Jesus, the Prophet, the Messiah

John 1:21b ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’

The Prophet

Moses has foretold in Deuteronomy 18:15, 18, 19.

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”

18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.

Jews have been thinking this Prophet might be the Messiah or a forerunner of the Messiah. In John 7:40-41, people distinguished the Prophet from the Messiah.

Jesus and the Prophet

Some people thought Jesus was the Prophet (John 7:40, John 6:14). Baptist John in prison wondered whether Jesus was the Messiah or just one of the forerunners (Luke 7:19). People wondered whether Jesus was the Messiah or one of the looked for prophets (Mark 8:28, Matthew 16:14) [1].

After Jesus was glorified, Saint Peter (Acts 3:22) and Saint Stephen (Acts 7:37) said this Prophet was Jesus, the Messiah.

Baptist John’s Answer

Baptist John denied being the Prophet (21b).

References

[1] Robertson, Archibald T., Word Pictures in the New Testament