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
"Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but within they are ravening wolves.
"Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and whoever receives a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward.
"But why did you go? To see a prophet? I tell you, yes, and more than a prophet;
This kept them from believing in him. Wherefore Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own family."
And although he wished to kill John, he feared the people, for they considered John a prophet.
And the crowds answered, "This is the Prophet Jesus, from Nazareth, in Galilee."
"If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet."
Many false prophets will rise up and mislead many;
For false christs and false prophets will arise, and will work great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if it were possible, the very elect.
On the other hand, if we say, 'From men'!" They were afraid, however, of the people, for every one held that John had been really a prophet.
And his father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying.
Now there was in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon. He was righteous and devout, and was waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him.
There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in age, having lived with her husband seven years, after her girlhood,
And awe took hold on them all, and they began to glorify God saying. "A great prophet has risen among us;" and, "God has visited his people."
"Yet I must continue my journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it would never do for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem!
"And if we say, 'From man,' all the people will stone us, for they were persuaded that John was a prophet."
"What kind of things?" he answered. And they said: "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people;
So when the people saw the sign which he had performed, they said, "This is in the truth the Prophet who is to come into the world."
"Yet?? am telling you the truth??y going is for your good. For unless I go away the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart I will send him unto you.
But when he is come, that Spirit of Truth, he will guide you into the whole truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but all that he hears he will speak, and will make known to you that which is to come.
"Moses, for example, said: "The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet for you from among your brothers, as he raised up me; you must listen to whatever he may tell you;
"But we will give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word."
"It was this Moses who said to the Children of Israel, "God will raise up a Prophet for you from among your brothers, as he did me.
At that time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, who was Agabus, rose up, and being instructed by the Spirit, predicted that a great famine was about to come upon the whole inhabited earth. (It came in the reign of Claudius.)
Now there were in the church in Antioch prophets and teachers; Barnabas and Symeon, surnamed "the Black," Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.
Now there were in the church in Antioch prophets and teachers; Barnabas and Symeon, surnamed "the Black," Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.
Now there were in the church in Antioch prophets and teachers; Barnabas and Symeon, surnamed "the Black," Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.
And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many a good counsel.
So the churches were strengthened in the faith and continued to increase in number daily.
We looked up the local disciples and remained there seven days; and these disciples kept telling Paul, through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.
Now Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied, and while we remained there many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
and while we remained there many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
and while we remained there many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
"'Depart,' he said to me, 'for I will send you forth, far hence, to the Gentiles.'"
But the spiritual man discerns everything, yet is himself discerned by no one.
And God has appointed those in the church to be first of all apostles, second, prophets, third, teachers. then workers of miracles, healers, helpers, administrators, users of various kinds of "tongues."
And God has appointed those in the church to be first of all apostles, second, prophets, third, teachers. then workers of miracles, healers, helpers, administrators, users of various kinds of "tongues."
But he who prophesies addresses words to men that build up, encourage, and console. He who speaks in a tongue upbuilds himself; but he who prophesies upbuilds the church.
So then the gift of tongues is for a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.
and the secret depths of his heart are laid open. So he will fall upon his face and worship God, saying, "Of a truth, God is with you."
Let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others exercise their judgment.
Let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others exercise their judgment. But if to one as he sits there some revelation is made, let the first be silent. read more. For you can all prophesy one by one; so that all may be learning, and all may be encouraged.
On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter has with the gospel for the circumcised (for he who has equipped Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised, equipped me also for the apostleship to the Gentiles),
You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.
which was not disclosed to the sons of men in former generations, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, namely, that in Christ Jesus the Gentiles form one body with us the Jews, and are coheirs and copartners in the promise, through the gospel.
Thus it is said, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.
It is he who made some men apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
It is he who made some men apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
And this too, although you ought by this time to be teaching others, you are still needing some one to teach you the very rudiments of divine revelation. You need milk, not solid food.
Remember your leaders, the men who spoke the message of God to you; consider the issue of their lives, and imitate their faith.
Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep what is written in it. For the crisis is at hand.
And I fell down at his feet to worship him, and he said to me. "See that you do it not. I am a fellow slave of yours and of your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the vital breath of prophecy."
"And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
But he said to me. "See thou do it not. I am only a fellow slave with you and your brothers, the prophets, and with 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 crisis is near.
and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree of Life, and in the Holy City, about which this book is written.