It was a day of enlightenment about a year and a half ago when I pondered the issue of anointing carried out under the Mosaic Covenant. I discovered there were three groups of people who were anointed:
First, priests were anointed!
= Exodus 30:22-33
Second, prophets were anointed!
= I Kings 19:16
Third, kings of Israel were anointed!
= I Samuel 16:13 (David)
= 2 Kings 9:1-6 (Jehu)
This led me to realize the extent of being the Christ, which is the Greek word for "Anointed One." The Hebrew word is Messiah!
Scripture reveals Jesus fit all three positions of being anointed:
Jesus is a forever Priest!
The author of Hebrews states that here.
Jesus is The Prophet
The Prophet is foretold in Deuteronomy 18:15, and Peter affirms the Prophet is Jesus in Acts 3: 22.
(Honestly, I use to think the Prophet needed to be someone who foretold of the Christ to come, since that was a key nature of the prophets under the Mosaic Covenant. However, I changed my view on this. Now Dr. Tom Varney at CCU use to say a prophet was someone who listened to God, and then spoke for God. Yet is not both something Christians should be doing? Yet our primary means of listening to God is the Scripture, which includes prophets who heard from God in a variety of manners.
I do think the office of prophet under the Mosaic Covenant was a special office which involved speaking for God regarding blessings or curses under the Mosaic Covenant, and which had a key duty of foretelling of the Messiah. Yet Jesus was the Prophet as He directly foretold of His death and resurrection, He foretold the sending of the Holy Spirit, He foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in 70 A.D., and He foretold His return.)
The ultimate prophecy that He would suffer, die, and then be resurrected is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke:
= Matthew 26:2
= Mark 9: 30-32
= Luke 18: 31-33
Thirdly, Jesus is the King of Kings, which is revealed in Revelation.
= Revelation 19:16 (King of Kings and Lord of Lords is written on His robe and on His thigh in the vision.)
Based on the anointings under the Mosaic Covenant, it makes sense the Anointed One would be the Most High Priest, the Prophet, and the King of Kings.
Also, this theology of Jesus fulfilling the offices of Priest, Prophet, and King is recorded as early as Eusebius, and discussed by followers of Jesus in the past, including John Calvin and Susanna Wesley.
I add that whereas priests, prophets, and kings under the Mosaic Covenant were anointed with olive oil, (and other things were added to the olive oil for the “sacred oil” for priests), Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit!
The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at His baptism!
= Mark 1:9-10
= Luke 3:21-22
So the author of Hebrews states in these verses that Jesus is able to save because He has a forever priesthood. And being a forever priest, His sacrifice on the cross was able to be a single sacrifice which could transcend time and space. The atonement was made on the cross nearly 2,000 years ago. And even today, Jesus can apply that atonement as He is the forever priest for anyone who believes in Him.
I conclude this piece with a prayer of thanksgiving:
+ Holy
God, thank you for encouraging us through the book of Hebrews that Jesus is alive,
and that we can come to You for forgiveness and life, even today. It is through the Holy name of Jesus I pray,
Amen.
Hunter Irvine
[This piece was drastically edited on 5/31/19.]
Hunter Irvine
[This piece was drastically edited on 5/31/19.]
