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 to him, Are you moved by envy on my account? If only all the Lord's people were prophets, and the Lord might put his spirit on them!
In answer to the request you made to the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the great meeting, when you said, Let not the voice of the Lord my God come to my ears again, and let me not see this great fire any more, or death will overtake me.
I will give them a prophet from among themselves, like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he will say to them whatever I give him orders to say.
Now when all the nation had come to the other side of Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua,
Now when all the nation had come to the other side of Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua,
And after that, it will come about, says the Lord, that I will send my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, your old men will have dreams, your young men will see visions:
Be on the watch for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are cruel wolves.
He who gives honour to a prophet, in the name of a prophet, will be given a prophet's reward; and he who gives honour to an upright man, in the name of an upright man, will be given an upright man's reward.
But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
And they were bitter against him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is nowhere without honour but in his country and among his family.
And he would have put him to death, but for his fear of the people, because in their eyes John was a prophet.
And the people said, This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.
But if we say, From men; we are in fear of the people, because all take John to be a prophet.
And a number of false prophets will come, causing error.
For there will come up false Christs, and false prophets, who will do great signs and wonders; so that if possible even the saints might be tricked.
But if we say, From men--they were in fear of the people, because all took John to be truly a prophet.
And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:
And there was then in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; and he was an upright man, fearing God and waiting for the comfort of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was on him.
And there was one, Anna, a woman prophet, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Asher (she was very old, and after seven years of married life
And fear came on all, and they gave praise to God, saying, A great prophet is among us: and, God has given thought to his people.
But what did you go out to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
But I have to go on my way today and tomorrow and the third day, for it is not right for a prophet to come to his death outside Jerusalem.
But if we say, Of men; we will be stoned by the people, for they are certain that John was a prophet.
And he said to them, What things? And they said, The things to do with Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, great in his acts and his words, before God and all the people:
And when the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, Truly, this is the prophet who is to come into the world.
But what I am saying is true: my going is for your good: for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
However, when he, the Spirit of true knowledge, has come, he will be your guide into all true knowledge: for his words will not come from himself, but whatever has come to his hearing, that he will say: and he will make clear to you the things to come.
But this is the thing which was said by the prophet Joel;
For Moses said, The Lord will give you a prophet from among your people, like me; you will give ear to everything which he will say to you.
Then we will give all our time to prayer and the teaching of the word.
This is the same Moses, who said to the children of Israel, God will give you a prophet from among your brothers, like me.
Now in those days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them, named Agabus, said publicly through the Spirit that there would be serious need of food all over the earth: which came about in the time of Claudius.
Now there were at Antioch, in the church there, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon who was named Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, a relation of Herod the king, and Saul.
Now there were at Antioch, in the church there, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon who was named Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, a relation of Herod the king, and Saul.
Now there were at Antioch, in the church there, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon who was named Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, a relation of Herod the king, and Saul.
And Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, gave teaching to the brothers and made them strong in the faith.
So the churches were made strong in the faith and were increased in number every day.
And meeting the disciples we were there for seven days: and they gave Paul orders through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
And he had four daughters, virgins, who were prophets. And while we were waiting there for some days, a certain prophet, named Agabus, came down from Judaea.
And while we were waiting there for some days, a certain prophet, named Agabus, came down from Judaea.
And while we were waiting there for some days, a certain prophet, named Agabus, came down from Judaea.
And he said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.
But he who has the Spirit, though judging all things, is himself judged by no one.
For the body is not one part, but a number of parts.
And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues.
And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues.
But the word of the prophet gives men knowledge and comfort and strength. He who makes use of tongues may do good to himself; but he who gives the prophet's word does good to the church.
For this reason tongues are for a sign, not to those who have faith, but to those who have not: but the prophet's word is for those who have faith, and not for the rest who have not.
The secrets of his heart are made clear; and he will go down on his face and give worship to God, saying that God is truly among you.
And let the prophets give their words, but not more than two or three, and let the others be judges of what they say.
And let the prophets give their words, but not more than two or three, and let the others be judges of what they say. But if a revelation is given to another who is seated near, let the first be quiet. read more. For you may all be prophets in turn so that all may get knowledge and comfort;
But, quite the opposite, when they saw that I had been made responsible for preaching the good news to those without circumcision, even as Peter had been for those of the circumcision (Because he who was working in Peter as the Apostle of the circumcision was working no less in me among the Gentiles);
Resting on the base of the Apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief keystone,
Which in other generations was not given to the sons of men, but the revelation of it has now been made to his holy Apostles and prophets in the Spirit; Which is that the Gentiles have a part in the heritage, and in the same body, and in the same hope in Christ through the good news,
For this reason he says, He went up on high, taking his prisoners with him, and gave freely to men.
And he gave some as Apostles, and some, prophets; and some, preachers of the good news; and some to give care and teaching;
And he gave some as Apostles, and some, prophets; and some, preachers of the good news; and some to give care and teaching;
And though by this time it would be right for you to be teachers, you still have need of someone to give you teaching about the first simple rules of God's revelation; you have become like babies who have need of milk, and not of solid food.
Keep in mind those who were over you, and who gave you the word of God; seeing the outcome of their way of life, let your faith be like theirs.
A blessing be on the reader, and on those who give ear to the prophet's words, and keep the things which he has put in the book: for the time is near.
And I went on my face before his feet to give him worship. And he said to me, See you do it not: I am a brother-servant with you and with your brothers who keep the witness of Jesus: give worship to God: for the witness of Jesus is the spirit of the prophet's word.
See, I come quickly. A blessing on him who keeps the words of this book of the prophet.
And he said to me, See you do it not; I am a brother-servant with you and with your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book: give worship to God. And he said to me, Let not the words of this prophet's book be kept secret, because the time is near.
And if any man takes away from the words of this book, God will take away from him his part in the tree of life and the holy town, even the things which are in this book.