What is a prophet in christianity?

[squirel]

Well, as the title says.. What is a prophet? And how is a prophet for example different from non-prophets, such as apostles, priests and teachers?

[Squiggle]

A prophet is basically divinely inspired person. God speaks through them, and reveals his commands and nature to us. Apostles, preists and teachers are just regular individuals who study, follow, and spread the word of God which is already known.

[Col. Tartleton]

A prophet is basically divinely inspired person. God speaks through them, and reveals his commands and nature to us. Apostles, preists and teachers are just regular individuals who study, follow, and spread the word of God which is already known.

So you're saying Jesus was a prophet and not God?

[motiv-8]

So you're saying Jesus was a prophet and not God?

No, John (the Baptist) was the prophet, Jesus is God. Squiggle's definition of a prophet is not strictly correct, because a prophet is technically one who heralds a coming event or message. John fits this definition quite well, whereas Jesus was the message.

[Squiggle]

No, John (the Baptist) was the prophet, Jesus is God. Squiggle's definition of a prophet is not strictly correct, because a prophet is technically one who heralds a coming event or message. John fits this definition quite well, whereas Jesus was the message.

mhm I suppose I should of been more precise, theres pedantic mocking atheists in these parts.

[squirel]

ok.

I often hear that the bible was written by people inspired by God. So those people who wrote the bible, they were prophets? Since they then were divinely inspired.

thanks in advance.

[motiv-8]

ok.

I often hear that the bible was written by people inspired by God. So those people who wrote the bible, they were prophets? Since they then were divinely inspired.

thanks in advance.

Matt, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors of the Gospels were not prophets according to the religious significance accorded the word, although if you look in a secular dictionary you'll indeed find "writing or speaking by divine inspiration" as a secondary definition . The reason these are not prophesies and the authors not prophets is because they are recollections of the previous sayings, teachings, doings, and overall message of Jesus. They aren't prophesying as such, they are collecting, compiling, and sharing the word. That's why they're called Gospels, the Good News of Christ. In this The only New Testament writing that approaches prophesy as a whole is Revelation as it purports to predicts the future.

The most succinct explanation I can give in sum is that Christianity has a specific term for these men -- Apostle, from which we get the modern term missionary. Whether this word is interchangeable with "prophet".... I can't say.

[MathiasOfAthens]

Only Jesus was the Prophet, there can be no other prophet otherwise the religion would be rewritten. The founder is the prophet. Same with Islam and Muhammad. Islam considers Jesus a Prophet but not the last one. Muhammad was the last Prophet.

Christians prob consider ancient Jewish guys as prophets as well... like Issac and Noah? Is Noah a prophet?

[Squiggle]

Only Jesus was the Prophet, there can be no other prophet otherwise the religion would be rewritten. The founder is the prophet. Same with Islam and Muhammad. Islam considers Jesus a Prophet but not the last one. Muhammad was the last Prophet.

Christians prob consider ancient Jewish guys as prophets as well... like Issac and Noah? Is Noah a prophet?

Why are you posting when this is so patently false? I mean seriously, stay out of discussions of which you have less than popular culture knowledge in. Wow.

[basics]

" Well, as the title says.. What is a prophet? And how is a prophet for example different from non-prophets, such as apostles, priests and teachers? "

Squiggle,

The church as well as theologians put prophecy into two categories, that of major and minor. The major ones were usually of the sort that applied to the whole people of Israel or today the whole world, whereas the minor ones were of the sort that were for individual consumption, not necessarily to be shared by the masses.

If we consider the amount of prophecy that is in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ I think it fair to say that it comes under a major work. Firstly it was given for the church so that it might know what the end would be, yet it is clouded in such a way that many have tried and failed to interpret it properly if only because they have not the gift of interpretation.

Indeed most that call themselves churches haven't a clue as to its importance and therefore put it down to another case of poetic mythology where it then never plays any part of the life of that particular church. Because it brings a completion to the Gospel story that itself should make it of the major category.

So where does that leave the prophets within the ecclesia? For the most part I believe that their manifestations are for the group they belong to and not for the outside world, why? Because I believe that the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ gave us all the major events that have happened and are still to happen thus closing the book on this particular creation.

The rule of thumb given by the word of God is that a prophecy, if of Him, will come true and those that don't are not of Him. Does that mean that the world is devoid of prophets whose tellings are wrong, that they don't happen? Of course not for anyone can hear or read of people having premonitions that come true but I can't see them uttering " Here is the word of the Lord."

The difference being that prophecy from God always points to Jesus Christ or points the hearers to Jesus Christ. Perhaps it is that premonitions themselves are another sign that Paul talks of when he calls on men and women to look around if they want to know God exists. One thing for sure is that people accept these things as somewhat normal yet when it comes to the real thing, why that is another matter.

[Col. Tartleton]

" Well, as the title says.. What is a prophet? And how is a prophet for example different from non-prophets, such as apostles, priests and teachers? "

Squiggle,

The church as well as theologians put prophecy into two categories, that of major and minor. The major ones were usually of the sort that applied to the whole people of Israel or today the whole world, whereas the minor ones were of the sort that were for individual consumption, not necessarily to be shared by the masses.

If we consider the amount of prophecy that is in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ I think it fair to say that it comes under a major work. Firstly it was given for the church so that it might know what the end would be, yet it is clouded in such a way that many have tried and failed to interpret it properly if only because they have not the gift of interpretation.

Indeed most that call themselves churches haven't a clue as to its importance and therefore put it down to another case of poetic mythology where it then never plays any part of the life of that particular church. Because it brings a completion to the Gospel story that itself should make it of the major category.

So where does that leave the prophets within the ecclesia? For the most part I believe that their manifestations are for the group they belong to and not for the outside world, why? Because I believe that the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ gave us all the major events that have happened and are still to happen thus closing the book on this particular creation.

The rule of thumb given by the word of God is that a prophecy, if of Him, will come true and those that don't are not of Him. Does that mean that the world is devoid of prophets whose tellings are wrong, that they don't happen? Of course not for anyone can hear or read of people having premonitions that come true but I can't see them uttering " Here is the word of the Lord."

The difference being that prophecy from God always points to Jesus Christ or points the hearers to Jesus Christ. Perhaps it is that premonitions themselves are another sign that Paul talks of when he calls on men and women to look around if they want to know God exists. One thing for sure is that people accept these things as somewhat normal yet when it comes to the real thing, why that is another matter.

If you're so skeptical of false prophecy why did you decide Christianity had any base to it? Belief in God is understandable if not evident, but why Christ? As other's have said before, while belief or disbelief in God can be reached through proper reasoning the belief in Prophets and Religions is much shakier.

Why do you believe in Christ instead of Zoroaster? The reason is because you were told to. Why do you celebrate Christmas by going to Mass instead of sprinkling the blood of a sacrificial bull on Yule? The reason? Jesus was an outlier. Whether or not he was in fact a prophet he managed to be accepted and he became the standard. All religions are now compared to Christianity. There are some fundamentalists who claim that other religions ripped off Christianity because they're similar. There are some scholars who think that Christianity is a rip off of numerous "pagan" religions. Christianity is the ruler by which religions are measured. But the point remains that going on a hunch with your only hard "evidence" being democratic approval you're in for a rough time.

[Squiggle]

If you're so skeptical of false prophecy why did you decide Christianity had any base to it? Belief in God is understandable if not evident, but why Christ? As other's have said before, while belief or disbelief in God can be reached through proper reasoning the belief in Prophets and Religions is much shakier.

Theres actually plenty of historical evidence to validate Christianity's claims, which is why I'm a Christian. Though basics is a Calvanist, so hes not going to get you any rational answer.

[Helm]

In the Christian context they foretold the coming of the Messiah and once the Messiah arrived there was no longer any need for them, Joesph Smith aside.