THE PROPHETS AND JESUS.
By Edward König
[From Prof. Edward König, Ph.D., D.D., in Sunday School Times.] Prophecy is like the rosy dawn which ushers in the day. The prophetic word is “a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19. Prophecy is as trustworthy as the dawn that kisses the hem of the sun’s robe. Moreover, were there no dawn, there would be no day; and the soft glow of the morning red prepares the eye for the brighter light, and cheers the heart that yearns for the day. It would be an easy matter to subordinate the Old Testament prophets to our Lord if we could follow the theory applied to these prophets by some modern scholars. They say that Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the other members of their class (Jer. 7:25 f.), were moved through their own spirit and uttered their own human thoughts. But this very origin of their work the Old Testament prophets themselves ascribed to the action of their rivals. Eze. 11:3, etc. Such a theory, therefore, is evidently false. Wherein Did Jesus Differ from the Prophets?
The Old Testament prophets have not ceased to asseverate that they were dominated by supernatural inspiration, and I, for my part, do not venture to contest the sound character of this claim. Notwithstanding, the claim of our Lord to be superior to the prophets is no less certain. It is perfectly clear why He never called Himself a prophet. The prophets received their commission from the supernatural sphere, but He came Himself from this sphere. Hence we may understand His words, “All things are delivered unto Me of My Father; and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” Matt. 11:27. Moses, however high the stage assigned to him in the history of God’s kingdom (Num. 12:7), was the “servant” of the Lord (verse 8). But Jesus was the “Son,” and whereas the divine grace gave the angels and the Israelites too (Ex. 4:22, etc.) the rank of sons of God, Jesus is by his inner substance Son of God. He contained an element which was not of this world. He was the “only-begotten Son” of God, and therefore He was the one who had properly seen God. John 1:18.