And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3
Discovering the Heart of Eternal Life
What does it mean to have eternal life? Jesus answers this question in a powerful prayer the night before His death: eternal life is about knowing God and His Son, Jesus Christ. But what does it mean to truly know Jesus? It’s more than just having information about Him—it’s about understanding who He is and what He has done. As Christians, growing in our faith means getting to know Jesus more deeply, discovering His character, and embracing the call He places on our lives.
A Deeper Look at Jesus
At the upcoming Growing Young Disciples residential conference, we’ll explore this deeper understanding of Jesus. We’ll take time to reflect on the glory of Jesus by focusing on both His person and His work. We believe that when we focus on Him, our hearts and minds are transformed, and we are better equipped to serve in gospel ministry. This year’s theme is Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King. Over four days, we’ll dive into what it means that Jesus fulfils these roles and how that impacts our lives and ministries amongst the rising generations.
What is the Threefold Office?
In the Old Testament, the roles of Prophet, Priest, and King were vital to the life of God’s people. Each role required a special anointing and served a unique purpose in guiding and leading Israel.
- Prophet: Prophets were God’s spokespersons. Their job was to deliver God’s messages, which included both foretelling (predicting future events) and forth-telling (speaking God’s truth for the present situation).
- King: Kings were chosen by God to rule His people. They were expected to lead justly and follow God’s ways, although not all kings lived up to this ideal. The role of a king was to govern according to God’s righteousness and justice.
- Priest: Priests played a crucial role in the worship life of Israel. They acted as mediators between God and the people, offering sacrifices to atone for sins and to maintain the people’s relationship with God.
These roles point us toward the coming of the Messiah—Jesus Christ—who perfectly fulfils them. The prophets point us to Jesus, the true Prophet, who brings God’s final and perfect Word. The priests point us to Jesus, the true Priest, who mediates between God and humanity once and for all. The kings point us to Jesus, the true King, who rules with perfect justice and righteousness.
Everything Goes Back to Genesis
We might think of prophets, priests, and kings as roles that emerged later in the Bible, but these offices trace all the way back to the beginning of the biblical story. In fact, Adam was the first prototype of a prophet, priest, and king. Although Genesis 1-2 doesn’t explicitly use these titles for Adam, the roles are clearly present.
- Adam as King: In the Garden of Eden, Adam was given kingly duties. Genesis 1:28 tells us that Adam was to “rule over” and “subdue” creation. This means he was responsible for governing the world under God’s ultimate authority. Adam’s role was to take the raw materials of creation and develop, cultivate, and nurture them. He was like a king with a small ‘k,’ ruling under the guidance of God, the King with a capital ‘K’.
- Adam as Prophet: Adam also had a prophetic role. In Genesis 2:16-17, God gives Adam the command not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Interestingly, this command was given before Eve was created. It begs the question, how was Eve to know not to eat from the tree of knowledge? Well Adam was to tell her. He was to speak a message from God to His bride – and in doing so was to guard her from evil and harm. Adam has specific speaking responsibilities in the Garden of Eden.
- Adam as Priest: Lastly, Adam functioned as a priest. The Garden of Eden can be seen as a temple—a place where God dwelled with His people (as suggested in Ezekiel 28:13-14). Genesis 2:15 describes Adam’s job as to “work” and “keep” the garden, language that is often used for priestly duties elsewhere in the Bible. Priests are the ones who serve in temples, maintaining the space where people can encounter God. Adam’s task was to care for the sacred space of Eden, bridging the relationship between God and creation.
In the opening chapters of Genesis, we don’t see the specific titles of prophet, priest, and king, but these roles are all there. However, Adam failed in these roles. He failed as a king by not ruling according to God’s commands, as a prophet by not adhering to God’s word, and as a priest by not maintaining the sanctity of God’s presence. This failure highlights the need for a second Adam—a perfect Prophet, Priest, and King—who would succeed where Adam failed.
Jesus is the Second Adam
Scripture presents Jesus Christ as this second Adam. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus declares Himself to be greater than Jonah, the temple, and Solomon (Matthew 12:41, 6, 42). In Luke 19, Jesus enters Jerusalem as a king, speaks prophetically about the city’s future, and cleanses the temple, fulfilling the role of the priest. Jesus is the true Prophet, Priest, and King—perfectly embodying these roles and fulfilling God’s plan.
These are just some of the truths we will explore together in January. In the next part of this blog, we’ll discuss what we hope you will gain from a conference dedicated to reflecting on these profound truths.
