Sarah Mitchell
There is debate among Christians and non-Christians alike about whether Jesus Christ was a prophet or God incarnate. While some believe Jesus was a holy man and a prophet, Christians assert that he was God incarnate. Jesus himself alluded to being a prophet, and he is referred to as such many times in the Gospels. Jesus also fulfilled the requirements for a prophet in title, word, and deed, and he performed miracles and made predictions about the future.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Jesus' opinion of himself | Holy man, prophet, God incarnate |
| Other prophets' opinion of Jesus | Prophet, priest, and king |
| People's opinion of Jesus | Prophet, spoke for God in a unique way |
| Jesus' actions | Performed miracles and healings, predicted the future |
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What You'll Learn
Jesus acknowledged he was a prophet
The Bible describes prophets as spokespeople for God. In the Old Testament, Moses predicted that a prophet like himself would one day come, and many believed that Jesus was that prophet.
Jesus acknowledged that he was a prophet in his hometown of Nazareth, despite his own people rejecting him. In Matthew 13:57, Jesus said:
> "Prophets are not without honour except in their own country and in their own house."
Jesus also alluded to himself as a prophet in Mark 6:4. The title "prophet" is used many times in the Gospels when other people refer to Jesus. For example, in John 4:19, a woman replied to Jesus, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet." Jesus told her things about herself that only a prophet of God would know.
Jesus also fulfilled the role of a prophet by predicting future events. For example, he foretold his own death and resurrection:
> "He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and [...] on the third day be raised to life."
Jesus also predicted that, shortly after his ascension, the disciples would receive power at the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). This prophecy was recorded as fulfilled in Acts 2, when the apostles received the Holy Spirit and spoke in different languages.
Jesus also performed miracles, another function of some prophets. All four Gospel accounts record Jesus performing miracles and healings.
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The people considered Jesus a prophet
The people of Jesus' day considered him a prophet. This is despite the fact that his own people rejected him. When Jesus asked his disciples whom the people thought he was, they replied: "Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets".
The crowds in Jerusalem also testified that Jesus was a prophet. They recognised that he was sent from God to speak to them. The Bible says, "The crowds were saying, 'This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee'" (Matthew 21:11 NRSV).
Jesus acknowledged that he was a prophet in his hometown. A blind man whom Jesus healed also concluded that he was a prophet. When the religious leaders questioned him about his miraculous healing, the blind man said, "He is a prophet" (John 9:17 NRSV).
Jesus performed many miracles and healings, as recorded in all four Gospel accounts. He also predicted the future, such as when he told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life (Matthew 16:21). This prophecy is recorded as fulfilled in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 27–28; Mark 15–16; Luke 22–24; and John 18–20).
Jesus fulfilled all the requirements for a prophet in title, word, and deed. He is the ultimate prophet in that he is the very Word of God Himself (John 1:1).
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Jesus fulfilled the role of a prophet
Jesus Christ is recognized as a prophet in Christianity. He is referred to as a prophet many times in the Gospels by others (for example, in Matthew 21:11; Luke 7:16; John 4:19) and he also alluded to himself as a prophet in Mark 6:4.
Jesus fulfills the role of a prophet in several ways. Firstly, he publicly spoke the word of God to the people, acting as God's representative on Earth. He was the ultimate teacher, with the words of eternal life. This is demonstrated in the Bible, where it is written that the crowds were amazed at his teaching, as he taught them with authority.
Secondly, Jesus foretold the future, which is a key function of a prophet. For example, he predicted his own death and resurrection, as recorded in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). He also predicted that the disciples would receive power at the coming of the Holy Spirit after his ascension, which is recorded in Acts 2.
Thirdly, Jesus performed miracles, another role of prophets. His miracles were unique, and unlike any other prophet, he performed deeds that nobody else has ever done before or since.
Finally, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples, who continues his prophetic ministry. The Holy Spirit proclaims the word of Christ and testifies to Jesus' words and deeds.
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Jesus as God incarnate
Christians believe that Jesus was God incarnate, or God in the flesh. This means that while remaining fully God, Jesus also became fully man. This doctrine of the Incarnation is drawn from the Gospel of John 1:14, which states, "and the Word was made flesh." The incarnation is commemorated annually at Christmas and is also referenced during the Feast of the Annunciation.
The belief that Jesus is God incarnate is supported by several Bible passages. For instance, the writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is superior to angels (Hebrews 1:4-5) and that angels are to worship Him (Hebrews 1:6). Additionally, Jesus fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 7:14; Psalm 2:7), performed miracles (Matthew 9:24-25), and had the authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church discusses the Incarnation in paragraphs 461-463 and cites several Bible passages to assert its centrality, including Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 10:5-7, 1 John 4:2, and 1 Timothy 3:16. The Nicene Creed, a statement of belief originating in the First Council of Nicaea in 325, also professes the Incarnation. The council declared that Jesus is both fully God and fully man, having taken his flesh and human nature from the Virgin Mary.
The Oriental Orthodox Churches affirm that the two natures of Jesus, human and divine, are fully united into one composite nature that is both fully divine and fully human. According to the Catholic Church, the declarations of ecumenical councils like these are infallible, making the incarnation a dogma in the Catholic Church.
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Jesus' miracles
While some people believe Jesus was a prophet, others believe he was the Son of God. Christians believe that Jesus was God incarnate, and therefore more than a prophet. However, the title "prophet" is used many times in the Gospels when other people refer to Jesus (for example, in Matthew 21:11 and John 1:1). Jesus also alluded to himself as a prophet in Mark 6:4.
Jesus performed many miracles, including healing people who were ill, infirm, or disabled, and controlling nature. The Gospels give varying amounts of detail for each miracle; sometimes Jesus cures simply by saying a few words, and at other times he uses materials such as spit and mud.
Jesus healed the blind man of Bethsaida, the centurion's servant, the paralytic at Bethesda, a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, and Simon Peter's mother-in-law. He also cured a woman who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years, and a man with dropsy.
Jesus also performed miracles that "controlled nature", such as walking on water and calming a storm. He raised Jairus's daughter from the dead, and drove out seven demons from Mary Magdalene.
Some people consider the Transfiguration, Resurrection, and Ascension to be miracles of Jesus, as well as events such as the temple curtain tearing in two and tombs splitting apart at His death.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics consider Jesus to be God incarnate, and therefore more than a prophet. However, Jesus is acknowledged as a prophet in the Bible, by the people of his time, and by his disciples.
In Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Moses writes that God will send a prophet like him: "I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him". In John 7:40, some in the crowd suggest that Jesus is this prophet, recognising that he speaks for God in a unique way.
In Matthew 16:14, Jesus's disciples tell him that some people think he is "John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets". The crowds in Jerusalem also refer to Jesus as a prophet, as recorded in Matthew 21:11.
In Acts 3:22, Simon Peter, one of Jesus's disciples, testifies that Jesus was the prophet that Moses wrote about.
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