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Matthew: The Chief Gospel  /  Genealogy Gems: Unearthing Christ's Lineage (Matthew Chapter 1)  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 2
David Bercot argues that “Christ/Messiah” would have immediately communicated three offices (king, high priest, and prophet/teacher) through the Old Testament pattern of anointing; where do you see modern Christians shrinking that title to something less demanding or less comprehensive, and what gets lost when we do?
Another way to ask: If “Christ/Messiah” pointed to Jesus as king, high priest, and prophet/teacher, how do Christians today reduce that title to something smaller? What do we lose when we do that?

Direct Answer The transcript suggests modern Christians often treat “Christ” as just part of Jesus’ name or only as “king,” but early Christians heard it as a full threefold calling—King, High Priest, and prophetic Teacher—so shrinking it weakens what we expect Jesus to do and what we must submit to.

Support from Transcript:

  • Bercot notes many Christians know “Christ is not His last name,” yet still “don’t give a lot of thought beyond that.”
  • He says many stop at “Christ or Messiah means the anointed one…about as far as my biblical knowledge went.”
  • For Jews, first thought was king: “Jewish kings were called by that name…Samuel…anointed Saul…David.”
  • Early Christians saw more: priesthood—“Moses inaugurated the priesthood…anointed Aaron with oil.”
  • Also prophet/teacher: Elijah “anointed” Elisha; and Isaiah 61:1—“The Lord has anointed me to preach…,” fulfilled by Jesus as a “prophetic teacher.”
Discussion Follow-ups If Jesus is High Priest and Teacher as well as King, how should that reshape how we think about forgiveness, holiness, and obedience to His teaching?

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