Reference: Prophet
Hastings
1. The spirit of prophecy, as it meets us under the Old Dispensation, runs on into the New, and there are prophets in the NT who are properly to be described as OT prophets. Such as Anna the prophetess (Lu 2:36; cf. Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the OT); Zacharias, who is expressly said to have prophesied (Lu 1:67 ff.); Simeon, whose Nunc Dimittis is an utterance of an unmistakably prophetic nature (Lu 2:25 ff.) But above all there is John the Baptist, who was not only recognized by the nation as a great prophet (Mt 14:5; 21:26; Mr 11:32; Lu 20:6), but was declared by Jesus to be the greatest prophet of the former dispensation, while yet less than the least in the Kingdom of heaven (Mt 11:9 ff. = Lu 7:26 ff.)
2. Jesus Himself was a prophet. It was in this character that the Messiah had been promised (De 18:16,18; cf. Ac 3:22; 7:37), and had been looked for by many (Joh 6:14). During His public ministry it was as a prophet that He was known by the people (Mt 21:11; cf. Lu 7:16), and described by His own disciples (Lu 24:19), and even designated by Himself (Mt 13:57; Lu 13:33). And according to the teaching of the NT, the exalted Christ still continues to exercise His prophetic function, guiding His disciples into all the truth by the Spirit whom He sends (Joh 16:7,13), and 'building up the body' by bestowing upon it Apostles, prophets, and teachers (Eph 4:8 ff.).
3. From the prophetic office of her exalted Head there flowed the prophetic endowment of the Church. Joel had foretold a time when the gift of prophecy should be conferred upon all (Joe 2:28 f.), and at Pentecost we see that word fulfilled (Ac 2:16 ff.). Ideally, all the Lord's people should be prophets. For 'the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy' (Re 19:10), and in proportion as Christians are filled with the Pentecostal Spirit they will desire, like the members of the newborn Church, to bear testimony to their Master (cf. Nu 11:29; 1Co 14:5).
4. But even in the Spirit-filled Church diversities of gifts quickly emerged, and a special power of prophetic utterance was bestowed upon certain individuals. A prophetic ministry arose, a ministry of Divine inspiration, which has to be distinguished from the official ministry of human appointment (see art. Ministry). In a more general sense, all those who 'spoke the word of God' (Heb 13:7) were prophets. The ministry of the word (Ac 6:4) was a prophetic ministry, and so we find St. Paul himself described as a prophet long after he had become an Apostle (Ac 13:1).
5. But in a more precise use of the term we find the specific NT prophet distinguished from others who 'speak the word of God,' and in particular from the Apostle and the teacher (1Co 12:28 f., cf. Eph 4:11). The distinction seems to be that while the Apostle was a missionary to the unbelieving (Ga 2:7-8), the prophet was a messenger to the Church (1Co 14:4,22); and while the teacher explained or enforced truth that was already possessed (Heb 5:12), the prophet was recognized by the spiritual discernment of his hearers (1Co 2:15; 14:29; 1Jo 4:1) as the Divine medium of fresh revelations (1Co 14:25,30-31; Eph 3:6; cf. Did. iv. 1).
Three main types of prophesying may be distinguished in the NT
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Moses said unto him, Art thou jealous for my sake? It would be good that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
according to all that thou didst desire of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, lest I die.
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
And it came to pass when all the people were finished passing the Jordan, that the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying,
And it came to pass when all the people were finished passing the Jordan, that the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying,
And it shall come to pass after this that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Keep yourselves also from the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and in his own house.
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude because they counted him as a prophet.
And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
But if we shall say, Of men, we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many.
For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders in such a manner that they shall deceive, if possible, the very elect.
But if we shall say, Of men, we fear the people, for everyone judged regarding John that he truly was a prophet.
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was of a great age and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity,
And there came a fear on all, and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us, and, That God has visited his people.
But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
Nevertheless I must walk today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
But and if we say, Of men, all the people will stone us; for they are certain that John was a prophet.
Then he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
Then those men, as they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth the prophet that was to come into the world.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will cause you to know the things which are to come.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things doing whatever he shall say unto you.
And we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
This is that Moses, who said unto the sons of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me; him shall ye hear.
And in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and signified by the Spirit that there should be great famine throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Now there were in the congregation that was at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Now there were in the congregation that was at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Now there were in the congregation that was at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them.
And so the congregations were established in the faith and increased in number daily.
And finding the disciples, we tarried there seven days, who said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
And he had four daughters, virgins, who prophesied. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
And he said unto me, Depart, for I will send thee far from here unto the Gentiles.
But he that is spiritual discerns all things, yet he is discerned by no one.
And God did set certain ones in the congregation : first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that faculties, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
And God did set certain ones in the congregation : first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that faculties, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
But he that prophesies speaks unto men for edification and exhortation and comfort. He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but he that prophesies edifies the congregation .
Therefore, tongues are for a sign, not to those that believe, but to those that do not believe; but prophecy is not for those that do not believe, but for those who believe.
for the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, declaring that God is indeed in you.
Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge.
Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge. If any thing is revealed to another that sits by, let the first be silent. read more. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted.
But to the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter (for he that showed himself forth in Peter for apostleship of the circumcision, the same also showed himself forth in me toward the Gentiles);
and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone,
which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in the Christ by the gospel,
Therefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men.
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers,
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers,
For you should now be teaching others, if we look at the time, yet you need to be taught again which are the first elements of the oracles of God and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong food.
Remember your pastors, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation:
Blessed is he that reads and those that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand.
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant and with thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus; worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Behold, I come quickly; blessed is he that keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.
Then he said unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowslave and with thy brethren the prophets and with those who keep the words of this book: worship God. And he said unto me, do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.
and if anyone shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book.