On Christ's Threefold Office
Having looked at the knowledge of God as Creator in Book 1, Calvin comes in Book 2 to the knowledge of God as Redeemer in Christ. Beginning with man's Fall and his consequent depravity, he begins to speak about how God works in men’s hearts. He refutes the idea of free will and begins to explain the need of a Mediator, demonstrating how this has been brought about, first under the old covenant then under the new. In Chapter 8 he takes up nearly 60 pages famously explaining the proper threefold use of the Law and expounding the Ten Commandments. He comes after that to the Gospel and Christ's coming, bringing in the new covenant. He discusses both the similarity of the Old and New Testaments and their big differences.
Then in the closing chapters of Book 2 he comes to Christ the Mediator. First he looks at Christ's person. He discusses the sort of Mediator we need and describes the incarnation. He explains how Christ can be one Person yet have two natures, one human, one divine. Finally, he talks in Chapter 15 about Christ's office, in Chapter 16 about his states (as set out in the Apostles' Creed) and in Chapter 17 about his substitutionary atonement. It is Chapter 15 that I want to focus on today, the chapter where Calvin says that “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.” Derek Thomas calls it a “segue” between 16 and 17 and quotes Robert Peterson saying it “was Calvin's way of telling his readers not to separate the person and work of Christ.”
Derek Thomas also calls the employment of the threefold office of Christ as Prophet, Priest and King “perhaps one of the most distinctive features of Calvin's theology”. Warfield spoke of Calvin marking “an epoch in the mode of presenting the work of Christ. The presentation of Christ's work under the rubrics of the three-fold office of Prophet, Priest and King was introduced by him.” Not that it came to him easily. In the 1536 and 1539 editions he still speaks only of a twofold office, of priest and king. It is not until 1543 that we read about the threefold office. He looks at the three offices, one by one – Prophet, Priest and King.
Prophet
Citing Hebrews 1;1, 2 he states that with Christ's coming “the fullness and culmination of all revelations was at hand.” (15.1) Even the Samaritans expected Messiah to teach them all things. Isaiah 61:1, 2 refers to Messiah being anointed by the Spirit “to be herald and witness of the Father’s grace”. His coming with perfection means the end to all other prophecy. By the Spirit he continues from heaven the work begun on earth. The anointing has been “diffused from the Head to the members”. That is why “it is not lawful to go beyond the simplicity of the gospel.” “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.” (15.2)
King
He comes secondly to Christ's kingship. This is a spiritual kingship. He is King over the church and over each individual believer. “The perpetuity of the church is secure in” Christ's protection. The Psalms reveal that “no matter how many strong enemies plot to overthrow the church, they do not have sufficient strength to prevail over God’s immutable decree by which he appointed, his Son eternal King.” The application to individuals is that “when any one of us hears that Christ’s kingship is spiritual, aroused by this word let him attain to the hope of a better life; and since it is now protected by Christ’s hand, let him await the full fruit of this grace in the age to come.” (15.3).
He goes on to emphasise that “the happiness promised us in Christ does not consist in outward advantages - such as leading a joyous and peaceful life, having rich possessions, being safe from all harm, and abounding with delights such as the flesh commonly longs after. No, our happiness belongs to the heavenly life!” (15.4) Christ supplies all that we need to bring us to heaven so all we need do is look to him. This is a passage today's prosperity gospel peddlers would do well to read!
“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.” (15.4)
The final section further stresses the spiritual nature of Christ's Kingship. He stresses too that it was all done for us, hence “All the more reason, then, is there that we should one and all resolve to obey, and to direct our obedience with the greatest eagerness to the divine will!” (15.5).
Priest
Calvin also speaks briefly “concerning the purpose and use of Christ’s priestly office”. “As a pure and stainless Mediator” says Calvin “he is by his holiness to reconcile us to God.” (15.6) However, we are unacceptable to God by nature and so Christ has to act as Priest for us and by a sacrifice appease God's wrath. This sis set out in the Old Testament Scriptures and discussed at length by the writer to the Hebrews. Calvin sums up the argument of Hebrews 7-10 in these terms: “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. 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'. 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.” (15.6).
Calvin also speaks of Christ's everlasting intercession, his pleading in heaven for our favour. It is this that enables us to pray confidently and know peace of conscience. In Christ, not only is the Father reconciled but we too are made acceptable priests to God. We are “imbued with his holiness in so far as he has consecrated us to the Father with himself, although we would otherwise be loathsome to him”. (15.6).
Derek Thomas suggests three things worth noting in this brief treatment.
1. The use of Old Testament types and shadows as seen “through the lens of the book of Hebrews”.
2. The need for the Mediator to be both human and divine. “Although God under the law commanded animal sacrifices to be offered to himself, in Christ there was a new and different order, in which the same one was to be both priest and sacrifice. This was because no other satisfaction adequate for our sins, and no man worthy to offer to God the only-begotten Son, could be found.” (15.6). Elsewhere Calvin stresses the need for the Mediator to be divine.
3. His atoning work complete Christ continues to be an eternal intercessor. “Having entered a sanctuary not made with hands, he appears before the Father’s face as our constant advocate and intercessor” (16.6).
Having looked at the knowledge of God as Creator in Book 1, Calvin comes in Book 2 to the knowledge of God as Redeemer in Christ. Beginning with man's Fall and his consequent depravity, he begins to speak about how God works in men’s hearts. He refutes the idea of free will and begins to explain the need of a Mediator, demonstrating how this has been brought about, first under the old covenant then under the new. In Chapter 8 he takes up nearly 60 pages famously explaining the proper threefold use of the Law and expounding the Ten Commandments. He comes after that to the Gospel and Christ's coming, bringing in the new covenant. He discusses both the similarity of the Old and New Testaments and their big differences.
Then in the closing chapters of Book 2 he comes to Christ the Mediator. First he looks at Christ's person. He discusses the sort of Mediator we need and describes the incarnation. He explains how Christ can be one Person yet have two natures, one human, one divine. Finally, he talks in Chapter 15 about Christ's office, in Chapter 16 about his states (as set out in the Apostles' Creed) and in Chapter 17 about his substitutionary atonement. It is Chapter 15 that I want to focus on today, the chapter where Calvin says that “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.” Derek Thomas calls it a “segue” between 16 and 17 and quotes Robert Peterson saying it “was Calvin's way of telling his readers not to separate the person and work of Christ.”
Derek Thomas also calls the employment of the threefold office of Christ as Prophet, Priest and King “perhaps one of the most distinctive features of Calvin's theology”. Warfield spoke of Calvin marking “an epoch in the mode of presenting the work of Christ. The presentation of Christ's work under the rubrics of the three-fold office of Prophet, Priest and King was introduced by him.” Not that it came to him easily. In the 1536 and 1539 editions he still speaks only of a twofold office, of priest and king. It is not until 1543 that we read about the threefold office. He looks at the three offices, one by one – Prophet, Priest and King.
Prophet
Citing Hebrews 1;1, 2 he states that with Christ's coming “the fullness and culmination of all revelations was at hand.” (15.1) Even the Samaritans expected Messiah to teach them all things. Isaiah 61:1, 2 refers to Messiah being anointed by the Spirit “to be herald and witness of the Father’s grace”. His coming with perfection means the end to all other prophecy. By the Spirit he continues from heaven the work begun on earth. The anointing has been “diffused from the Head to the members”. That is why “it is not lawful to go beyond the simplicity of the gospel.” “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.” (15.2)
King
He comes secondly to Christ's kingship. This is a spiritual kingship. He is King over the church and over each individual believer. “The perpetuity of the church is secure in” Christ's protection. The Psalms reveal that “no matter how many strong enemies plot to overthrow the church, they do not have sufficient strength to prevail over God’s immutable decree by which he appointed, his Son eternal King.” The application to individuals is that “when any one of us hears that Christ’s kingship is spiritual, aroused by this word let him attain to the hope of a better life; and since it is now protected by Christ’s hand, let him await the full fruit of this grace in the age to come.” (15.3).
He goes on to emphasise that “the happiness promised us in Christ does not consist in outward advantages - such as leading a joyous and peaceful life, having rich possessions, being safe from all harm, and abounding with delights such as the flesh commonly longs after. No, our happiness belongs to the heavenly life!” (15.4) Christ supplies all that we need to bring us to heaven so all we need do is look to him. This is a passage today's prosperity gospel peddlers would do well to read!
“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.” (15.4)
The final section further stresses the spiritual nature of Christ's Kingship. He stresses too that it was all done for us, hence “All the more reason, then, is there that we should one and all resolve to obey, and to direct our obedience with the greatest eagerness to the divine will!” (15.5).
Priest
Calvin also speaks briefly “concerning the purpose and use of Christ’s priestly office”. “As a pure and stainless Mediator” says Calvin “he is by his holiness to reconcile us to God.” (15.6) However, we are unacceptable to God by nature and so Christ has to act as Priest for us and by a sacrifice appease God's wrath. This sis set out in the Old Testament Scriptures and discussed at length by the writer to the Hebrews. Calvin sums up the argument of Hebrews 7-10 in these terms: “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. 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'. 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.” (15.6).
Calvin also speaks of Christ's everlasting intercession, his pleading in heaven for our favour. It is this that enables us to pray confidently and know peace of conscience. In Christ, not only is the Father reconciled but we too are made acceptable priests to God. We are “imbued with his holiness in so far as he has consecrated us to the Father with himself, although we would otherwise be loathsome to him”. (15.6).
Derek Thomas suggests three things worth noting in this brief treatment.
1. The use of Old Testament types and shadows as seen “through the lens of the book of Hebrews”.
2. The need for the Mediator to be both human and divine. “Although God under the law commanded animal sacrifices to be offered to himself, in Christ there was a new and different order, in which the same one was to be both priest and sacrifice. This was because no other satisfaction adequate for our sins, and no man worthy to offer to God the only-begotten Son, could be found.” (15.6). Elsewhere Calvin stresses the need for the Mediator to be divine.
3. His atoning work complete Christ continues to be an eternal intercessor. “Having entered a sanctuary not made with hands, he appears before the Father’s face as our constant advocate and intercessor” (16.6).
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