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 saith to him, 'Art thou zealous for me? O that all Jehovah's people were prophets! that Jehovah would put His Spirit upon them!'
according to all that thou didst ask from Jehovah thy God, in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not add to hear the voice of Jehovah my God, and this great fire let me not see any more, and I die not;
a prophet I raise up to them, out of the midst of their brethren, like to thee; and I have given my words in his mouth, and he hath spoken unto them all that which I command him;
And it cometh to pass, when all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua, saying,
And it cometh to pass, when all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua, saying,
And it hath come to pass afterwards, I do pour out My Spirit on all flesh, And prophesied have your sons and your daughters, Your old men do dream dreams, Your young men do see visions.
'But, take heed of the false prophets, who come unto you in sheep's clothing, and inwardly are ravening wolves.
he who is receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who is receiving a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward,
But what went ye out to see? -- a prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet,
and they were stumbled at him. And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honour except in his own country, and in his own house:'
and, willing to kill him, he feared the multitude, because as a prophet they were holding him.
And the multitudes said, 'This is Jesus the prophet, who is from Nazareth of Galilee.'
and if we should say, From men, we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet.'
'And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray;
for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they shall give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, also the chosen.
But if we may say, From men,' -- they were fearing the people, for all were holding John that he was indeed a prophet;
And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and did prophesy, saying,
And lo, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name is Simeon, and this man is righteous and devout, looking for the comforting of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him,
And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, she was much advanced in days, having lived with an husband seven years from her virginity,
and fear took hold of all, and they were glorifying God, saying -- 'A great prophet hath risen among us,' and -- 'God did look upon His people.'
'But what have ye gone forth to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet:
but it behoveth me to-day, and to-morrow, and the day following, to go on, because it is not possible for a prophet to perish out of Jerusalem.
and if we may say, From men, all the people will stone us, for they are having been persuaded John to be a prophet.'
And he said to them, 'What things?' And they said to him, 'The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who became a man -- a prophet -- powerful in deed and word, before God and all the people,
The men, then, having seen the sign that Jesus did, said -- 'This is truly the Prophet, who is coming to the world;'
'But I tell you the truth; it is better for you that I go away, for if I may not go away, the Comforter will not come unto you, and if I go on, I will send Him unto you;
and when He may come -- the Spirit of truth -- He will guide you to all the truth, for He will not speak from Himself, but as many things as He will hear He will speak, and the coming things He will tell you;
'But this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:
For Moses, indeed, unto the fathers said -- A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me; him shall ye hear in all things, as many as he may speak unto you;
and we to prayer, and to the ministration of the word, will give ourselves continually.'
this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear.
And in those days there came from Jerusalem prophets to Antioch,
And in those days there came from Jerusalem prophets to Antioch, and one of them, by name Agabus, having stood up, did signify through the Spirit a great dearth is about to be throughout all the world -- which also came to pass in the time of Claudius Caesar --
And there were certain in Antioch, in the assembly there, prophets and teachers; both Barnabas, and Simeon who is called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen also -- Herod the tetrarch's foster-brother -- and Saul;
And there were certain in Antioch, in the assembly there, prophets and teachers; both Barnabas, and Simeon who is called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen also -- Herod the tetrarch's foster-brother -- and Saul;
And there were certain in Antioch, in the assembly there, prophets and teachers; both Barnabas, and Simeon who is called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen also -- Herod the tetrarch's foster-brother -- and Saul;
Judas also and Silas, being themselves also prophets, through much discourse did exhort the brethren, and confirm,
then, indeed, were the assemblies established in the faith, and were abounding in number every day;
And having found out the disciples, we tarried there seven days, and they said to Paul, through the Spirit, not to go up to Jerusalem;
and this one had four daughters, virgins, prophesying. And we remaining many more days, there came down a certain one from Judea, a prophet, by name Agabus,
And we remaining many more days, there came down a certain one from Judea, a prophet, by name Agabus,
And we remaining many more days, there came down a certain one from Judea, a prophet, by name Agabus,
and he said unto me, Go, because to nations far off I will send thee.'
and he who is spiritual, doth discern indeed all things, and he himself is by no one discerned;
And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues;
And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues;
and he who is prophesying to men doth speak edification, and exhortation, and comfort; he who is speaking in an unknown tongue, himself doth edify, and he who is prophesying, an assembly doth edify;
so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophesy is not for the unbelieving, but for the believing,
and so the secrets of his heart become manifest, and so having fallen upon his face, he will bow before God, declaring that God really is among you.
And prophets -- let two or three speak, and let the others discern,
And prophets -- let two or three speak, and let the others discern, and if to another sitting anything may be revealed, let the first be silent; read more. for ye are able, one by one, all to prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted,
but, on the contrary, having seen that I have been entrusted with the good news of the uncircumcision, as Peter with that of the circumcision, for He who did work with Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, did work also in me in regard to the nations,
being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being chief corner -stone,
which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit -- that the nations be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in the Christ, through the good news,
wherefore, he saith, 'Having gone up on high he led captive captivity, and gave gifts to men,' --
and He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as proclaimers of good news, and some as shepherds and teachers,
and He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as proclaimers of good news, and some as shepherds and teachers,
for even owing to be teachers, because of the time, again ye have need that one teach you what are the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and ye have become having need of milk, and not of strong food,
Be mindful of those leading you, who did speak to you the word of God, whose faith -- considering the issue of the behaviour -- be imitating,
Happy is he who is reading, and those hearing, the words of the prophecy, and keeping the things written in it -- for the time is nigh!
and I fell before his feet, to bow before him, and he saith to me, 'See -- not! fellow servant of thee am I, and of thy brethren, those having the testimony of Jesus; bow before God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of the prophecy.'
Lo, I come quickly; happy is he who is keeping the words of the prophecy of this scroll.'
and he saith to me, 'See -- not; for fellow-servant of thee am I, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of those keeping the words of this scroll; before God bow.' And he saith to me, 'Thou mayest not seal the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is nigh;
and if any one may take away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the scroll of the life, and out of the holy city, and the things that have been written in this scroll;'