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Complete the law and prophets

I must recognize that Jesus is the Messiah and the prophet of God. Jesus speaks to me with authority. The words of Jesus are true because Jesus is the truth. I must listen to him.

In Deuteronomy 18 we read this important word:

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.”

Here are the key ideas:

  1. The Messiah was anticipated by the Jewish people as the Prophet of God. Jesus is that Prophet. Jesus the Messiah was acclaimed as a prophet by those who witnessed his miracles and heard his teaching. They recognized him as a bearer of the word of God, who spoke with authority concerning the nature and purposes of God.
  2. Prophets are spokesmen for God. When the people of Israel asked the prophet Samuel for a king, God told Samuel, “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king”.
    1. Samuel was responsible to relay the Word of God to the people of Israel, and God states that He was the source of Samuel’s authority and words.
    2. Thus, Samuel the prophet was God’s representative.
  3. Many other passages in the Old Testament have statements such as “the word of the Master came to. . .” indicating that the source of the message was God and not the prophet.
    1. Similarly, Jesus taught a heavenly message: “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me” (John 7:16).
    2. He also stated that He spoke “just what the Father has taught me” (John 8:28).
    3. In Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, He says, “I gave them the words you gave me” (John 17:8).
  4. Jesus clearly fulfilled the role of a prophet, as He was a spokesman for God. In speaking for God, Jesus does it with authority, not like any prophet before Him.

And now the scriptures:

  • Revelation 19:10 (NASB) —Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
  • Mark 1:22 — 22 They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
  • Mark 3:28 — 28 “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;
  • John 7:16 — 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”
  • John 14:10 — 10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.”