The Three Offices of Christ
Original sin brought a
general deterioration and collapse to mankind. This distortion had three main
characteristics: a) It brought a certain darkness of mind, making us unable clearly
to see truth and understand what is correct and proper, unable to distinguish
good from evil. b) Conquered by sin, the will became enslaved to sin, unable to
resist and overcome. c) With the Fall, mankind became guilty before God, and
was condemned to eternal death.
Christ had to save mankind
from this general deterioration and collapse. As Prophet, he had to cleanse the
mind and teach it truth. As High Priest, he had to sanctify and justify it. As
King, he had to redeem it. St. Paul presents these three offices of Christ
briefly when he states that, He "was made to be our wisdom [the Prophetic
office], our righteousness and sanctification [the office of High Priest], and
our redemption [the Royal office]" (I Corinthians, 1:30).
Therefore, Christ has
three offices: the Prophetic (that of Prophet), the Archieratical (that of High
Priest), and the Royal (that of King).
However, no one should
believe that these are three separate offices. They are indissolubly
intermingled and united in the One and Same Person, the God-man Redeemer.
The Prophet Isaiah is
referring primarily to the Prophetic office of Christ when he says, "The
Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring
good tidings to the afflicted . . . to proclaim liberty to the captives and to
make the blind see again" (Isaiah, 61:1). Christ Himself preached "as
One having authority" so that His enemies admitted that "no one ever
spoke as this man." And He said of Himself that He is "the Way, the
Truth, and the Light" and "the Light of the world", and that
whoever follows Him "will not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of
Life" (John 8:12). His Disciples characterized Him as "a Prophet
mighty in deed and word before God and all the people" (Luke, 24:19).
Fallen man was unable to
perfect himself, however, only by the teaching of truth and the enlightenment
of the mind. He required a High Priest to sacrifice Himself upon the Cross in
order to lift up and crucify our sins and sanctify us. This High Priest was and
is Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God, Who "died for our sins" (I
Corinthians, 15:3). As High Priest, "He Himself bore our sins in His Body
on the Tree, that we might die to sin and live unto righteousness" (I
Peter, 2:24). "Christ appeared as a High Priest of the good things that
have come, that through the greater and more perfect Tent (not made with hands)
(Hebrews, 8:1-2) . . . not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His
Own Blood, He might enter once and for all into the Holy Place, thus securing
an eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9: 12).
However, the redemption of
man required a redeemer with authority, with a Royal office. As the
Only-begotten Son of God, Christ is truly a King with authority, "King of
Kings and Lord of Lords." As God-man upon earth, He used His Royal
Authority when He preached; when He performed miracles and overturned the
natural order of things; when He triumphantly entered Jerusalem; and when He
drove out the moneychangers.
The humility of the
God-man found culmination upon the Cross with the words, "It is
fulfilled." And then His Royal Authority shone forth and as Triumphant
Victor, Christ descended to Hades. He destroyed its gates. He shattered the
kingdom of Hades and the realm of death. "He resurrected the dead who were
there for ages." He was resurrected as the All-Powerful God and the Lord
of Life and Death, because "it was not possible for the Author of our life
to be held by corruption," and He proclaimed that "all authority in
Heaven and earth has been given to Me" (Matthew, 28:18). He ascended to
Heaven. He sits at the right hand of the Father and as a true King He governs
the entire Church, which is triumphant in Heaven and militant on earth. Mankind
will have full evidence of His Royal Authority at the time of His second coming,
when He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
The successors of the
Apostles, that is, the Bishops and the Priests, continue in the Church the
pedagogical, sanctifying, and redeeming work of Christ.
Saviour of the world,
God-man Christ, we acknowledge that You are the Great Prophet, the sole High
Priest, and the true King. Teach us the truth. Enlighten our minds. Take out of
our minds the cobwebs and rust of our sinful ideas. Bathe us with Your
redeeming Blood and wash us clean. Sanctify us. Free us from the bonds of sin.
Restore us to our original condition. Come quickly in Your Second Coming to
judge us and justify us. Judge and condemn us not, even though that is what we
deserve. Forgive us and grant us Your Eternal Kingdom.