The Greatest Prophet

In Matthew 17, the Bible gives us the account of Jesus’ Transfiguration. He went onto a mountain with three of His apostles, and on this occasion God the Father spoke from Heaven. Verse 5 says, “While he (Peter) was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am wellpleased; listen to Him!’” How wonderful to know that God the Father has Himself proclaimed Jesus to be His Son!

The Scriptures not only identify Jesus as the Son of God, but they also identify Him as God’s Prophet. In Matthew 21, Jesus is seen teaching in the temple and speaking in parables. On this occasion, some of the chief priests and Pharisees were present. Some of Jesus’ teachings that day had been about these religious leaders.

Verses 45 and 46 close the chapter with these words: “Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.

But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.”

The people thought Jesus was a prophet, and they were right. He was a Prophet, and much more.

Jesus is also called Priest, King, Savior, Son of God, and Lord. Jesus is the greatest Prophet of all time!

The Old Testament talks about many who were great prophets of God. Men like Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and many more were all called prophets. They were true servants of God, sent to reveal the will of God to the people of their day. Their prophecies often concerned both present and future matters.

Their messages from God often included the coming of Jesus, who would be the greatest of all the prophets.

In Acts 3, the apostle Peter reminded the Jewish people about the words of prophecy that Moses had given concerning the coming of Jesus Christ. In verses 22 and 23 he said, “For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’” (Peter quoted here from Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 and 19).

After Jesus had fed the 5,000 in John 6, the people recognized Him as the Prophet that had been foretold. Verse 14 says, “Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’” Numerous times during His earthly ministry, Jesus foretold of His coming death and resurrection. His disciples did not understand these prophecies at the time, but they would learn that His prophecies would always come to pass.

In John 5: 28 and 29, Jesus foretold of the resurrection and judgment of all the dead. He said, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

Jesus also prophesied about our salvation. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

Passages of Scripture that contain the commandments of Jesus should always be taken with the utmost seriousness because Christ also taught us what would be the standard of our judgment when the Day of Judgment comes. “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).

Acts 4:12 gives us great assurance concerning our salvation: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Salvation does not come through anyone but Jesus. The Lord said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Surely by now, each of us should understand that when Jesus, God’s Prophet speaks, we need to listen and obey Him. Have you?