Theological Term of the Week: Threefold Office of Christ

threefold office of Christ
The office given to Christ by the Father. It consists of three parts: the office of prophet, the office of priest, and the office of king. Christ fulfills the duties all three parts as he accomplishes the mediatorial work of salvation; also called triplex munus or three offices of Christ.

• From scripture, Christ as prophet:

  Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” (Acts 3:19-26 ESV) 

• From scripture, Christ as priest:

  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20 ESV)

• From scripture, Christ as king:

  …[H]e raised [Christ] from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church…. (Ephesians 1:20-22 ESV)

• From the 1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 8, Of Christ the Mediator::

  9._____ This office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from him to any other. (1 Timothy 2:5) 

   10.____ This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office; and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God; and in respect to our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom. (John 1:18; Colossians 1:21; Galatians 5:17; John 16:8; Psalms 110:3; Luke 1:74, 75)

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: What does it mean that Jesus is prophet, priest, and king?
2. Joel Beeke: Jesus’s Threefold Office as Prophet, Priest, and King
3. R. C. Sproul: The Threefold Office of Christ
4. Anthony Carter: Jesus Christ: Our Prophet, Priest, and King
5. Kim Riddlebarger: The Triple Cure: Jesus Christ — Our Prophet, Priest, and King

Related terms: 

• king (as an office of Christ)
• mediator
• priest (as an office of Christ)
• prophet (as an office of Christ)

Filed under Person, Work, and Teaching of Christ

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