59. I. AS TO WORDS: "PROPHET"

further; and leads to another question: How could one man be another man's "prophet"? The answer is found in Exod. iv. 16, where God, referring to the same matter, says of Aaron, to Moses, "He shall be thy spokesman."

Here, then, we learn that the essential interpretation of the word "prophet" is spokesman. So that the prophet was one who spoke FOR God, whether by way of Exhortation, Instruction, Reproof, Warning, Correction, Reprobation, or Judgment. Foretelling was only a very small part of his duties.

There was "no prophet greater than John the Baptist" (Matt. xi. 9-11). He prophesied that Christ should baptize with pucuma hagion, but where are his prophecies, as we understand the word, to-day? Not one is recorded. But he was God's spokesman, prepared, equipped, and sent forth by God to prepare the way of the Messiah (Luke i. 13-17, 70-70).

The prophet, therefore, was essentially God's spokesman; and his sole mission was to speak only those words which were given him to speak.

In this sense Moses was the great prophet typical of the Lord Jesus. Seven times in the closing words of Exodus we find the refrain associating Moses's words and deeds with his obedience, "as the Lord commanded Moses" (Exod. xl. 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32).

Even so the Lord Jesus was "the prophet like unto Moses." Why? Not because of His foretelling future events, but because "He whom God sent speaketh the words of God" (John iii. 34. Compare John iii. 32; vii. 16, 26, 28; xv. 15, etc.).

For the same reason "prophets" were bestowed upon the Church at the beginning (Eph. iv. 11); "for (πρὸς, pros) the perfecting of the Saints with a view to (εἰς, eis) the work of the ministry for (εἰς, eis) the building up of the body of Christ." (See above, pages 53, 54.) This was the special object of the New Testament prophetic ministry (compare Eph. ii. 20. Rom. xvi. 20, "prophetic writings," 2 Pet. i. 19, "the prophetic word").

The work of these prophets was specially connected with the making known the "Mystery" or the great secret, which had been "hid in God." (See above, p. 257.)

1 In both these passages the Greek has the adjective, not the noun.

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It is a great mistake to suppose that Eph. ii. 20 refers to the Old Testament Prophets; and that the Church is built upon them! There is abundant evidence as to the New Testament order of Prophets; and that they were charged with quite a different mission, though they were God's spokesmen: Barnabas (Acts iv. 36), Stephen (Acts vi. 10, 15), Agabus (Acts xi. 28; xxi. 10), Silvanus, Silas, and Judas (Acts xv. 32), Manaen and Lucius of Cyrene (Acts xiii. 1), Timothy (1 Tim. vi. 11; 2 Tim. iii. 17), the daughters of Philip (Acts xxi. 9), and others, unnamed (Acts viii. 17; x. 41-46; xix. 6).

The Exhortations addressed to and connected with the prophets are also special. "Despise not prophesyings" shows that the word "spirit" in the preceding clause refers to the spiritual gift of prophesying (1 Thess. v. 20); and "Quench not the spirit" means, Do not stifle or suppress such spiritual gifts in others.

Examples of this prophetic power in action and teaching, etc., are seen in Acts v. 4; xiii. 2; xxi. 1-14. 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. 1 Tim. i. 18; iv. 1.

Thus, the first occurrence of the word "prophet" leads us into all this line of teaching, and shows us that the Preposition $\pi\rho\acute{o}$ (pro), before, is not used with regard to time, but to manner; not to speaking beforehand, or telling-before, but telling forth.

Moreover, we may note there was no place for the ministry of prophets till the priests had failed in their mission, which was to teach the Word of God. When the priests became absorbed in their ritual, then God raised up prophets as His spokesmen. Hence a prophet was known as a "Man of God" (see page 314 below).

2. "Hallelujah."—This Hebrew word occurs twenty-eight times, and is eleven times transliterated "Hallelujah," or, according to the Greek spelling in the New Testament, "Alleluia"; and is nineteen times translated, "Praise ye the Lord."

But our question now is to ask, Where is the first occurrence of this word? and by it to discover not merely the meaning of the word, but its significance and interpretation.