THE PATTERNS OF MINISTRY IN THE BIBLE

Prophets, Priests, Wise men and kings

Introduction:
There are different patterns of ministry described in the bible from Moses to King Hezekiah, who
served the Lord and stood as mediators, reformers and counselors throughout the history of
Israel. And those valuable models of ministry are even seen in the present day churches but in a
frail way. Hence the focal point of this essay is the patterns of ministry of prophets, priests, wise
men and kings of the Old Testament in the view of Jesus’ ministry with the present day church
and its ministry.

Prophet:
The origin of prophet is shrouded in mystery. There were prophets like Moses and Samuel etc.
and prophetess like Deborah in Israelites (I Sam.3: 20 Jud.4: 4). The prophets were figures of
national importance, rebuking, encouraging advising or kings and influencing the affairs of state.
Prophets were called to listen to the word of God and to speak to man. Their two-fold task was
the reception and the transmission of the revelation. They were the men to whom God confined
his plans and purposes (Amos 3:7). The scripture also portrays about false prophets and their
deeds (Jer. 23: 22). The words of the true prophet were not self-produced, were not the product
of human reflection; they did not have their source and origin in the prophet. God gives them to
him.

The prophets ministered in times of tragedy and triumph in Israel’s history. They exercised a
calling of warning and guidance, of denunciation and encouragement to people and ruler. The
prophetic ministry directed toward the people of God carried strong missionary implication.
“Whenever Israel forgot that God chose her with a view of speaking to the other nations and
turned away from them introverted pride, prophets like Amos, Jeremiah, Isaiah, lashed out at the
people’s ethnocentric pretension and changed them with undermine God’s actual intentions”.

The prophets articulate God’s redemptive outlook for the people of the world. “The prophets of
Israel grew increasingly aware that not only Israel would share in God’s acts of redemption. God
would break into restore his liberating Lordship over the entire world of the nations”. The
missionary significance of the prophets is revealed in their response to the problems for idolatry,
syncretism, and external religion.
 Idolatry: Their message is based on the second commandment: “Thou shall not make unto
thee any graven image”. During the monarchial period of Israel’s history the prophets
denounced idolatry. Reform entailed removal of idols. The prophets opposed idolatry
influences; therefore they worked to restore the missionary presence.

 Syncretism: Israel’s cultural dialogue with her neighbor degenerated into religious
compromise. The missionary drive that had dominated Israel under Moses and Joshua began
to dispel under syncretistic religion. Syncretism is the blending of two or more belief
systems. Syncretism may be defined, “as the view, which holds that there is no unique
revelation in history that there are many different ways to reach the divine reality, that all
formulation of religious truth or experience by their very nature inadequate expression of that

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 truth and that is necessary to harmony as much as possible all religious ideas and
experiences so as to create universal religion for mankind”. The people of Israel were told
not to pollute themselves with the pagan religious practices (Ex.23: 32) syncretism is
vigorously condemned by the prophet.

 External religion: The prophet denounced religion that is devoid of the fruits of the
righteousness. To know God is to practice justice (Is.1: 11-17). God condemns external
religion. External religion is hypocritical and worthless.

Most of the messages were delivered to the public- in the streets, the squares, and the gates of
cities, at the various sanctuaries, in the courts of the temple. And the prophets used the phrases
such as, ‘thus says the Lord’, ‘thus said the Lord to me’, ‘hear the word of the Lord’ as a
prophetic formula which conveys that the message is authentic and comes from the Lord. The
prophets were concerned with the future as well as with the present- and with both present and
future seen in relationship to the past.

But our understanding of prophecy comes out of the covenantal tradition of Moses. Moses was
the paradigmatic prophet, who sought to evoke in Israel an alterative consciousness. The
ministry of Moses, as G. Mendenhall and Norman Gottwald have most recently urged, represents
a radical break with the social reality of pharaoh’s Egypt. Israel can only be understood in terms
of the new call of God and his assertion of an alternative social reality.

Religiously, the gods were declared no-gods. Politically, the oppressiveness of the brickyard was
shown to be ineffective and not necessary to human community. Moses introduced not just the
new free God and not just a message of social liberation. Rather, his work came precisely at the
engagement of the religion of God’s freedom with the politics of human justice. Criticizing and
energizing characterize the alternative consciousness fashioned through Moses. The alternative
consciousness wrought by Moses also provides a model for energizing. And Energizing closely
linked to hope.

The characteristics of the prophetic ministry:

 They were concerned with the future as the outcome of the present.
 The events, which they predicted were the consequences of the moral and spiritual condition
of their contemporaries.
 The prophets predicted the advent of God in Salvation.
 The advent of God in judgment and Salvation would take place in history.
 The prophet is even more an interpreter of man, both in the individual and social aspects of
human nature. The primary ministry of the prophet is to awaken the consciousness of Israel
to the presence and power of God, and even that inner spirit of obedience, which alone gives
reality to the ritual of worship.
 More over the prophet is the interpreter of history.
 They condemned idolatry, syncretism and external religion.
 They vehemently refuted the injustice and inequality to the poor and oppressed.
 They urged the true worship to the covenant God.

Priests:

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The word “priest”, either alone or qualified by “chief" or " high”, occurs over seven hundred
times in the OT and over eighty times in the N.T. The usual Hebrew term for “priest" (kohen).
The Hebrew noun kohen means “to stand". The priest is therefore one who stands before God as
his servant or minister. In Greek iereus, is the same for "priest" and it is used exclusively
throughout the N.T. The priesthood in

Biblical thought represents Israel’s union with god. Under the Mosaic covenant the whole nation
is to be a “kingdom of priests" and hence a holy people (Exo. 19; 6, Lev 11: 44). The sanctity
required of the people for the service of God is symbolized in the priesthood, which therefore
becomes the mediator of the covenant.

In the second temple there is a hierarchy of cultic officials- high priest, priest, and Levite. These
are three distinctive orders, each having it’s own distinctive functions and privileges. The
traditional view regards this hierarchy as having been instituted by Moses during the wilderness
wanderings and as persisting virtually unchanged throughout the history of Israel. Therefore the
priesthood and covenant are closely related in Biblical thought, as the covenant people of God,
Israel is to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exd 19:5,6;Is61; 6) The covenant is made
with the whole nation, the existence of an official priesthood doesn’t exclude the rest of the
people from, their special with God. So the priesthood must maintain the holiness of God, but
unfortunately the whole nation lacks this. For, the service of God necessarily needed the state of
sanctity and purity.

The result was two fold: First, the true requirements of serving God were continually kept before
the eyes of his covenant people; and second: the covenant relationship with God was vicariously
maintained by the priesthood on behalf of the nation as a whole.

High priest:
The high priest traced his descent from Eleazer son of Aaron; the office was normally hereditary
and conferred for life (Num 3: 32). The ceremonies of the annual Day of Atonement are the most
important of the high priest duties. Only he can enter the holy of holies and sprinkle, the mercy
seat with the blood of the sin offerings for himself and his house and for the people (Lev. 16: 1-
2). The high priest is expected to share in the general duties of the priesthood (Exd 27:21) and to
office a daily meal offering (Lev 6:19-23). Because he is the spiritual head of Israel, a greater
degree of ceremonial purity is required of the high priest than of ordinary priests (Lev 21:10-1).
The names of the twelve tribes of Israel on his breast plate when he goes into the sanctuary, he
represents the people as a whole (Exo. 28: 29). He alone can enter the holy of holies and only
once a year- to make Atonement for the nation’s sin.

Ministry of High priest:

 To make Atonement to the nation.
 To perform the religious and ceremonial rites.
 To instruct the religious laws and moral values to the people.

Priest:

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Associated with the high priest are the ordinary priests, who are the cultic specialists. They are
restricted to the Levitical house of Aaron (Exo. 28:1, 41) and must be free from physical defects
(Lev. 21: 16-23). Priests were consecrated by ceremonies similar to those used for the
consecration of the High Priest, although less elaborate (Ex. 29:1-37); and only the high priest
was anointed (Lev 21: 10).

Ministry of priesthood:
 The care of the vessels of the sanctuary and the sacrificial duties of the altar; only the priest
may sacrifice (Num. 18:5, 7)
 Gives instructions and makes people to meet the requirement of God (Mal. 2: 6-7; Jer.
18:18).
 They are also a mediator between God and people.
 Priests are the custodians of medical lore and so play an important part in safeguarding the
health of the community (Lev. 13-15).
 They retain their traditional role of administrators of justice (Deut. 17: 8-9).
 It is the priests who are responsible for blowing the trumpets, which summon the people for
war or for the keeping of a feast (Num. 10:1-10).
 They bless people in the name of God (Num. 1:50).

Levites:
The third order of the hierarchy is that of the Levites. They are subordinating cultic officials,
who have charge of the lower duties of the sanctuary (Num. 1:50).

Functions:
 To assist the priests and server the congregation (Ezra 3:8-9).
 Responsible for the care of the courts and chambers of the sanctuary, the cleansing of the
sacred vessels, the preparation of the cereal offerings, and the service of praise (1 char 23:28-
32)
 Some are gate keepers (1chr. 9:19)
 Some are treasurers, chorister, and musicians (Ez. 3:10).
 Levitical priesthood is to assure, maintain, and constantly re-establish the holiness of the
elect people of God (Exo. 28: 38).

Wise men:
In Hebrew the term hokma refers to ‘wisdom’, and in Greek the word Sophia renders to the
meaning of ‘wise’. But the general term for “Wiseman” includes the ‘magicians’, ‘the
enchanters’, ‘the sorcerers’, and ‘the Chaldeans’. Moses and Aaron performed the miracles
before the presence of the pharaoh, which was unchallenged by the Egyptians magicians and
said, ‘this is the finger of God’s’ (Exo. 8:18-19).

Wiseman may mean in many things, from artisan to astrologer, from parent to philosopher. And
the Wise men are found in the royal court as well as the academy.

Professional wise men were, indeed, frequently resident in the courts of kings, and not in
Jerusalem alone but in other world capitals as well. For instance Daniel was a wise man who
exiled to Babylon, under king Nebuchadnezzar, and was exalted. Daniel could able to interpret

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the dreams of the king and gave it’s meaning.( Dan. 4 ). Another Israelite in an Egyptian court
was Joseph, who was honored and renowned for his divine insight. (Gen. 41: 33-44).

There were official advisers at the courts of Israelites kings as well, distinguished not so much by
reason of their magical powers, powers of divination and insight into the meaning of dreams (Is.
3:3), as by their political prudence, wisdom and judgment.

For instance, Ahithopel was the David’s counselor who was very famous for his magnanimous
thoughts, ‘the counsel which Ahithopel gave was as if one consulted the oracle of God’ (2 Sam.
16:23). King Solomon one of the greatest wise man in the Bible, even his wisdom has
superceded the wisdom of his time (1 kings 2:9). Hence the wise man played a vital role in the
life and religion of Israel. Most of the times, they went side by side with the prophets, by giving
wise instructions and advices. At the same time there was time even they are rebuke by the
prophet’s in the time of their wrong behavior. There is wisdom literature in the Bible, which
sprouts out due to the cessation of prophecy in Israel, to guard, to guide, to keep God
Consciousness and self-awareness to the people, e.g., Book of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.

Ministry of wise men:

 Mostly the wise men were the king’s counselors. (Ahithopel).
 Instructors to the public as well as personally to the kings. (Joseph)
 Wisdom teaching warns against the immoral life and practices (Pro. 5: 1ff)
 Gives practical guidelines to people to deal various issues in everyday life.
 Counsels, how to face the difficulties and struggles.
 Wise men engage in encountering natural environments, historical events, social relation,
political order, family affairs, daily work, religious beliefs and practices.
 Teachers, priests, prophets, and scribes are also wise men.

Kings:
Kings also played an important and unique position in the socio-political and religious aspects of
life of Israel. Israel community had changed from theocracy to monarchy right from the time of
Samuel the prophet who was asked by the people to appoint a king over them. By doing so, they
had despised and rejected the Sovereignty of Almighty God over them. King Saul was the first
king, consecrated by the Lord over Israel. The nation enjoyed its potentiality in the era of the
United Kingdom. Especially, under the rule of king David and Solomon the nation had
flourished. At this time, there was a conscious of God and requirements of the Temple for the
worship, so it was fulfilled in the reign of King Solomon.

But after the success of Solomon by his son Rehoboam, the nation suffered politically
economically and morally, which ultimately led to the division in the nation. The life and faith of
Covenant people had stained under the reign of immoral kings, for instance king Ahab,
Manasseh etc. Nevertheless it was during the reign of King Josiah “the book of the covenant”
was discovered, and there was a call from the king to all the elders of Judah, the people of
Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets- all the people from the least to the greatest - and to read
to them this "book of the covenant" (2 Kings 23:2). Then he made a solemn covenant before
Yahweh to obey it, and all the people stood to the covenant. So, perhaps for the first time, the
people of Judah and Jerusalem had for their guidance not only the case decisions of judges and

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priests, nor only the emergency warnings and predictions of prophets, but a written and
accessible document, covering in a large and liberal way the duties of their civic, social and
religious life. One of the most momentous productions of all history, the book became the
constitution of the Jewish race.

And Hezekiah, was one of the greatest of the kings of Judah who had zeal for pure worship, had
an attitude of steadfast trust in Yahweh and just domestic administration, which made him
virtually king of the remnant, made him a wise and sagacious prince over the whole realm
(Isaiah 32:1-8). However in the whole history of Israel, the people departed away morally and
religiously from the Lord God who had chosen and separated them to be his holy nation.

Conclusion:
Finally the mission and ministry of God found its fulfillment in the words and works of Jesus
Christ the Lord. The prophetic and priestly ministry of Jesus Christ has been elaborately
described in the Letter of Hebrew Chapter 7&8.The church is being challenged in various ways,
politically, socially, ethically and religiously in the pluralistic society, which is dominated, by the
corruption, injustice, social evils, moral decay, and religious lethargy. In the words of Roger E
Hedlund, the church needed its prophetic leaders. Churches in Asia need preachers of God’s
word. Stephen winward says that the eternal God was present in history, both in judgment and in
salvation, in the person and work of Jesus Christ Our Lord.

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