Compiled by Dr. Marcus J. Serven
Introduction:
“It has become customary to speak of three offices in connection with the work of Christ, namely the prophetic, the priestly, and the kingly office. While some of the early Church Fathers already speak of the different offices of Christ, Calvin’s the first to recognize the importance of distinguishing the three offices of the Mediator and to call attention to it in a separate chapter of his Institutes…Some placed the prophetical, others the priestly, and still others the kingly, in the foreground. There were those who applied the idea of a chronological succession to them, and thought to Christ functioning as prophet during his public ministry on earth, as priest in his final sufferings and death on the cross, and as king now that He is seated at the right hand of God. Others, however, correctly stressed the fact that He must be conceived as functioning in His threefold capacity both in His state of humiliation and in His state of exaltation.” (Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 356)
Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559):
“Therefore, in order that faith may find a firm basis for salvation in Christ, and thus rest in him, this principle must be laid down: the office enjoined upon Christ by the Father consists of three parts. For he was given to be prophet, king, and priest.” (Institutes 2:15:1)
Regarding Jesus’ Office as a Prophet:
“We see that he was anointed by the Spirit to be herald and witness of the Father’s grace. And that not in the common way—for he is distinguished from other teachers with a similar office. On the other hand, we must note this: he received anointing, not only for himself that he might carry out the office of teaching, but for his whole body that the power of the Spirit might be present in the continuing teaching of the gospel. This, however, remains certain: the perfect doctrine he has brought has made an end to all prophecies. All those, then, who, not content with the gospel, patch it with something extraneous to it, detract from Christ’s authority…But when Paul says that He was given to us as our wisdom [1 Cor. 1:30], and in another place, ‘In him are hid all the treasures of knowledge and understanding’ [Col. 2:3], he has a slightly different meaning. That is, outside Christ there is nothing worth knowing, and all who by faith perceive what he is like have grasped the whole immensity of heavenly benefits. For this reason, Paul writes in another passage: ‘I decided to know nothing precious…except Jesus Christ and him crucified’ [1 Cor. 2:2]. This is very true, because it is not lawful to go beyond the simplicity of the gospel. And the prophetic dignity in Christ leads us to know that in the sum of doctrine as he has given it to us all parts of perfect wisdom are contained.” (Institutes 2:15:2)
Regarding Jesus’ Office as a Priest:
“To sum up his argument: The priestly office belongs to Christ alone because by the sacrifice of his death he blotted out our own guilt and made satisfaction for our sins [Heb. 9:22]. God’s solemn oath, of which he ‘will not repent,’ warns us what a weighty matter this is: ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek’ [Ps. 110:4; cf. Heb. 5:6; 7:15]. God undoubtedly willed in these words to ordain the principal point on which, he knew, our whole salvation turns. For, as has been said, we or our prayers have no access to God unless Christ, as our High Priest, having washed away our sins, sanctifies us and obtains for us that grace from which the uncleanness of our transgressions and vices debars us. Thus we see that we must begin from the death of Christ in order that the efficacy and benefit of his priesthood may reach us.” (Institutes 2:15:6)
Regarding Jesus’ Office as a King:
“Thus it is that we may patiently pass through this life with its misery, hunger, cold, contempt, reproaches, and other troubles—content with this one thing: that our King will never leave us destitute, but will provide for our needs until, our warfare ended, we are called to triumph. Such is the nature of his rule, that he shares with us all that he has received from the Father. Now he arms and equips us with his power, adorns us with his beauty and magnificence, enriches us with his wealth. These benefits, then, give us the most fruitful occasion to glory, and also provide us with confidence to struggle fearlessly against the devil, sin, and death. Finally, clothed with his righteousness, we can valiantly rise above all the world’s reproaches; and just as he himself freely lavishes his gifts upon us, so may we, in return, bring forth fruit to his glory.” (Institutes 2:15:4)
Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647):
Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?
A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet (#1), of a priest (#2), and of a king (#3), both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.
- (#1) Deut. 18:18; Acts 2:33; Acts 3:22-23; Heb. 1:1-2
- (#2) Heb. 4:14-15; Heb. 5:5-6
- (#3) Isa. 9:6-7; Luke 1:32-33; John 18:37; 1 Cor. 15:25
Q. 24. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word (#1) and Spirit (#2), the will of God for our salvation (#3).
- (#1) Luke 4:18-19, 21; Acts 1:1-2; Heb. 2:3
- (#2) John 15:26-27; Acts 1:8; 1 Pet. 1:11
- (#3) John 4:41-42; John 20:30-31
Q. 25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice (#1), and reconcile us to God (#2), and in making continual intercession for us (#3).
- (#1) Isa. 53; Acts 8:32-35; Heb. 9:26-28; Heb. 10:12
- (#2) Rom. 5:10-11; 2 Cor. 5:18; Col. 1:21-22
- (#3) Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; Heb. 9:24
Q. 26. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us (#1), and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies (#2).
- (#1) Ps. 110:3; Matt. 28:18-20; John 17:2; Col. 1:13
- (#2) Ps. 2:6-9; Ps. 110:1-2; Matt. 12:28; 1 Cor. 15:24-26; Col. 2:15
The Importance of this Doctrine:
“The distinction of the three offices of Christ is a valuable one and ought to be retained…The fact that Christ was anointed to a threefold office finds its explanation in the fact that man was originally intended for this threefold office and work. As created by God, he was prophet, priest, and king, and as such was endowed with knowledge and understanding, with righteousness and holiness, and with dominion over the lower creation. Sin affected the entire life of man and manifested itself not only as ignorance, blindness, error, and untruthfulness; but also as unrighteousness, guilt, and moral pollution; and in addition to that as misery, death, and destruction. Hence it was necessary that Christ, as our Mediator, should be prophet, priest, and king. As Prophet He represents God with man; as Priest He represents man in the presence of God, and as King He exercises dominion and restores the original dominion of man.” (Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 357)
For Further Study:
Berkhof, Louis. Manual of Christian Doctrine. Second Edition. Derek Carlsen, ed. Arlington Heights, IL: Christian Liberty Press, 2003. See: pages 80-85.
Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. 4th Edition, Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1941. See: pages 356-366.
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. John T. McNeill, ed. Ford Lewis Battles, trans. 2 vols. Library of Christian Classics, no. 20-21. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960. See: Institutes 2:15:1-ff
Reymond, Robert L. “Offices of Christ” in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Second Edition. Walter A. Elwell, ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2001.
The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms. Willow Grove, PA: The Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 2005.
Dr. Marcus J. Serven, ThM and DMin
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