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
But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that he give all Yahweh's people prophets, that Yahweh put his spirit on them!"
[This is] {according to all that you asked} from Yahweh your God at Horeb, on the day of the assembly, {saying}, '{I do not want again to hear} the voice of Yahweh my God, [and] I do not want to see again this great fire, so that I may not die!'
I will raise up a prophet for them {from among their countrymen} like you, and I will place my words into his mouth, and he shall speak to them {everything that I command him}.
And it will happen afterward thus: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your elders will dream dreams; your young men shall see visions.
"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves.
The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward.
But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!
And they were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his [own] hometown and in his [own] household."
And [although he] wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they looked upon him as a prophet.
And the crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee!"
But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd, because they all look upon John as a prophet."
and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many,
For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
But if we say, 'From men'"--they were afraid of the crowd, because they all looked upon John {as truly a prophet}.
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem {whose name was} Simeon, and this man [was] righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher (she was advanced {in years}, having lived with [her] husband seven years {after her marriage},
And fear seized [them] all, and they began to glorify God, saying, "A great prophet has appeared among us!" and "God has visited to help his people!"
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!
Nevertheless, it is necessary [for] me to be on the way today and tomorrow and on the next [day], because it is not possible [for] a prophet to perish outside Jerusalem.
But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us to death, because they are convinced [that] John was a prophet."
And he said to them, "What [things]?" So they said to him, "The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, a man who was a prophet, powerful in deed and word before God and all the people,
Now [when] the people saw the sign that he performed, they began to say, "This one is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world!"
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
But when he--the Spirit of truth--comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will proclaim to you the things to come.
Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You will listen to him in everything that he says to you.
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
"This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.'
Now in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
Now in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them {named} Agabus stood up [and] indicated by the Spirit [that] a great famine was about to come over the whole inhabited earth (which took place in the time of Claudius).
Now there were prophets and teachers in Antioch in the church that was there: Barnabas, and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
Now there were prophets and teachers in Antioch in the church that was there: Barnabas, and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
Now there were prophets and teachers in Antioch in the church that was there: Barnabas, and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers by a long message.
So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were growing in number every day.
And we stayed there seven days [after we] found the disciples, who kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.
({Now this man had} four virgin daughters who prophesied.) And [while we] were staying [there] many days, a certain prophet {named} Agabus came down from Judea.
And [while we] were staying [there] many days, a certain prophet {named} Agabus came down from Judea.
And [while we] were staying [there] many days, a certain prophet {named} Agabus came down from Judea.
And he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles!'"
Now the spiritual [person] discerns all [things], but he himself is judged by no one.
and whom God has appointed in the church: first, apostles, second, prophets, third, teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, kinds of tongues.
and whom God has appointed in the church: first, apostles, second, prophets, third, teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, kinds of tongues.
But the one who prophesies speaks to people edification and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
So then, tongues are for a sign not to those who believe, but to unbelievers, but prophecy [is] not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.
the secret things of his heart become evident, and so, falling on [his] face, he will worship God, proclaiming, "God is truly among you!"
Let two or three prophets speak, and the others evaluate.
Let two or three prophets speak, and the others evaluate. And if [something] is revealed to another who is seated, the first must be silent. read more. For you are all able to prophesy {in turn}, in order that all may learn and all may be encouraged,
But these, [when they] saw that I had been entrusted [with] the gospel to the uncircumcision, just as Peter to the circumcision (for the one who was at work through Peter for [his] apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles),
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
(which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit): [that] the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
Therefore it says, "Ascending on high he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men."
And he himself gave some [as] apostles and some [as] prophets and some [as] evangelists and some [as] pastors and teachers
And he himself gave some [as] apostles and some [as] prophets and some [as] evangelists and some [as] pastors and teachers
For indeed, [although you] ought to be teachers {by this time}, you have need of someone to teach you again the beginning elements of the oracles of God, and {you have need of} milk, not solid food.
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you; {considering the outcome of their way of life}, imitate their faith.
Blessed [is] the one who reads aloud and [blessed are] those who hear the words of the prophecy and observe the things written in it, because the time [is] near!
And I fell down before his feet to worship him, and he said to me, "{Do not do that!} I am a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
"And behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed [is] the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
And he said to me, "{Do not do that!} I am your fellow slave, and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near!
And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book.