Articles and book excerpts used in and referred to on Issues, Etc.

The Office of Christ

125. For what threefold office was Christ anointed?

Christ was anointed to be our Prophet, Priest, and King.

A. As Prophet, Christ

1. preached personally during His life on earth, validating His word with miracles, especially His own resurrection;
431 Deut. 18:15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to Him.
432 Matt. 17:5 "This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
433 Mark 1:38 Let us go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.
434 John 1:17-18 The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made Him known.
435 John 6:68 Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

2. through the preached Gospel today still proclaims Himself to be the Son of God and Redeemer of the world.
436 Mark 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."
437 Luke 10:16 He who listens to you listens to Me; he who rejects, you rejects Me; but he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.
438 2 Cor. 5:20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

B. As Priest, Christ

1. fulfilled the Law perfectly in our stead (active obedience);
439 Gal. 4:4-5 When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of Sons.

2. sacrificed Himself for our sins (passive obedience);
440 1 Cor. 15:3 Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
441 Heb. 7:26-27 Such a high priest meets our need - one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day. first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself.
442 1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

3. still pleads for us with His heavenly Father (intercession).
443 1 John 2:1 We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

C. As King, Christ

1. rules with His almighty power over all creation (the kingdom of power-all creatures);
444 Matt. 28:18 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

2. governs and protects especially His church (the kingdom of grace - the church on earth);
445 John 18:36-37 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews, But now My kingdom is from another place." 'You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me."

3. finally leads His church to glory in heaven (the kingdom of glory - the church in heaven).
446 2 Tim. 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Taken from Luther's Small Catechism. You can order Luther's Small Catechism for a total of $7 by calling the Issues, Etc. resource line at 1-800-737-0172.