Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/92

Contributor - Wim Meijer

Title - I Believe In Communion With The Church of All Ages and Places: Christ, the Anointed One

Topic - Jesus Christ

'Christ' is the Greek word for the Hebrew word 'Messiah'. Both words mean 'the anointed One'. In the Old Testament some people were inducted into a special office by being anointed with oil. This was the case with prophets, priests, and kings. To be anointed means two things: 1) You are especially appointed by God for this function. In the case of Jesus Christ this is expressed in I Cor.1:30 - "Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 2) In the Bible oil is the symbol for the Holy Spirit. To be anointed means that you are equipped for your office by the Holy Spirit himself. So we read in Isaiah 61:1 about the Servant of the Lord: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek......

The Heidelberg Catechism asks in question 31: "Why is He called 'Christ'?" The answer is: "Because He has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and teacher.. our only high priest... and our eternal king." In Christ these three offices are combined in one person.

Christ as prophet

A prophet is not simply someone who tells us something about the future. A prophet is someone to whom God reveals His word, and who passes this on to the people. A prophet is a teacher because he instructs the people about the Will of God. Why is Jesus Christ our 'chief prophet and teacher? "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1: 18). No one can teach us better about the Will of God than Jesus Christ. He is one with the Father. He knows Him perfectly. And He "perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and Will of God for our deliverance" (Heidelberg Catechism). What can we do better than to hear and obey the words of this great Prophet?

Christ as priest

Especially the letter to the Hebrews describes Christ as (high) priest. The work of a priest can be summarized in two main tasks: he offers sacrifices and he prays for the people. Christ as our great high Priest has made a sacrifice for our sins, and He is still praying for us --"... seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Hebr. 7:25). There is reason to call Christ the greatest high priest of all. The Jewish high priest would go into the most holy place with the blood of a goat or a calf But Christ entered into the most holy place in heaven with "his own blood" (Hebr.9:12). Jesus Christ is the high Priest and the Lamb at the same time. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him."

Christ as king

It was written on the cross: "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews". He did not much look like a king then. Yet, that is exactly the place where He broke Satan's power. God's Son died for sinners, and so this great King from the house of David won the victory over the power of darkness. Before Jesus ascended into heaven He said: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth" (Matth. 28:18). The catechism therefore rightly says: "He governs us by His Word and Spirit, He guards us and keeps us in the freedom He has won for us."

The Christian as prophet, priest and king

"Why are you called a Christian? asks the catechism (Q.32). The answer is: "Because by faith I am a member of Christ." (Let us make sure that we can give the same answer when we would be asked this question!) And to be a member of Christ means that you share in His blessings, but also in His anointing. You are called by God to a special task. And you are anointed with the Holy Spirit so that you will be equipped for this task. Like Christ was a prophet, a priest, and a king, so is the Christian

- a prophet who confesses the name of the Lord and who makes God's Word the rule for his life.

- a priest "who presents himself as a living sacrifice of thanks" (Catechism), by praising God continually (Hebr. 12:15) and by doing good works which glorify the Father (Matth. 5:16).

- a king who here in this life fights against sin and the devil, and who in the life to come will reign with Christ for evermore.

Let us be Christians according to this high calling.

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