A prophet according to acts of Apostles
Refugee and migrants
Introduction
The Acts of the Apostles, the second volume of Luke’s two-volume work, continues Luke’s presentation of biblical history, describing how the salvation promised to Israel in the Old Testament and accomplished by Jesus, the Prophet, has now under the guidance of the Holy Spirit been extended to the Gentiles. This was accomplished through the divinely chosen representatives whom Jesus prepared during his Historical ministry (Acts 1:21-22), and commissioned after his resurrection as witnesses to all that he taught (Acts 1:8; 10: 37-43). [1]
The Book of Acts announces Jesus as the Lord of the universe, living and operating in his church through the Holy Spirit, thereby making salvation possible to all humankind. The risen Christ gives way to the church, which guided by the Holy Spirit, carries on the work of salvation. Without Acts the story of Christ, the Prophet would appear unreal.
“We do not see our signs;
there is no longer any prophet,
and there is none among us
who knows how long.”(Ps.73: 9)
This plaintive cry of the psalmist echoes the anguish of the people of Israel at a certain period in their history. For prophetism had apparently ceased to guide the conscience of Israel and there was none the people could look up to, for instruction and guidance. Not so in this final age of salvation History. There is no lack of prophetism in the Church and there has never been so far. For every member of the New People of God has received the prophetic charism by the anointing of the Holy Spirit [2]
I have divided this thesis into three chapters. In Chapter One, I begin with the key text (Acts 3:17-26) and its interpretation in the context of Peter’s speech, which designates the community as prophetic. Chapter two highlights the etymology of the term prophet and its conceptual development in the scriptures. In chapter three there will be a theological analysis of the text with a message for Bangladesh, a personal comment and then the conclusion. [3]
Chapter
One
The first two missionary speeches which Peter preaches to the Jewish people in the Book of Acts are the most famous. The first sermon begins by reminding us that Pentecost fulfills the expectations the prophets had for the end of the world. The world did not end but God poured out the prophetic spirit on chosen disciples. Peter uses several Old Testament quotations to demonstrate that the risen Jesus is the Messiah whom God had promised. God has established the crucified Jesus as Lord and Christ in heaven (Acts 2:36). The healing of the crippled man (3:1-10) provides the occasion for Peter’s second speech (3:11-26). Once again the speech is a brief recitation of the salvation history, which has been fulfilled in Jesus. God’s promise to Abraham has been realized in Jesus (3: 25f.). [4]
1. Literary Analysis
“Obey the prophet like Moses, that you may be blessed.” Peter’s speech concludes with this saying after curing of the crippled beggar at “the Beautiful Gate” of the temple at the three o’clock hour of prayer. When the beggar asked for alms from Peter and John, Peter took him by the hand and told him in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean, rise and walk, and immediately the crippled man was cured. All the people were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to this man. Peter speaks on behalf of Jesus. Quoting Scriptures he says, “who ever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (2:21). Then he goes on telling the people of Israel this miracle is due to the power of Jesus the Lord, who is the Messiah, about whom the prophets announced long before. But you did not listen to him; you rejected him, made him suffer, crucified him, and thus cut yourselves off from being God’s children. But God raised him up. So it is your time to repent and accept Jesus as your Messiah (3:13). It is a clear “story about Christ.” [5]
1.1 The Text (Acts 3:17-26)
Here our key text for this thesis is
Acts 3: 17-27. The text goes like this: Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of
ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment
what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that
his Messiah would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins
may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and
send you the Messiah already appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive
until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth
of his holy prophets from of old. For Moses said,
‘A
prophet like me will the Lord, your God,
raise
up for you
from
among your own kinsmen;
to
him you shall listen in all that he may say to you.
Everyone
who does not listen to that prophet
will
be cut off from the people.’ (Dt.18:15)
Moreover, all the prophets who
spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. You are
the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your
ancestors when he said to Abraham, ‘In your offspring all the families of the
earth shall be blessed.’ For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him
to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.’ [6]
1.2. Interpretation of the Text
v. 17 acted
in ignorance
Acts 3:17 makes an important distinction between wrong done to Jesus in his lifetime and rejection of him (and his apostles after he was raised). The fact that there were mitigating circumstances for the first rejection of the prophet legitimates the second offering of salvation through his prophetic emissaries. It is a Lucan motif, explaining away the actions not only of the people but also of their leaders in crucifying Jesus. The statement here picks up the prayer of Jesus on the cross. On the cross Jesus had asked his Father to “forgive them; they know not what they do,”(Luke 23:34). Two later speeches differentiate a preresurrection time of ignorance when there was an excuse for not accepting Jesus (17:30; 13:27). But after God has cleared his Servant’s name by raising him from the dead, ignorance is no excuse. [7]
v.18 God
has thus brought you to fulfillment…….
that his Messiah would suffer
Christian prophetic insight into Old Testament saw the crucifixion and death of Jesus as the main import of messianic prophecy; they usually understood the Servant Song in Is 52:13; 53:12 to signify their own suffering as a people. Peter strikes one of the central themes of Luke-Acts, that the events in the story of the prophet and the people fulfill the prophecies of Torah, most specifically the necessity of the Messiah’s suffering before entering his glory (Acts 17:2-3). The argument in 3: 18-21 claims that God foretold the death of his Messiah in “all the prophets” and used the ignorance of Jews who rejected him to fulfill the prophecies.[8]
v.19 repent
…. And turn back
“Repent” the term metanoeo is used in the Septuagint for God’s “repentance” (changing his mind), as in Amos 7:3; Joel 2:13-14; Jer 4:28. In the New Testament the verb and noun (metanoia) appear frequently for human conversion (Lk 3:3; 5:22; 15:7), and above all the prophecy of Jesus that they would proclaim “in his name a repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 3:19; 5:31; 11:18).
The Septuagint uses epistrepho (turn
back) more frequently to translate the Hebrew sub/tesubah for human
repentance and conversion (Hos 3:5; Amos 4:6; Joel 2:13; Ezk 18:32). The term
appears in the “blindness” prophecy of Is 6:9, cited by Mark 4:12; Mt 13:15 and
Acts 28:27. Luke also alludes to the use in Mal 3:4 in Lk 1:17. In the sense of
“repent,” Luke uses epistrepho in Lk 17:4; 22:32; Acts 9:35; 11:21;
15:19; 26:20). [9]
v. 20 and that the Lord send you the Messiah
already appointed for you, Jesus
The allusion to the parousia or second coming of Christ, judge to be imminent in the apostolic age. This reference to its nearness is the only explicit one in Acts. Some scholars believe that this verse preserves a very early Christology, in which the title “Messiah” (Greek “Christ”) is applied to him as of his parousia, his second coming. This view of a future messiahship of Jesus is not found elsewhere in the New Testament. [10]
v.22a A prophet like me will the Lord, your God,
raise up; to him you shall listen
Here Acts 3:22 is a loose citation of Dt 18:15 which teaches that the Israelites are to learn the will of Yahweh from no one but prophets. At the time of Jesus some Jews expected a unique prophet to come in fulfillment of this text. In Acts 4:10-12 we find that it is Jesus by which we must be saved. So unless we listen to him there is no way to be saved. In his sermon in the temple area Peter identified Jesus as the eschatological prophet of whom it was said, “You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.” This agrees with what the voice from heaven says at the transfiguration, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” (Lk.9: 35). Listening to Jesus is a necessary first step toward discipleship, but it was not enough. In the sermon Jesus says that those who hear his words must also incorporate them into their lives (Lk. 6:46-49). This same theme appears later in the Gospel, when Jesus identifies his true family as “those who hear the word of God and do it” (Lk 8:21), and when Jesus responds to the woman who praises his mother by pronouncing as blessed “those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Lk 11:28).
The listening motif in Acts is more
prominent. In Acts there are twenty-eight speeches, which account for about
thirty percent of the text. Those who hear the word are usually moved to
action. After hearing Peter and his disciples many responded positively and
ask, “What shall we do?” Throughout
Acts one sees the disciples functioning as witnesses to what they have
seen and heard and large numbers of people coming to believe because they hear
the word of God. When we listen to Jesus, it unites us with him. Only Luke says
that those who “hear” the Christian missionary “hear” Jesus (Lk 10:16). [11]
v.22b “Who does not listen to that prophet
will be cut off from the people”
Jesus warns that the one who does not repent and listen to him will be perish/cut off (Lk 13:3). Jesus comforts his audience by speaking of the joy in heaven over one sinner who does repent (Lk15:7). The call to repentance appears first in the preaching of John the Baptist (Acts 13:24), and is rooted in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus announces that he has come to call sinners “to repentance,” reminds the crowds that the people of Nineveh “repented at the preaching of Jonah,” and tell that Tyre and Sidon “would have repented long ago” if they had witnessed his mighty works. Unless we listen to Him, repent and change ourselves, we will be cut off from God’s grace. [12]
The one who listens to Him is expected to ‘believe’. One who does not have faith in Jesus cannot believe Him. Faith also implies obedience, trust, and hope as well as the acceptance of the “good news” of Jesus. One, who does not listen to the word of God in an honest and good heart with faith, can’t bring forth fruit. For faith leads to salvation, as Jesus said to the woman who anointed his feet, “your faith has saved you.” So Jesus offers us to believe in him and be saved. Those who reject Jesus a second time after his resurrection deserve to be cut off from God’s people (3:22-26). The result for Luke is that Jews who disbelieved that God raised Jesus were “ excommunicated” from the chosen people. Therefore only Christian Jews inherited the blessings God had promised his people since the time of Abraham.. They can be forgiven if they repent and now accept Jesus as their Messiah (3:19). Repentance can also hasten the long-awaited times of messianic blessings when God will send Jesus back in his second coming. The resurrection confirmed Jesus as Messiah. [13]
The same Greek word can be used both for resurrection and raising up or calling a prophet. Luke puns on “raise up” in Moses’ prophecy, “ A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen ( a citation of Deut 18:15 in Acts 3:22). He interprets “raising up” as “resurrecting” the prophet like Moses- that is, Jesus. Acts 3:23 continues Deut 18:15 with a threat: “Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people.” This verse from “Moses” paraphrases and joins two Old Testament passages, Deut 18:19a, “If any man will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it,” and Lev 23: 29b, “shall be cut of from his people.” Acts 3:23 is the key to how Luke solves the problem of Jews who do not accept Jesus and how Christianity relates to God’s people. Luke stresses the continuity in God’s people through Jews who accepted Jesus. Thus Acts 2:24-26 announces that Peter’s Jewish listeners are parties to the covenant by which all the families of the earth will be blessed in Abraham’s seed (Gen 22:18). By resurrecting and sending Jesus, God is blessing the Jews as each of them repents. [14]
Chapter
Two
2. Historical Development of the
Concept of Prophets
2.1.
Concept of Prophets
The Hebrew word for prophet, nabi’,
is usually derived from the Akkad. vb. nabu, meaning to call, to
proclaim. In the past, therefore, most scholars saw the etymology as parallel
to the Greek and understood the word in the active sense, one who calls,
forth-teller, preacher. However, a parallel development in the Akkad. indicates
that nabi should be understood not actively but passively; one called,
one appointed. Behind the passive form stands God as the agent, here the one
who calls. Later nabi’ became a technical term, and the literal meaning
was forgotten. The noun nabi’ is found in the Old Testament 309 times,
of which 92 instances are found in Jeremiah alone. [15]
The word prophet means “one who speaks for, in the place of somebody.” The etymology of the English ‘prophet’ is a word derived from the Greek, formed from a preposition ‘pro’ and a name the agent ‘phetes’ derived from a root, which indicates ‘saying.’ So prophesying is linked with ‘saying something.’ The proposition ‘pro’ has three meanings in Greek: a) temporal, ‘before’, b) spatial, ‘in front of’, c) vicarious or representative, ‘in place of.’ The temporal sense gives the meaning of ‘predict’ and ‘prediction’. Thus the prophets become those who speak in advance, who predict events to come, and in a quite particular way, that coming of the Messiah and the different aspects of his mission.[16] “The prophet is not one who has concepts and truths infused into him by God. He is rather the one who with his spirit, his heart, and his entire life reflects upon the experience of his people. Thereby he brings to light the meaning of events, persons, visions, ecstasies, images, dreams.” [17] There are some who are specially called and commissioned to exercise this prophetic function. They are engaged in teaching religion and forming the conscience of God’s people. For when they speak for the Lord, they are the prophets of the Lord. They exercise their prophetic charism for the building up of the Church. “Canonical Mission” is the official recognition by the Church, of their prophetic charism.
In biblical understanding a prophet
is one “who speaks in God’s name and under His inspiration.” In this context
the prophet brought forward the matters that pertained to the “conscience of
Israel” and to the manifestation of God to all humans. In Christ the prophetic
history was fulfilled. [18]
The “prophet” proclaimed the message
given to him. Thus a prophet was a spokesman for God; he spoke in God’s name
and by his authority (Ex. 7:1). He is the mouth by which God speaks to men
(Jer.1: 9;Is. 51:16), and hence what the prophet says is not of man but of God
(Acts 4:25). Prophets were the immediate organs of God for the communication of
his mind and will to men (Deut. 18:18-19). The prophet interprets God’s will,
which may involve the past, the present, or the future. The prophet discloses
the will of God irrespective of time. It
was the prophets (as men of the spirit), who took upon themselves the difficult
and demanding task of bringing Israel to an awareness of their greater
responsibilities as the people of God and as the partner of the Covenant.
Prophet Jeremiah spoke of a future in which God would make a New Covenant with
Israel characterized by its interiority (Jer. 31:31-34), prophet Ezekiel
envisaged that future as a time when God would give his Spirit to the people
and make them live in accordance with the demands of the renewed covenant.
Trito-Isaiah refers to the one anointed by the Spirit of the Lord who will be
sent to bring good news to the poor and liberation for the oppressed (Is.61:
1-4).
2.1.1 Old Testament:
According to the Old Testament, a prophet has lived between the people and the community. A prophet speaks before the community and on behalf of the people, for the people e.g. Moses. He conveys a message before the community, addresses the community, and speaks before them. A prophet speaks in the name of another, he does not act on his own initiative and authority. He is sent by God and speaks in his name. There are three steps in the life of a prophet. a) meeting God or vision of God (Jer.1: 6-9; Is.6: 5-8), b) describing the experience of God or experience about God (Is.6:1d-3, Ezk. 3:22-24) and c) Proclaiming the word of God (Ezk.20:1-44). There are also three different ways by which a prophet transmits God’s instruction to people. a) Sermons (Is.1: 10, 8:16), b) writings (Is.8: 1b, 16; Jer.30: 2) and c) Symbolic action (Ezk. 21:1-6). According to the idea of the Old Testament there are 6 former prophets, 4 later prophets (major prophets) and 12 minor prophets. In view of the Old Testament a prophet is a man of word, of present, of vision, of the spirit, witness and signs for the people, a man of disturbing the people and a man of unconditional hope. [19]
The prophets were great personalities; no doubt, they themselves wanted to sure the people knew the divine origin and nature of their word. “First of all we must understand this that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but man moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”(2 Pet. 1: 21-22).
The ancient Hebrew prophets had a
call to speak for God, and they had somehow, in life and in death, to
authenticate their call if their message was to sound sincere. They were to
help Israel identify itself and reach its destiny by means of election and
covenant. Much of their message was moral, and depending upon the response to
it, full of threat or promise. They stylized the message as best they could, to
hammer it home to an intractable people who were seeking an easy alternative to
suffering and distorting the messianic expectation. Almost always, the prophets
could not rejoice in a fulfillment of their messianic hope within their own
lifetime. [20]
2.1. 2 New Testament
“In the New Testament “prophet” occurs 144 times, but most frequently, fifty-nine times in Luke-Acts.
By and large the New Testament understands by the prophet the biblical proclaimer of the divine, inspired message. According to the New Testament the preaching of all the prophets from Samuel on is directed to the time of Christ (Acts 3:24cf). He is fulfillment of all the promises of God. In Lk. 4:17ff. Jesus refers Is. 61:1f. to Himself. The prophetic saying is fulfilled in His person and work.
Because of the revelation imparted to him by the Spirit, the prophet has a special knowledge of the future. The prophet also knows a man’s heart without prier information (Jn.4: 19b), and he is able to look into the hearts of those who meet him (Lk. 7:39). In spite of this knowledge he is not a magician or soothsayer. The prophet is essentially a proclaimer of God’s word. The one who prophesies utters the divine call of judgment and repentance, which is burdensome, and tormenting to many (Rev: 11:3, 10) but which convicts others of sin and leads them to the worship of God. (1Cor. 14:24ff) [21]
Chapter Three
3. Theological Analysis
Acts gives considerable information
about prophets. Acts 3:22f. and 7: 37 sees Jesus as a prophet in terms of the
prophecy of a successor to-Moses in Deut. 18: 15, 18. It includes the prophecy
of Agabus, which involves prediction of future events: widespread famine (Acts
11:28) and Paul’s arrest (Acts 21: 10f.). The book is characterized, among
other things, by the time when the Spirit is poured out on all Christians. One
sign of the superabundant outpouring of the Spirit is the great number of early
Christian prophets who are named (Acts 11:27f.; 15:32; 21:9ff.), and the
principle that all Christians are given prophetic inspiration (Acts 2:17f.;
19:6). God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles, some of them they
will kill and persecute”(cf. Wis. 9:17). Acts mentions a group of prophets from
the Jerusalem church visiting Antioch, including Agabus (Acts 11: 27f.; cf.
21:10), a group resident in Antioch, including Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:1),
and the two prophets who accompanied the Jerusalem decree to Antioch Judas,
Barsabbas and Silas (Acts 15:22, 32). The vb. propheteuo is always used
in Acts of Christians (Acts 2:17f.; 19:6; and 21:9). Although Peter is not
called a prophet, he has the marks of one, which includes the knowledge of
men’s hearts (Acts 5:3; 8:21ff.). He also had experience of visions and dreams
fulfilling the prophecy of Joel (Acts 10:10). Similarly others had these
prophetic experiences (Acts 9:10; 16:9; cf. Num.12: 6). Acts 21:9 refers to the
four daughters of Philip who prophesized. E. E. Elias says, “prophecy in Acts
is represented as an eschatological power of the Holy Spirit from God (Acts
2:17) or from the risen Jesus (2:17; 33). Although prophecy is a possibility
for any Christian, it is primarily identified with certain leaders who exercise
it as a ministry.” The prophets in Acts exercised a widespread ministry in a
varied fashion- singly or in groups, traveling or settled congregations. But
their functions were not restricted to those who were specifically designated
as prophets. This is, in fact, paralleled by other ministries- and gifts in the
New Testament were sometimes the gifts shared by anyone and sometimes they
relate to specific offices. At various points in Acts, Luke presents the
Christian mission as a continuation of the mission of Jesus who is now the
exalted Lord and as a contest between conflicting spiritual powers. The prophet
is the Lord’s instrument, one among several means by which Jesus leads his
church. As one who makes known the meaning of the Scripture, exhorts, and
strengthens the congregation, and instructs the community by revelations of the
future, the prophet manifests in the power of the Spirit the character of his
Lord, who is the Prophet of the end-time. [22]
Associated with Jesus as God’s servant in Acts (3:26) is the claim expressed by Peter that Jesus is the Prophet whose coming was foretold by Moses (3:20-23; cf. 18:15-19). The point is made in this passage of Acts that God raised up Jesus as the ultimate prophet, and those who do not listen to him will be cut off from God’s people. This warning is offered against the background of the declaration that the people of Israel are the children and heirs of those to whom God gave the covenantal promises, including Abraham, who was told that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed (3: 24-26; cf. Gen 22: 18). The association of Jesus with the role of prophet is found in various places throughout the synoptic tradition. Jesus implies that his rejection in his hometown is the expected fate of a prophet (Mk 6:4), and he is associated with the prophets in popular evaluation of his healings and pronouncements (Mk 6:15; Lk 9:8). His disciples report this estimate of him when he asks who people are saying that he is (Mk 8:28), but Luke expands this description to have the observers declare, “One of the prophets has risen” (Lk 9:19). This reflects the belief found in the Qumran and John the Baptist traditions, which built on Deut 18:15-18 and Malachi 5:5-6 to declare that an eschatological prophet has been sent by God to renew the covenant people. The prototypes of these prophets of the last days may be Moses or Elijah. [23]
Jesus’ prophetic role is further indicated in several unique Lucan passages: in response to the healing of the widow’s son (7:16); in his reaction to the warning of the Pharisees about Herod’s aim to kill him (13:33); in the final words of the account of the rich man and Lazarus, where the words of Moses and the prophets are linked with Jesus’ rising from the dead (16:31). In the first encounter between the disciples and the risen Jesus, they declare him to have been, “prophet mighty in word and deed before God and all the people” (24:19). The stage is set, therefore, for Peter’s identification of Jesus as prophet promised by Moses. Acts adds to the texts from Deuteronomy the warning of destruction upon those who do not heed his message. This motif of the rejection of the prophet whom God promised to Moses is repeated in Acts 7:37, as a part of Stephan’s warning to Israel about the consequence of neglecting Jesus and what God is declaring to his people through him. Precedent for their killing God’s prophets is recalled by Stephen in 7:52. The rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders and his defense before king Agrippa to have been foretold by “Moses and the prophets,” who also announce that this first one to rise from the dead “would proclaim light both to the people (Israel) and to the Gentiles” (26:21-23). Many other passages in the New Testament link Jesus to the role of prophet. The explicit and extended building on the prediction of the prophet’s coming in Deut. 18 as fulfilled in Jesus is unique to Acts. How the hearers of his message respond to him is determinative of their place or their forfeiture of a place –in the people of God.[24]
The most obvious example of prophecy is Jesus’ announcement in Acts 1:8 that his followers would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the end of the earth. In many other examples we find narrative fulfillment of that prophecy (3:22; 11: 27; 13: 46-47; 19:21; 20: 25; 21: 11; 23: 11; 27: 22; 28:28).
Jesus is portrayed as the prophet like Moses: the prophetic Spirit at work in the apostles comes from the risen Jesus who is identified as the prophet “like Moses,” promised by Deut 18: 15-18. He is now the “raised prophet” who speaks authoritatively through the wonders and speech of the apostles. Moses reveals the basic prophetic pattern: In the section of Stephen’s speech (Acts 7) devoted to Moses, Luke structures the account to make it correspond precisely with the story of Jesus as Luke himself tells it: the prophet is sent a first time to save Israel, but out of ignorance the people reject him. He is forced to go away, but while in exile is empowered by God and sent a second time to offer salvation, this time with powerful signs and wonders. If the people reject him again, they will be sent into exile rather than he. It is in this way that Luke understands the story of Jesus to have been found in “Moses and all the prophets” (Lk 24:27). The Gospel is the time of the first sending of the prophet. Acts continues the story of the prophet’s second and more powerful sending to the people, with the offer of a second chance at accepting “God’s visitation,” and thereby their salvation.[25]
The Gospel has shown us Jesus as the
prophet sent by God to “visit the people,” and who carries out his mission of
“good news to the poor,” by his works of mercy and his teaching. His invitation
to the poor and the outcast to join the restored people of God is heard by them
gladly, but he is rejected by the leadership of the people and put to death.
After his resurrection, he appears to those who had followed him in his
ministry, and instructs them to wait in the city until they receive the “power
from on high” which will enable them to “preach in his name to all nations.” [26]
Jesus the prophet witnessed
to the truth, that the church as a whole is a prophetic community. The gift
of prophecy, which entitled the prophets to their service, lasts as long as the
Spirit of Christ is at work in his Church. The whole Christian community is
rooted in and grows out of its prophetic, priestly and royal past, all at the
same time, but its tap root is prophetic “But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful
deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet
2:9). The prophetic call was first directed to Israel, then to the church and
society (community). Paul in his second letter to the Thessalonians reminded
them of the call they once heard from him, and which he himself had so
assimilated that he thought of it his gospel (cf. 2: 14). Paul pointed to the
causal connection between prophecy and call. The call was and is to salvation
“in the one body” (Col 3:15) the Church. So prophetic preaching called Israel
together and is still calling the community of the church together. [27]
As Christ was anointed by the Spirit to prophesy, so is the entire Christian community, priest and people, anointed in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and holy orders respectively. By baptismal anointing alone, faithful Christians “must confess before men the faith they have received from God through the church;” Confirmation obliges them more strictly “to spread and defend the faith both by word and by deed as true witnesses of Christ.” Preaching starts in the home, “the domestic church. In it parents should, by their word and example, be the first preachers of the faith to their children” (Dogmatic Constitutions on the Church, 11), prophetic gift and task develop upon the whole church (Dogmatic Constitutions on the Church 12). [28]
Within the Christian context, prophecy assumes the more specific duty of proclaiming the gospel (cf. Mt. 4:23). Then to prophesy is to evangelize, that is, to herald the good news of salvation wrought for us by the death and resurrection of Jesus, Messiah and Lord. In effect, the prophetic act of the Christian bears witness to Christ and communicates his word. Christ is the New Moses, proclaiming in the name of his Father the theme of repentance, for his kingdom is imminent. He is the Word-event that inaugurates the kingdom and lays the foundation of the church by preaching the good news. We are called in word and sacrament to the mystery of Christ as a way of salvation. The church is called today to witness our prophetic call together into our community. [29]
3.1. Jesus, the Suffering Messiah
The writer of the Acts Luke uses the traditional title “Messiah” or “Christ”, “Son of God” and “Son of Man” to refer to Jesus. The title identifies Jesus as God’s final, supreme agent in the history of salvation (Lk.2: 26). We often see in Acts the most important title for Jesus “Christos”. The title “Son of God” like “Lord” and “Savior” serves to highlight the power and authority now exercised by the risen Christ. But this power and authority is not exclusively focused on power and glory in a worldly sense. But it is the aspect of suffering messiahship. The Acts reminds us that anyone who wishes to know the prophet Jesus must understand him as the suffering, dying Messiah. The risen Jesus reminds his disciples on two occasions that a correct understanding of messiahship must include suffering and death, as well as resurrection (Acts 3:18; 17:3; 26:23). Isaiah 40-45 portrayed the Messiah as the suffering servant. Here we see Jesus, the Messiah, Lord, and Savior as the Suffering Son. He becomes a model for the suffering and persecution that his disciples endure (Acts 7:56). [30] The future role of Jesus is also defined by Peter in his sermon in the temple portico (3:18-20), where the prophetic predictions of the suffering of the Messiah are mentioned.
3.2. Promise Fulfilled in Jesus
Peter proclaimed Christ as the fulfillment of all that the Jews had been expecting: he was the great Prophet whose coming God had foretold to Moses (Acts 3:22); here was the anointed Servant of God (Acts 4:27), who was put to death by wicked men; but God raised Him up again (Acts 2:24) and exalted Him to His right hand (2: 33), in fulfillment of the great messianic prophecy about the Messiah-King; “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool” (Acts 2: 34-35,; ef. Ps. 109:1). The early Christians see the visible fulfillment of the prophecy of a great Messiah-King when Jesus returns to life and takes His place in glory beside the Father in heaven.[31]
The promises of God have been fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and in the life of the early Christian Community. The career of Jesus as a whole, as well as numerous specific parts of that ministry is seen in Luke-Acts as the fulfillment of earlier prophets. Luke tells his readers that Jesus entered the synagogue at Nazareth, read from Isaiah (61: 1-2; 58:6), and then said, “ Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk 4:21). At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples “ that everything written about in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (24: 44-46) and “beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (24:27).
These various strands of expectations are brought together in the New Testament for Jesus, the Messiah. The prophets of the old were bearers of revelations, which were tending towards its fulfillment, while the prophets of today are the bearers of revelation of glory, which has shown in the risen Christ. They not only proclaim the divine message but also interpret it both by word and action. .[32]
Among the many prophecies Jesus fulfills, is the promise of God to raise up a prophet like Moses in the last days (Acts 3: 22-23; ef. Deut 18: 15-16, 19; Lev. 23:29). Jesus identifies himself as a prophet (13:33): He makes numerous predictions in the course of his ministry, most of which came to pass later on in the narration. [33] Jesus was and is the great Prophet of the Church who continues to speak and act in and through the prophetic ministry of the Church.
3.2.1. Message for Bangladesh
The Second Vatican Council, more than the previous ecumenical councils, explicitly recognized and proclaimed “the holy people of God shares also the Christ’s prophetic office” (Lumen Gentium, No. 12). In another paragraph of the same document, the Council says, “Christ, the great prophet… continually fulfils his prophetic office until his full glory is revealed. He does this not only through the hierarchy who teach in his name and with his authority, but also through the laity”(no. 35). So we all are called here to share this prophetic role of Christ, the great Prophet.
We have to change our hearts to embrace the entire salvation of God in Christ. John the Baptist preached a turning from sins and an opening of the mind in the right direction to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Positive acceptance of Christ brings about the promise of God in his self-revelation and salvation of man. We are called to turn from selfishness and sinfulness, and turn to Jesus as Lord and Savior. To accept Christ as Savor is to be saved. This new life is a free gift from God to anyone who will turn to him for it, and listen to him in Jesus. Peter said, “now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3:19). In this life, there will be always need to be a conversion from sinfulness as well as a new experience of spiritual success in the power of the Spirit of Jesus. [34]
Jesus told his apostles you would be
my witness to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). And Peter shows that he is
truly a witness and he goes on to prove it from a Scriptures that the Messiah
must die, and rise again, and that Jesus is the Messiah. Prophet Joel had told
that, “all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 3:5), and
Peter calls on his hearers to repent, to turn to God, accept their sins as
being forgiven and tells them that they will receive the gift of the Spirit.
The Spirit of Jesus inspired and touched their hearts, and three thousands
people joined the community. We all have received the Spirit of Jesus in the
Church and now Jesus’ Spirit is in the Church and in the community. So we are
to live by the power of the same spirit. Living the life of spirit is to be the
member of Jesus’ Risen Body, and to begin to do the works of Jesus that he had
been doing and accept him personally with personal conviction and experience.
How can I witness? I can witness to the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, self-control, etc. which Jesus’ spirit
brings. We can turn from our self-centeredness, and turn to the Lord Jesus, the
Prophet so that we can accept the forgiveness Christ has already won for us;
expect to receive the experience of the promise of the Father. We have to life
a new kind of life in the spirit. Our life must be different from the life of
the “world” around us. The church of Bangladesh today is called together into a
prophetic community, to witness to and resound the call of the prophet to all
who will see and hear.[35]
In Acts (2: 1-13) all believers are given the spirit. We are also given the same spirit; we have to live as spirited persons. It was in ignorance that the Jews perpetrated the terrible deed of the crucifixion; but that ignorance is no longer possible, and therefore, they can be no excuse for their further rejection of Jesus Christ. We find in the New Testament that Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘we see’, your guilt remains.” (Jn 9:41). “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.” (Jn 15:22). “Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17). Now we are no more ignorant, we are not blind now. Now it is our responsibilities to accept Jesus and his teaching. We have to change our mind and our life. Now we have to repent and turning away from the old way and live a new life.[36]
Christ the prophet was sent to us, and he offered salvation for all of us. We all are children of the prophet, children of the Covenant, (Ezk 30:5), blessed by Him. The blessings of God are being enjoyed by us. Now we have to respond to the call of Jesus and carry on the prophetic power of Jesus like the apostles in our deeds and words. By baptism we all have this prophetic role. We also have the same power to heal the people of God like Peter in Acts and proclaim good news to all.
3.2.2. Personal Comments
The prophets of today are bearers of revelation of glory, which has shown in the risen Christ. They not only proclaim the divine message but also interpret it both by word and action. We all are prophets; we are called to bear witness to the word of God, which we proclaim. Not only our lips but also our whole lives are consecrated for special service-that is bearing witness to revelation. Now we are the bearers of the Good News of the love of Jesus. We must interpret and bear witness to our message by our lives. Thus being a prophet as a condition, which makes deep inroads into my exterior as well as interior life and lays hold of the totality of my being. We should not be surprised if we find on our way the toil of St. Paul, the sufferings of Jeremiah, and the passion of Our Lord. We may be left alone in the community because of carrying Jesus’ word. We may feel loneliness. Jeremiah’s message was scorned by everyone. People mocked at him as he walked along the streets. He was driven away from his village. He was excommunicated from the people. None would sympathize with him. He was all alone. Jesus experienced even more bitter loneliness than any of the prophets. Our word may often be rejected or even scorned by the community or by our fellow men. No encouragement, no word of appreciation may come from our companions. In this circumstances we have to remember the words of Jesus: “No slave is greater than his master: if they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they obeyed my message, they will obey yours too.” (Jn. 15:20). [37]
Suffering was the way for Christ, so for us it cannot be otherwise. It is said, “If we share Christ’s suffering, we will also share his glory” (Rom.8: 17). So as a prophet, our vocation is not only a charism meant for the building up of the Church, but it is also the means of personal satisfaction and the way to glory. [38]
We all are called to be a prophet in the family, in the community, in the church. The Spirit works in and through the individual persons as well as through the community. Not only the “leaders” or “elders” or “overseers” have the role of prophecy to play, rather we all are prophets. We all share in the prophetic office and are therefore prophets. That is why it is our duty to speak out against any false idea of God, against injustice in the society, and against any immoral activity in the community or society we live in; and change our attitude and be converted, and create a new community open to all.
Conclusion
Christians believe that God’s saving will is at work, in many different ways, in all religions. It has been recognized since the time of the Apostolic Church, and stated clearly again by the Second Vatican Council, that the Spirit of Christ is active outside the bounds of the visible Church. God’s saving grace is not limited to the members of the Church, but it is offered to every person. His ways are mysterious and unfathomable, and no one can dictate the direction of his grace. Through our witness of the life of the Christian community and family, we have to strive and live fully the faith we profess. We take courage from the Spirit of Jesus at work in the world and in our community. We draw strength from the experience of our brothers and sisters in the community. Prophetic charism is lived in the community of the Church. Prophetic spirituality is ecclesial and communitarian. Christ calls us to become evangelized and evangelizing communities. Because we are sinful, that is why our conversion is needed. If we turn from our wickedness, then we will be sons of the prophets and will receive blessing from God. [39]
Today Jesus Christ speaks to his church with all that involves –repentance, forgiveness of sins, listening to the prophets, the gifts of the Spirit-and ask us to continue his mission of love, and universal liberation in the spirit of Christian community. [40] The holy people of God shares in Christ’s prophetic office…. Although His gifts, ‘to everyone according as he will’ (1Cor.12: 11), the Holy Spirit distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank. All the baptized Christians share in the prophetic office and are therefore prophets in these eschatological times.
Bibliography
Books
- PATHRAPANKAL, Joseph: Text and Context, In Biblical Interpretation, , Bangalore, Dharmaram Publication, 1993.
- FICHTNER, Joseph: To Stand and Speak For Christ, New York, Alba House, 1981.
- RICHARD, Earl, ed.: New Views on Luke And Acts. Collegeville,The Liturgical Press, 1990.
- HARRIGTON, J. Daniel, ed.: The Acts of the Apostles, vol. 5, Collegeville, The Liturgical Press, 1992.
- KURZ, S. William: The Acts of the Apostles, Collegeville Bible Commentary. Bandra, St Pauls, 2001.
- MORAN, Gabriel: Theology of Revelation, F.S.C., 1966.
- DEWAN, F. Wilfrid: The Pardon of Christ. New York, Paulist Press, 1962.
- SIEBERT, Paul: The Spirit of Jesus in Acts. Allahabad, St. Paul’s Publication, 1983.
- KNEE, Howard Clark: Good News to the Ends of the Earth, the Theology of Acts. Philadelphia, Trinity Press International, 1990.
Dictionary
and Encyclopedia
1. BRODERICK, Robert, ed.: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc. Publishers, 1976.
2. BROWN, Colin, ed.: Vol.3, The New International Dictionary of the New Testament Theology, Exeter, The Paternoster Press, 1978.
Periodicals
- MARIASELVAM, M,: ‘Prophets of the New Age,’ Word and Worship, vol. 5, no. 3, 1972, PP.110-113.
- CHERIAN, C.M.,: ‘Worship and Mission in Luke-Acts,’ Word and Worship, vol. 12, no. 8, 1979, PP.297-307.
- ROGERS, Anthony,: ‘Understanding Evangelization in the Context of Asia Today,’ FABC Papers, No. 84, April 1999, p.10.
Bible
1.SENIOR, Donald, ed.: The Catholic Study Bible, New American Bible. New York, Oxford University Press, 1990.
[1]
Donald Senior ed., The
Catholic Study Bible, New American Bible, New York, Oxford University
Press, 1990, pp. 184 and 445-446.
[2] Word and Worship, vol. 5, no. 3, s.v.
‘Prophets of the New Age,’ by M. Mariaselvam, p. 110.
[3]Joseph Pathrapankal, Text and
Context, In Biblical Interpretation, Bangalore, Dharmaram
Publication, 1993, pp. 80-83.
[4]
Donald Senior ed., The Catholic Study Bible, New American Bible,
New York, Oxford University Press, 1990, p. 184.
[5] Daniel ed J. Harrigton, ed., The
Acts of the Apostles, vol. 5, Collegeville, The Liturgical Press, 1992,
p.69.
[6] Donald Senior, ed., The Catholic Study Bible, New York, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1990, p. 189-190.
[7] Daniel ed J. Harrington, ed.,
op.cit., p.69.
[8] Ibid., p. 70.
[9] Daniel ed J. Harrington, ed.,
op.cit., p.70.
[10] Ibid., p. 70.
[11] Earl Richard ed., New Views on
Luke And Act, Collegeville, The Liturgical Press, 1990, pp. 115-116.
[12] William S. Kurz, The Acts of the
Apostles, Collegeville Bible Commentary, Bandra, St Pauls, 2001, p. 28.
[13] William S. Kurz, op.cit.,
p. 28.
[14] Ibid., p. 29.
[15] Colin Brown, ed., Vol.3, The New
International Dictionary of the New Testament Theology, Exeter, The
Paternoster Press, 1978, p.77.
[16] Edmund F., How to Read the Prophets, London, SCM Press, 1996, p.6.
[17] Gabriel Moran, Theology of
Revelation, London, F.S.C., 1966, p.47.
[18] Robert Broderick, The Catholic
Encyclopedia, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc. Publishers, 1976, p. 497.
[19] Joseph Fichtner, To Stand and
Speak For Christ, New York, Alba House, 1981,pp. 22-30.
[20] Ibid., pp. 30-36.
[21] Colin Brown, ed., op.cit., p. 77.
[22] Colin Brown, ed., op.cit., pp. 86-88.
[23] Howard
Clark Knee, Good News to the Ends of the Earth, the Theology of Act, Philadelphia,
Trinity Press International, 1990, pp.22-23.
[24] Ibid., p. 23.
[25] Howard Clark Knee, op.cit., p. 23.
[26] Daniel J. Harrington, ed., op.cit., pp. 12-13.
[27] Joseph Fichtner, op.cit., pp. 22-36.
[28] Ibid., p. 30.
[29] Ibid., pp.22-36.
[30] Earl, Richard, ed., op.cit., pp. 50-51.
[31] Wilfrid F. Dewan, The Pardon of Christ, New York, Paulist Press, 1962, pp. 11-12.
[32] Joseph Pathrapankal, Text and
Context, In Biblical Interpretation, Bangalore, Dharmaram
Publication, 1993, p. 83.
[33] Ibid., p. 12.
[34] Paul Siebert, The Spirit of Jesus in Acts, Allahabad, St. Paul’s Publication, 1983, pp. 18-20.
[35] Ibid., pp. 18-20.
[36] Paul Siebert, op.cit., p. 20.
[37] Word and
Worship, vol. 5, no. 3, s.v. ‘Prophets of the New Age,’ by M. Mariaselvam, pp.
112-113.
[38] Ibid., p. 113.
[39] Anthony Rogers, FABC Papers, No. 84, April 1999, pp. 10-11.
[40] Word and Worship, Vol. XII, No. 8, s.v. ‘Worship and Mission in Luke-Acts’, by C.M. Cherian, p.307.
Comments
Post a Comment