PROPHET, PROPHETESS and PROPHESY --- PART 4

Yeshua of Nazareth:
Yeshua was popularly regarded as a prophet -- Matthew 16:14; Matthew 21:10-11; Mark 6:14-15; Mark 8:28; Luke 7:16; Luke 7:39; Luke 9:8; Luke 9:19; John 6:14; John 7:40; John 7:52. This assessment was based as much on the mighty deeds Yeshua performed as on His Prophetic Speeches and Predictions. Though Yeshua nowhere claimed prophetic status directly, that claim is implicit in -- Mark 6:4: [A prophet is honoured everywhere except in his own hometown] -- compare to Matthew 13:57; Luke 4:24. It is implicit as well in -- Luke 13:33: [Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of YHVH to be killed except in Jerusalem!] In Acts, Yeshua is regarded as the prophet like Moses predicted in Deuteronomy -- 18:18 -- Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37. Matthew presents Yeshua as the New Moses, but he does not particularly emphasize his prophetic role. John, however, like Luke, emphasizes Yeshua’ role as the prophet -- John 4:19; John 6:14-15; John 7:40. While the Gospels and Acts reflect the notion that Yeshua was a prophet, they also emphasize the fact that He was much more than a prophet. Nevertheless, the notion of prophetism was sufficiently important in early Judaism that Yeshua’ recognition as a prophet is very significant. There are twelve solid reasons for regarding Yeshua as a prophet in the Old Testament tradition:

1 -- The Sovereign Authority of Yeshua’ teaching -- Mark 1:27, a feature underlined by His use of the introductory formula [I say it again,] is reminiscent of the formula [thus says Adonai] used by the Old Testament prophets.
2 -- The poetic character of many of Yeshua’ sayings is unlike contemporary rabbinic teaching but is similar to the poetic rhetoric of the Old Testament prophets.
3 -- Yeshua experienced visions -- Luke 10:18 like the ancient prophets.
4 -- Yeshua, like the prophets, made many predictions -- Matthew 23:38; Mark 3:2; Mark 14:58; Luke 13:35; etc.
5 -- Like the Old Testament prophets, Yeshua performed symbolic acts [such as the cleansing of the temple, the entry into Jerusalem, and the Last Supper.
6 -- Yeshua, like the prophets, rejected the formal observance of religious ritual and emphasized the moral and spiritual dimensions of obedience to YHVH.
7 -- Yeshua announced the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of YHVH -- a proclamation about the end times, similar to those made by the prophets.
8 -- Like the Old Testament prophets, Yeshua functioned as a preacher of repentance.
9 -- Yeshua, like many of the prophets, was conscious of a special calling of YHVH -- Matthew 15:24; Mark 8:31; Mark 9:37; Mark 14:36; Luke 4:18-26.
10 -- Yeshua, like the prophets, received divine revelation through intimate communion with YHVH -- Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22.
11 -- Like the prophets, Yeshua represented YHVH; to Obey Him was to Obey YHVH, to reject Him was to reject YHVH -- Mark 9:37; compare to Ezekiel 33:30-33.
12 -- Like the prophets, Yeshua was conscious of a mission to all Israel -- Matthew 15:24; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30.

Among the many prophetic predictions of Yeshua are the following:

1 -- Predictions of the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of YHVH -- Matthew 10:7-8; Matthew 10:23; Matthew 23:39; Mark 1:15; Mark 9:1; Mark 13:28-29.
2 -- Predictions of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple -- Matthew 23:37-39; Matthew 24:2; Matthew 26:61; Matthew 27:40; Mark 13:2; Mark 14:58; Mark 15:29; Luke 13:34-35; Luke 21:6; John 2:19-21.
3 -- Predictions of the coming of the Son of Man -- Matthew 10:23; Matthew 10:32-33; Matthew 12:40; Matthew 13:40-41; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:37-39; Mark 3:38; Mark 13:26-27; Mark 14:62; Luke 9:26; Luke 11:30; Luke 12:8-9; Luke 17:24, 26.
4 -- Predictions of the end of the age. The longest prophetic section in the Gospels is the end-times discourse of Yeshua in -- Mark 13:1-32 -- compare to Matthew 24:1-36; Luke 21:5-33, in which a number of predictions concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age are woven into a lengthy discourse to the disciples.

Prophesy as a Gift for the Believers:
The beginning of prophetic activity in early Christianity, according to Acts, coincided with the outpouring of Ruach HaKodesh upon the earliest believers on the Day of Pentecost -- Acts 2:1-21. Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost indicates that the outpouring of the Spirit fulfilled Joel’s prophecy -- Acts 2:4; compare to Joel 2:28-32. Further, since the Spirit had been poured out upon all early believers, all were potential prophets. According to -- 1 Corinthians 12:28 -- see also Romans 12:6; Ephesians 4:11, YHVH has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, and third teachers. The names of several early believer prophets have been preserved. These include Agabus -- Acts 11:27-28; Acts 21:10-11; Judas and Silas --Acts 15:32; Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, Paul -- Acts 13:1; and the four virgin daughters of Philip the evangelist -- Acts 21:8-9. John, the author of Revelation, was certainly a prophet -- Revelation 1:3; Revelation 22:9, 18, though he never directly assumed that title.