We Believe In Jesus: The ProphetSample

Jesus Called by God: Luke 2:30-35

Jesus was specifically called by God to be his prophet. We can see this quite clearly in the events surrounding his birth, baptism, and transfiguration. 

To begin with, consider the prophet Simeon’s words at Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:30-35:

My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel… This child is destined … to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed (Luke 2:30-35).

Simeon revealed that from the time of Jesus’ birth, our Lord was called to be a prophetic revelation and sign to his people.

Beyond this, at Jesus baptism God the Father and the Holy Spirit both showed that Jesus had been called as a prophet. In Matthew 3–4, Mark 1, and Luke 3–4, God the Father spoke audibly and the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove to show that Jesus was the Son of God who had been appointed to a special ministry. In all these chapters, Jesus’ baptism sets him apart for his public ministry of proclaiming the prophetic message of repentance and the coming of the kingdom of God. 

But perhaps the action that most clearly identified Jesus as a prophet was his transfiguration, which is described this way in Matthew 17:2-3: 

[Jesus’] face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light… Moses and Elijah [were] talking with Jesus (Matthew 17:2-3).

Jesus appeared with the greatest prophets of the Old Testament: Moses, the law-giver and standard for those who would speak God’s word to his people; and Elijah, the miracle-worker whose preaching called the faithless house of David to repentance. Just by his presence with these two men, Jesus was shown to be a great prophet. 

But notice what happened next in Matthew 17:4-5:

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:4-5).

God commanded Peter and the other disciples to listen not to all three prophets, but simply to Jesus. They were to heed him above Moses and Elijah. In this way, God himself demonstrated that Jesus was the foremost prophet of all time.