Discover the Word: Prophecy, Prophets, and Jesus

Last spring I was invited to join the Discover the Word team at Our Daily Bread Ministries in Grand Rapids to lead a discussion of “Prophecy, Prophets, and Jesus.” Actually, I originally called it “Jesus the Prophet in Matthew,” but their title is better than mine. Six months later the discussions have gone live.

If you think this topic seems as interesting as watching paint dry, think again. The Discover the Word team has an uncanny way of thinking together to get to the heart of the matter quickly, something an old prof like me is not very good at. It was great to see the team in action and join their collective train of thought.

Along with priest and king, prophet is one of the three main Old Testament offices that are fulfilled in Jesus. It’s probably the least understood of these three offices. In our study we probe how the office of prophet began with Moses. We explore how prophets functioned in the Bible, and how John the Baptist prepared Israel to receive her ultimate prophet Jesus. We base most of our conversation about Jesus’ prophetic ministry in the Gospel of Matthew, but our discussion ranges all the way from Genesis to Revelation.

Starting today, you can listen to the listen to the podcasts at the Discover the Word site or click on a link to other popular podcast platforms. Maybe you’d prefer to listen to 15-minute segments over the next two weeks on a Christian radio station. Find one that carries Discover the Word here.

A Bit of Background: Is Matthew Anti-Semitic?

I was really excited to participate with the Discover the Word team in probing the topic of Jesus the Prophet in Matthew. My previous studies of that topic had led to a PhD dissertation at Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati OH. Later I published the book Israel’s Last Prophet based on the dissertation, and now I was getting an opportunity to present what I had learned to folks who love the Lord and his Word and whose hearts beat for the church. Wow!

Unfortunately, all too many Christians through history have viewed Jesus’ denunciation of the Jewish leaders in Matthew 23 as a blanket Christian condemnation of the Jewish people, Judaism in general, and even the Old Testament itself. The Jewish people have suffered deeply due to this distorted view, which can only be labelled as Antisemitic. This travesty of biblical teaching began during controversies between the early church and the Jews that occurred hundreds of years after the life of Jesus.

Understanding Jesus as as God’s ultimate prophet to Israel is the ultimate answer to Christian Antisemitism. Jesus denounced corrupt Jewish leaders as a Jewish prophet, much like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the other prophets. Some of those leaders turned to Christ (Luke 23:50-56; John 7:45-52; 19:38-42; Acts 6:7). All of Jesus’ apostles were Jewish, so his was no blanket condemnation of the nation as a whole, then or now. Using Jesus’ teaching to condemn the Jewish people today is monstrous, a terrible travesty of biblical interpretation. Understanding the Jewish roots of the church is vital to understanding how the Old and New Testaments fit together, not to mention how Christians should relate to Jews today.

Jesus the Prophet in Matthew

You can read and download the 9-page discussion guide for our series here. It contains the the main discussion question, core biblical passages, key ideas, and take-aways for each session. Here are the main topics:

• 1. Prophets in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 18). Understanding biblical prophecy is not about deciphering hidden dates and timetables—it’s about getting our lives in line with God’s plan.
• 2. Fulfillment of Prophecy in Matthew (Matthew 2). Don’t waste your time scouring the latest news for fulfilled prophecies. Instead, trust God to do what he says he will do, and follow Jesus until he comes.
• 3. The History of Israel Culminates in Jesus (Matthew 1). The promise of God in Genesis 12 to bless all nations through Abraham’s descendants comes true through Jesus.
• 4. Jesus and his Forerunner John the Baptist (Matthew 3). Prophet John put the spotlight on the ultimate prophet Jesus, not himself. Are we like John?
• 5. Jesus and the Spirit (Matthew 3, 12). All of God’s prophets, leading up to the ultimate prophet Jesus, were empowered by the Holy Spirit. Are we dependent on the Holy Spirit?
• 6. Jesus and Moses: Law and Grace (Matthew 5, 7). The grace we find today through Prophet Jesus fulfills the grace Israel found through Prophet Moses. This opens up the Old Testament for Christians.
• 7. Jesus the Prophet, Israel’s Leaders, and Us (Matthew 23). Virtue-signalling isn’t just an annoying habit, it’s a mark of hypocritical religion that leads people to hell.
• 8. Jesus, Israel’s last prophet Matthew 23). Jesus’ denunciation of the sins of Israel’s leaders came from his broken heart. Do we care enough for people to call out their sin to them?
• 9. Jesus and the Future (Matthew 24-25). Many are disillusioned when preachers foolishly try to set the date of Jesus’ return, but does our alertness, faithfulness, and compassion show we are prepared to meet Jesus when he does return?
• 10. The Church as a Prophetic Community Today (Matthew 5:11-12; 12:46-50; 23:34-38). Are we willing to stand together as family with Prophet Jesus and complete his mission to the world, whatever the cost?

What Do You Think?

I trust this round-table discussion of Jesus as God’s ultimate prophet will help you grow in your faith and understanding of biblical prophecy, the Gospels, and of Jesus himself. Please comment below after listening to a podcast.

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Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12, ESV)