Article 17

Concerning the office of Christ, and the specific reason for His coming into the world, we confess: that Christ is the true promised Prophet, High Priest, and King, whom Moses and all the prophets foretold and proclaimed, and to whom the former priests and kings pointed as figures and shadows. And the specific reason for His coming into the world was: to destroy the works of the devil, to seek what was lost, to deliver the whole human race from the captivity of sin and the power of the devil, and to reconcile them with God His Father, and so to save sinners.

According to His prophetic office He went out from God, and came into the world to proclaim to men, through the Gospel, the full counsel and will of God, which had been hidden from the beginning of the world, and so to preach deliverance to the captives, the Gospel to the poor, and the acceptable year of the Lord. According to this, as the last declaration and will of God, all the children of the New Covenant are required to live and walk, according to a perfect rule of faith, which shall stand until the end of the world.

According to His office as High Priest He fulfilled and changed the Levitical priesthood; and by His one offering made on the cross He opened the closed entrance to the Holy of holies; and through this His one offering, which is of eternal value, He fulfilled and finished the sacrifice of the law, and obtained an eternal redemption. And so, reconciling mankind with the Father, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, and has become the believers' only Advocate, Mediator, High Priest, and Intercessor with God His Father, and lives forever to make intercession for them.

And according to His office as King He came from heaven with full power from His almighty Father, to re-establish, as a mighty King of kings and commander of the people, judgment and righteousness on earth; and He was the end and fulfillment of all kings of Israel. But since His kingdom was not of this world, and He was a spiritual, heavenly King, He avoided all the earthly kingdoms of this world, and desired and had only a spiritual, heavenly kingdom. Among His subjects He reformed, improved and fulfilled the commandments, laws, and customs given by Moses. As a commanding King He dissuaded His followers from all revenge and forbade it to them, whether in word or in deed; [and taught them] that they should beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into scythes and sickles, and should learn war no more; but that, on the contrary, following the example of Christ, their Captain, they should love their enemies, and pray for those who injure and persecute them, very far indeed from allowing them to wage war against their enemies with carnal weapons. But Christ armed His people only with the armor of God, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, with which to fight against flesh and blood, the world, sin, and the many schemes of the devil, and so at last to receive, through grace, from this eternal King, the crown of everlasting life, as their recompense and exceedingly great reward.

How Christ is the prophet promised by God, whom we must hear and follow as the perfect teacher of the will of God, read: "The Lord your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me; to him you shall listen." Deuteronomy 18, verse 15; Acts 7, verse 37; Acts 3, verse 22; Matthew 17, verse 5.

"We also have a more sure word of prophecy; to which you do well that you take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place." Second Peter 1, verse 19.

"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his Son," and so on. Hebrews 1, verses 1 and 2.

Of His prophecies, read: Matthew 24 throughout; Luke 17, verse 20; Luke 19, verses 41 to 44.

Of His priestly office, read: "And having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith," and so on. Hebrews 10, verses 21 and 22.

"For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also of the law." Hebrews 7, verse 12; Hebrews 8, verse 6; Hebrews 10, verse 12.

"But Christ having come a high priest of good things to come," and so on. Hebrews 9, verse 11.

Of His preaching, read: Matthew 9, verse 35; Mark 1, verse 14; Matthew 5, verse 2; Matthew 11, verse 1; Luke 4, verse 15.

Of His office as King, read: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your King comes to you," and so on. Zechariah 9, verse 9; Matthew 21, verse 5.

"Behold, the days come, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." Jeremiah 23, verse 5; Jeremiah 33, verse 15; Isaiah 32, verse 1.

"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." John 1, verse 49; Acts 10, verse 36; Second Corinthians 4, verse 5; Philippians 2, verse 11.

Of His spiritual kingdom and dominion, read: "And the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1, verses 32 and 33.

"For he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Revelation 17, verse 14.

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood," and so on. First Peter 2, verse 9; Exodus 19, verse 6; Revelation 5, verse 10; John 18, verses 36 and 37; Psalm 22, verse 28.

Of His government, read: "Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people." Isaiah 55, verse 4.

"There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy," and so on. James 4, verse 12; First Corinthians 9, verse 21; Matthew 12, verse 8; Matthew 28, verse 20; James 1, verse 25.