reconciling all things (Acts 2:33-36, Ps. 110)

Apostles' evangelism proclaims and exercises Christ's rule
Jesus shares his rule with us (Rev. 3:21, 5:10) as servant-kings (Rom. 8:15-17)

Jesus returns and judges all things (and we do too, 1 Cor. 6:3), and we reign with Christ forever (Rev. 22:1-5)

VI. Connections?
Offices and atonement theories

Royalty unto victory?
Priesthood unto sacrifice?
Prophethood unto moral influence?

Offices and Divine Persons

Prophethood in the Spirit?
Priesthood through the Son?
Royalty from the Father?