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August 18, 2005
Ch. XIX. Q. 112. Of Prophet, Priest and King
SHARING fully in the natures of both God and man, Jesus Christ fulfils the offices of Mediator — those of Prophet, Priest and King.1
2. In His prophetic office,2 the divine Word is "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."3 He enlightens men at all times through the natural order, in which He is immanent, and which declares the glory and the eternal Godhead of its Maker.4 He teaches also in all supernatural revelation: (a) in ancient times, through angel, theophany and type; and through the prophets, to whom He gave a special inspiration of the Holy Spirit;5 (b) in a new manner by His own Incarnation and earthly manifestation,6 speaking with personal and inherent authority, although in conformity to the will of the Father;7 (c) now, through His Church, which He guides with His spirit into all saving truth;8 (d) hereafter, through His glorified Manhood, through which we shall enjoy the vision of God.9
3. His priestly office is concerned with objective mediation, including the bestowal of divine gifts upon us and the offering up of our oblations to God;10 (a) Before the Incarnation, He signified this by symbols which did not "effect what they figured";11 (b) During His earthly ministry, He fulfilled the personal conditions and redemptive work to which the ancient ritual pointed; and was therein consecrated to His perfected and everlasting priesthood;12 (c) now, He offers us up in Himself to the Father, in heavenly places; and bestows gifts of grace upon the members of His mystical body, enabling them through effective sacraments to participate in His priesthood and its benefits;13 (d) Hereafter, and because of our union with Him, His flesh will be the medium of our approach to God, and the abiding source of our life and glory.14
4. His kingly office mediates the sovereignty of God, in which He shares as one with the Father, and which He reveals and executes in His Manhood.15 (a) Perpetually the angels obey His will; and the universe coheres in, and is subject to, Him;16 (b) Anciently, He gave the law for man which He subsequently obeyed as Man;17 (c) During His earthly ministry, He reënacted and interpreted the inner meaning of the law, Himself exemplifying its fulfilment;18 (d) Now, as Head of the Church, His body, and through its ministry appointed by Him, He acts as chief Shepherd and Bishop of souls;19 (e) In the last day, He will judge all men, rewarding them according to their deeds,20 (f) In the consummation, His rule will openly appear as in fact the rule of the Father, between whom and creation He is, by eternal relation, the Mediator.21
1 Incarnation, ch. ix; St. Thomas, III. xxvi; H.P. Liddon, Some Elements of Relig., pp. 228-231; Bp. Pearson, Creed, fol. pp. 92-104; Hastings, Dic. of Christ, s. v. "Mediator." Cf. 1 Tim. ii. 5; Heb. viii. 6; ix. 15; xii. 24.
2 H.P. Liddon, Divinity of Our Lord, pp. 169-172; and Some Words of Christ, St. Thomas, III. vii. 8; H.C. Powell, Principle of the Incarn., pp. 206-220.
3 St. John i. 4-5, 9-10.
4 Rom. i. 20.
5 Heb. i. 1; 2 St. Pet. i. 21.
6 St. John i. 17-18.
7 Deut. xviii. 15; St. Luke vii. 16; St. John vi. 14; viii. 28; xii. 49-50.
8 St. John xvi. 7, 13-14; Ephes. iii. 11-12; 1 Tim. iii. 15.
9 2 Cor. iii. 18; 1 Cor. xiii. 12; St. John xiv. 19; Col. i. 15; ii. 9; Heb. x. 20.
10 Heb. v., viii-ix. and passim; Psa. cx. 4. St. Thomas, III. xxii; Wm. Milligan, Ascension, Lec. ii. et seq.; Geo. Milligan, Theol. of the Ep. to the Heb., chh. vi.-vii.; R.C. Moberly, Ministerial Priesthood, pp. 244-249; Rich. Hooker, Eccles. Polity, VIII. iv. 6; M.F. Sadler, One Offering, chh. vii.-ix.; Archd. Wilberforce, Incarnation, chh. vii.-xi.
11 Heb. ix.8-15; x. 1-14.
12 Heb. ii. 9-11; v. 6-10.
13 Heb. iii. 1; iv. 14; Ephes. iv. 8; v. 27.
14 1 Tim. ii. 5-6; Heb. x. 20; 2 St. Pet. i. 4.
15 Rich. Hooker, VIII. iv. 6; Hastings, Dic. of Christ, vol. I. p. 477 and s. v. "King." Cf.. Zech. ix. 9; 1 Tim. vi. 15; Acts x. 36; Revel. xix. 16.
16 St. Luke viii. 25; St. Matt. xxvi. 53; Col. i. 15-17; Heb. i. 3, 6.
17 Jerem. xxiii.6; Mal. iv. 2.
18 St. Matt. v. 17; Heb. x. 7; 1 St. Pet. ii. 21.
19 St. Matt. ii. 6; xviii. 18; Ephes. v. 23; Col. i. 18; Heb. ii. 10; 1 St. Pet ii. 25; v. 4.
20 St. John v. 22, 27; Acts xvii. 31; Heb. xii. 23.
21 Dan. vii. 13-14; 1 Cor. xv. 24-28. Cf. Q. 123.4, below.
Posted by AKMA at August 18, 2005 05:05 AM