Threefold office

The doctrine states that Jesus Christ performed three functions (or "offices") in his earthly ministry – those of prophet,[1] priest,[2] and king.

While the office of king is that most closely associated with the Messiah, the role of Jesus as priest, which involves intercession before God, is also prominent in the New Testament, being most fully explained in chapters 7 to 10 of the Book of Hebrews.

[6] The entry in the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology claims that Christian theologians view all the other roles of Christ as falling under one of these three distinctions.

In traditional Christianity (the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican Church, Oriental Orthodox, and Assyrian Churches), it is believed that a priest, having received the Sacrament of Holy Orders through the laying on of hands, shares the one priesthood of Christ, and thus it is only priests (and their superiors in Holy Orders, the bishops) who can offer the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

Christ, exalted High Priest, mediates the sin that estranges humankind from the fellowship of God.

The Heidelberg Catechism interprets the title "Christ" in terms of the threefold office, in Lord's Day 12, Question and Answer 31: Q.

Because he has been ordained by God the Father The Westminster Shorter Catechism explains the role of Christ as redeemer in terms of the threefold office: Q.

(b) The priestly office (munus sacerdotale) consists of the satisfaction made for the sins of the world by the death on the cross, and in the continued intercession of the exalted Savior for his people (redemptio et intercessio sacerdotalis).

(c) The kingly office (munus regium), whereby Christ founded his kingdom, defends his church against all enemies, and rules all things in heaven and on earth.

The theologians who followed Luther and Melanchthon down to the middle of the seventeenth century treat Christ's saving work under the two heads of king and priest.

[citation needed] The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Jesus fulfilled the messianic hope of Israel in his threefold office of priest, prophet, and king.