The Old Testament predicted that one would come who would be the epitome of what then existed in a partial or incomplete way.  Specifically, the Old Testament had many prophets, but there was to be a final one (Dt.18:18); it knew many priests, but there would be a final one (Ps. 110:4; Zech. 6:13); there were many kings, but there would be a final, messianic figure who would hold that office (Ps. 2:6; Is. 9:7).  At least Ps. 110:4 and Zech. 6:13 show that the same person would hold more than one of these offices.

In the New Testament we find that Christ was the fulfillment of all those predictions.  (See Mt. 21:11 and Jn. 4:19 for prophet; Hebrews 2:7; 3:1; and 5:6 for priest; and Mt. 21:5; Jn. 1:49; 1 Tim. 6:15; and Rev. 19:16 for king.)  During his earthly life, Jesus taught the Word of God and predicted the future just as the OT prophets had done.  In offering himself for sin, he fulfilled the OT priesthood in a very striking way, by being both the priest and the lamb.  He offered himself to the Jews as their Messianic king, but was rejected, until a future time.

That rather brief survey suggests that two of the offices are past and the other is yet future.  In one sense that is true, but in another it is not.  At the center of every colonial New England town stood three white, clapboard buildings-a school, a church, and a town hall.  The Puritans who established and built those towns believed strongly in a communal life revolving around education, faith, and government.  Education had something to do with that ultimate prophet, who was made for us Wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30).  Religious life for them was bound up with a continuing mediatorial work of the great high priest, our righteousness and sanctification, and the proper ordering of society was involved with a king whose law held sway.  In none of these areas was there any uncertainty; the tyranny of the majority was unthinkable.  These offices that Christ held were not merely theological truths or intellectual abstractions; they cut down into the practical aspects of life giving final, absolute answers.

Baptists generally do not have a great deal of use for these offices of Christ, sometimes not even theologically, certainly not sociologically.  But while we may disagree with the way they were applied by the Puritans, their impulse would seem to be sound.  Christ really does fulfill these offices and exercises them on a present, continuing basis.

Phil Meade, Kevin Farmer, Dana Arledge