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Prophet: Difference between revisions
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In the New Testament there were also people who spoke and wrote God’s very words and had them recorded in Scripture, but we may be surprised to find that Jesus no longer calls them prophets but uses a new term, apostles. The apostles are the New Testament counterpart to the Old Testament prophets (see 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Cor. 13:3; Gal. 1:8–9, 11–12; 1 Thess. 2:13; 4:8, 15; 2 Peter 3:2). It is the apostles, not the prophets, who have authority to write the words of New Testament Scripture. | In the New Testament there were also people who spoke and wrote God’s very words and had them recorded in Scripture, but we may be surprised to find that Jesus no longer calls them prophets but uses a new term, apostles. The apostles are the New Testament counterpart to the Old Testament prophets (see 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Cor. 13:3; Gal. 1:8–9, 11–12; 1 Thess. 2:13; 4:8, 15; 2 Peter 3:2). It is the apostles, not the prophets, who have authority to write the words of New Testament Scripture. | ||
'''When the apostles want to establish their unique authority, they never appeal to the title “prophet” but rather call themselves “apostles.”''' For example, “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:1; see also Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 9:1–2; 2 Cor. 1:1; 11:12–13; 12:11–12; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; 3:2, et al.).<ref>Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 1294.<ref> | '''When the apostles want to establish their unique authority, they never appeal to the title “prophet” but rather call themselves “apostles.”''' For example, “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:1; see also Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 9:1–2; 2 Cor. 1:1; 11:12–13; 12:11–12; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; 3:2, et al.).<ref>Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 1294.</ref> | ||
==The Meaning of the Word Prophet in the Time of the New Testament== | ==The Meaning of the Word Prophet in the Time of the New Testament== | ||
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Just as an apostle could sometimes be called a “teacher” (which Paul calls himself in 1 Timothy 2:7) along with other teachers in the churches, and just as an apostle could sometimes be called an “elder” (Peter calls himself a “fellow elder” in 1 Peter 5:1) along with other elders in the churches, so too the apostles could sometimes be called “prophets” or give a “prophecy,” though there were other prophets in the churches as well (so the book of Revelation, written by John, is called a “prophecy” in Rev. 1:3; 22:7), but there were also many other prophets in the churches. However, the apostles were not often called “teachers” or “elders” or “prophets.” | Just as an apostle could sometimes be called a “teacher” (which Paul calls himself in 1 Timothy 2:7) along with other teachers in the churches, and just as an apostle could sometimes be called an “elder” (Peter calls himself a “fellow elder” in 1 Peter 5:1) along with other elders in the churches, so too the apostles could sometimes be called “prophets” or give a “prophecy,” though there were other prophets in the churches as well (so the book of Revelation, written by John, is called a “prophecy” in Rev. 1:3; 22:7), but there were also many other prophets in the churches. However, the apostles were not often called “teachers” or “elders” or “prophets.” | ||
The important point is that, in first century Greek, the terms prophet and prophecy did not imply divine authority for their speech or writing. Much more commonly, the words prophet and prophecy were used of ordinary Christians who spoke not with absolute divine authority but simply to report something that God had laid on their hearts or brought to their minds. There are many indications in the New Testament that this ordinary gift of prophecy had authority less than that of the Bible, and even less than that of recognized Bible teaching in the early church.<ref>Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 1294–1296. | The important point is that, in first century Greek, the terms prophet and prophecy did not imply divine authority for their speech or writing. Much more commonly, the words prophet and prophecy were used of ordinary Christians who spoke not with absolute divine authority but simply to report something that God had laid on their hearts or brought to their minds. There are many indications in the New Testament that this ordinary gift of prophecy had authority less than that of the Bible, and even less than that of recognized Bible teaching in the early church.<ref>Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 1294–1296.</ref> | ||
==Indications That Prophets Did Not Speak with Authority Equal to the Words of Scripture== | ==Indications That Prophets Did Not Speak with Authority Equal to the Words of Scripture== | ||
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[[Category:Prophecies]] | [[Category:Prophecies]] | ||
[[Category:Supernatural vindication]] | [[Category:Supernatural vindication]] | ||
[[Category:Eschatology]] | |||