3.1 Key themes⤒🔗

• “Christ” is a title that means “Anointed One.”
• In the Old Testament, when someone became a prophet, priest, or king, he was anointed with oil.
• On the day when Jesus was baptized, he was publicly anointed with the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus is our:
  - Prophet, who reveals God’s full plan of salvation.
  - Priest, who gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins.
  - King, who has power over everything and who will come back to rule over us.

3.2 Matthew 3:16-17←⤒🔗

^16. After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.

^17. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight.'

© NET Bible

3.3 Luke 4:14-21←⤒🔗

^14. Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the surrounding countryside.

^15. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by all.

^16. Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,

^17. and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

^18. 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed,

^19. to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.'

^20. Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him.

^21. Then he began to tell them, 'Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.'

© NET Bible                    

3.4 Why the title “Christ”?←⤒🔗

A title shows a person’s position. For example, when we call someone “President,” we are saying something about his position. He is the president of a country. When we call Jesus “Christ,” we are also saying something about his position. “Christ” is not a name, like the names Jesus, John, and Peter. “Christ” is a title.

The word “Christ” means: “Anointed One.” In the Old Testament, when God gave a special task to someone, that person was anointed with oil. Oil was poured over his head and clothes. The oil was a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It showed to everyone: God has chosen this person, and God is with this person.

In the Old Testament, there were three special tasks:

1. Firstly, there was the task of being a prophet. A prophet spoke God’s Word to the people.
2. Secondly, there was the task of being a priest. A priest brought sacrifices and prayed for the people, so that God would forgive their sins.
3. Thirdly, there was the task of being a king. A king had to lead and protect the people.

Before someone became a priest or a king, he had to be anointed (Exodus 30:30; 1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Kings 19:15-16). Some prophets were also anointed, to show that God had chosen them (1 Kings 19:16).

The prophets, priests, and kings of the Old Testament were only human. They sinned and they made mistakes. All of them died. But God promised that he would send a great Prophet, Priest, and King (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Psalm 110; Isaiah 9:7).

This man would be the Messiah. The word “Messiah” is the Old Testament word for “Christ.” “Messiah” also means “Anointed One.”

3.5 When was Jesus anointed?←⤒🔗

One day Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Then Peter answered, “You are the Christ” (Matthew 16:16). Peter believed that Jesus is the Anointed One of God!

When was Jesus anointed? It was on the day of his baptism. When John baptized him, the Holy Spirit came on him like a dove, and God’s voice spoke from heaven (Matthew 3:16–17). No one needed to pour oil over Jesus’ head. He was anointed directly by God.

Before his baptism, Jesus already had the Holy Spirit. He was already busy with the things of God, his Father (Luke 2:40, Luke 2:49-52). But with his baptism, he was publicly anointed by the Holy Spirit. God showed to everyone: This is my Anointed One!

In the Old Testament, kings could not be priests. But David prophesied that a king would come after him, and that this king would also be a priest (Psalm 110). David was prophesying about Jesus. Jesus is God’s Prophet, Priest, and King – all in one!

3.6 Our Prophet←⤒🔗

In this part of the lesson, you will see how Jesus is our great Prophet, Priest, and King. Let us begin by looking at him as Prophet.

After Jesus was baptized, he started to go around and preach. In our second passage, Jesus is preaching to people in his hometown Nazareth. He tells them that Isaiah was speaking about him when he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1).

Jesus preached the good news that God’s kingdom is open for people who are poor. To be “poor” means to be humble. Instead of trusting in yourself, you trust in God’s grace and forgiveness. Jesus promised that such people will enter God’s kingdom (Matthew 5:3; Luke 8:9–14).

When Jesus spoke, the people were amazed. No one had ever spoken with such knowledge and wisdom (Matthew 7:28–29; John 7:46). This was because Jesus preached in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14). Everything he said, came from his Father (John 7:17). He is the final Prophet, who came to reveal God’s full plan of salvation (John 6:68; Hebrews 1:1–2).

3.7 Our Priest←⤒🔗

Jesus did not only preach about God’s forgiveness and salvation. He also brought God’s forgiveness and salvation.

When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Jesus did not come to bring animal sacrifices, as the priests of the Old Testament had done. He came to give himself as a sacrifice.

Jesus is the final Priest. We do not need any other priest or sacrifice. Because Jesus has taken away our sins, we can now enter God’s presence without fear. As the writer of Hebrews says, “since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings” (Hebrews 10:21-22a).

3.8 Our King←⤒🔗

In the time of the Old Testament, Zechariah had prophesied, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey…” (Zechariah 9:9, CSB).

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when he entered Jerusalem on a donkey. On that day the people shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:9). Jesus was born from the line of King David. Long ago, God had promised David that one of his sons would be king forever (2 Samuel 7:16).

With his miracles Jesus showed that he is truly king over creation. He can calm the sea. He can drive out demons and heal diseases. He has power even over death! Today he is ruling in heaven. One day he will come back, to rule on earth forever.

When you say that Jesus is “Christ,” you are saying that he is the Anointed One of God. You are saying that he is your Prophet, Priest, and King!