Christ: The Anointed One

Read Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 31

Lord’s Day 12 considers Jesus’ official name, Christ. The Greek name Christ, like the Hebrew name Messiah, means anointed (Jn. 1:41).

The name Christ points back to anointed Old Testament prophets, priests, and kings. These anointings consisted of two things: appointment and qualification.

All Old Testament anointings, however, were but shadows of Christ’s eternal anointing, pointing to and finding fulfilment in Him. No one could be a prophet, priest, or king like Christ. No one could hold all three offices as He did. Christ is the Prophet, Priest, and King par excellence.

Christ was appointed and ordained to His threefold office by His Father in the stillness of the Counsel of Peace from eternity according to His divine and human natures (Prov. 8:23; Heb. 10:7). He was anointed and qualified with the Holy Spirit without measure in time in His human nature only (Acts 10:38; Jn. 3:34)—for there can be no qualification of His infinitely perfect divine nature. Not an earthly vial, but the heavenly fountain of the Spirit dwelt upon Him, giving Him unlimited gifts of wisdom, power, and holiness (Mt. 7:29; Lk. 24:19; Heb. 7:26).

Thus, the triune God was involved in Christ’s anointing. God the Father was the Anointer; God the Son, the Anointed; God the Holy Ghost, the Anointing.

The three offices of Christ are inseparable. Ever since we lost our office-bearing capacity in Paradise, exchanging our prophetical knowledge for ignorance, our priestly righteousness for unrighteousness, our royal governing for the slavery of sin, God gave glimmerings of restoration through individual prophets, priests, and kings. But through these glimmerings He was stating that there was a day coming when there would be one great, perfect Prophet-Priest-King, a suprème Office-bearer, who would restore that which we have forfeited in our negated office-bearing in Paradise.

From our side, restoration to God’s threefold office is impossible. But not from God’s side. Hope is contained in the triune God — the Anointer, Anointed, and Anointing — who is able to pierce also your heart and restore you for Christ’s sake as God’s prophetical-priestly-royal office-bearer.

We need this restoration personally in our hearts—as singles, husbands, wives, fathers, and mothers. Pray much for the restorative, office-bearing graces of the great Prophet of prophets, Priest of priests, and King of kings. Ask that that restoration may be fruitful for Christ’s sake in whatever office you may be called to bear in this life.

My chosen servant I appoint,
With holy oil his head anoint;
My hand with him shall still remain,
My arm his strength shall well sustain.

— Psalter 243:2

Scripture Reading: Psalm 89:15-26

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen