Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest & King ...

Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest & King 

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© Copyright The Order of New Knighthood 2012. Biblical quotations are excerpts from the New Jerusalem Bible 1985, 

Copyright © Darton, Longman, Todd Ltd., & Doubleday, a Division of Random House Inc., printed with permission.


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THE DIVINE RIGHTS OF 

JESUS CHRIST 

Part 3 

JESUS (‘Yahweh Saves’) 

CHRIST (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), 

HEAD OF ALL CREATION, 

PROPHET (‘Light of the Nations’), 

SOVEREIGN PRIEST, 

‘LORD of lords and KING of kings’, 

OVER ALL NATIONS!: 

PRIMACY, RIGHTS, PREROGATIVES 

(the full text will be available when Internet copyright is accorded) 

Peter J. Rafferty 

© Copyright The Order of New Knighthood 

of Our Lord and His Holy Mother, May 2012 

(www.orderofnewknighthood.com) 

(Biblical quotations are excerpts from the New Jerusalem Bible, 

Copyright © 1985 by Darton, Longman, Todd Ltd., and 

Doubleday, a Division of Random House Inc. Reprinted with permission) 

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CONTENTS: 


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1. Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest and King. 

2. God, ‘Yahweh’, ‘Great King’, the ‘Holy One’ of Israel. 

3. The Original Primacy of Adam -- King, Priest and Prophet. 

4. The Mystery of Melchizedek -- King, Priest and Prophet. 

5. The Deuteronomic Code – God’s Government for His People. 

6. The Epiphany: Adoration by the Magi of the Infant King, Priest and Prophet. 

7. The Messiah’s Baptism -- Anointed Prophet, Priest and King by the Holy Spirit. 

8. The Transfiguration -- The Father, Moses (the ‘Law’) and Elijah (the ‘Prophets’). 

9. Jesus Foretells His Death, Resurrection and Glorification. 

10. Jesus, Messiah-Priest -- Institution of the Eucharist and Conferral of the Kingdom. 

11. The Trials of Jesus, Messiah, Prophet, Priest and King. 

12. The Absolute Primacy of Christ. 

13. Jesus’ Trial by the Spiritual Power – Trial of His Prophethood and PRIESTHOOD. 

14. Jesus’ Trial by the Temporal Power – Trial of His Prophethood and KINGSHIP. 

15. The Crucifixion, the Sacrifice, Ultimate Trial of the Messiah, Perfect Prophet, Priest, King and Victim. 

16. The Resurrection -- From Great Conquest to Great Mandate. 

17. Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, Demonstrates and Teaches the Principal Functions of Spiritual 

and Temporal Governance. 

18. Conclusions: The Primacy of Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest and King: Divine 

Rights and Prerogatives. 

19. The Divine Rights of Jesus Christ – Summary. 

20. All Baptised Christians Share in the Prophetic, Priestly and Kingly Offices of Jesus Christ. 

Bibliography. 

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1. JESUS CHRIST, HEAD OF ALL CREATION, PROPHET, PRIEST and KING. 

A Journey of Discovery. 

The Prophethood, Priesthood and Kingship of Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’) are known 

to us through Scripture, the history of Christendom, and Catholic Church liturgy and teachings. They are 

also known through understanding Jesus Christ Himself, the Head of All Creation, in his three principal 

offices, his Prophethood, his Priesthood and his Kingship … at least as mere creatures are able. 

In today’s world as a whole, however, they are not well known. The secular world and its governing 

institutions no longer listen to Jesus Christ the Prophet, the ‘Light of the World (Nations)’. And it has 

deposed Jesus Christ, ‘Lord of lords and King of kings’. Furthermore, it continues to rebel against Jesus 

Christ, the Eternal Great High Priest. 

As Head of All Creation, Jesus Christ the Priest is the head of the spiritual pillar of governance in his 

kingdom in this world, through the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that he founded. This part, at 

least, is relatively clear. 

As Head of All Creation, Jesus Christ the King is also head of the temporal (*) pillar of governance in his 

kingdom in this world, through authentic representatives (?), governments and institutions who govern in his 

Spirit. This part, however, is far from straightforward. (* temporal: secular, of worldly affairs as opposed to 

spiritual) 

So what of those governments and institutions who have failed him, who have deposed and rejected him? 

To this question, this book addresses a fresh look. 

These fundamentals truths, largely set aside by today’s secular world as a whole, are very important for the 

new world that is about to dawn for mankind. Hence the study in this book. 

A decade ago prophethood, priesthood and kingship had no significance for this pilgrim. Neither the 

prophethood, priesthood and kingship of Jesus Christ. Nor the prophethood, priesthood and kingship that all 

Christians receive in Baptism … including himself. 

However, on a mountain not far from La Salette in France in December 1998, Jesus seized him in a powerful 

encounter, asking: ‘What have you done to save souls for me?’ The real journey began there. The fire, once 

imparted by Jesus, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest and King, never leaves you; it fires one with a flame 

of divine life and zeal! 

Having survived a serious scrape with cancer in 2001 (the doctor had said ‘If you live long enough it will kill 

you!’) the pilgrim consecrated the remainder of his life to God -- to the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and 

to Mary and St. Joseph, but especially to Jesus Christ. But what did Jesus want of him? So, in 2003, he quit 

the world (and Australia), to live in a semi-monastic environment (in Ireland), in order to walk with God, and 

St. Joseph, and to find out how to answer the call … to save souls … starting with his own. 

On many occasions, between 2004 and 2007, the Holy Spirit brought ‘prophethood, priesthood and kingship’ 

to his attention -- in a few Mass readings, in Scripture and Breviary readings, and in various other 

encounters with those strange words. And the Holy Spirit kept them frequently before him in long hours of 

prayer and Adoration. What did those mysterious words mean? A Catholic for over half a century, he could 

never recall ever having heard a Catholic Priest give a homily or even a whisper of an explanation on these 

three words. It must be complex and deep, he thought; it would probably need a wise Catholic monk or 

theologian to explain them. 

So, during a visit to France he sought out a couple of such theologians he knew of; but both were 

unavailable. So he consulted a priest in a thriving Paris Church, ‘Ah, yes’, the priest answered, 

‘prophethood, priesthood and kingship: we priests all get that when we are ordained, a share of the 

prophethood, priesthood and kingship of Jesus Christ.’ Yes, priests at Ordination receive a Ministerial share 

of the prophethood, priesthood and kingship of Jesus Christ. Praise God that it is so! The pilgrim then 

asked, ‘But what about the laity?’ … The answer was negative … already showing on his countenance … it 

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seemed that priests were given it, but not the laity! Undeterred, the pilgrim trusted the Holy Spirit’s leadings 

… and kept searching. The rule is always: never give up! 

Two days later, attending another Mass, in the crypt of St. Sulpice in Paris, the celebrating priest gave a 

short homily on the royal dignity of the Baptised children of God. ‘Ah, did you hear that!; that’s interesting; 

perhaps this priest can help’, he thought. Sure enough, after Mass, the priest explained in a few words, ‘It’s 

quite simple really, and it’s all in the Catechism and the Council (Vatican II) documents. All Christians 

receive this in Baptism. Come and see me on Sunday after Mass at Rue du Bac (where Our Lady had 

appeared to St. Catherine Labouré in 1830) and I’ll give you a copy of the Baptismal ritual; it’s in the ritual …’ 

And so it is. And he gave me a copy of the Ritual used for Baptism. The pilgrim had not even thought of 

looking in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) … a little embarrassing … n’est ce pas? Thank you 

very much, Father Jean-Yves. 

So the pilgrim scoured the Catechism and Vatican Two documents: yes, it’s certainly there, in an essential 

form. The concepts are named, but insufficiently explained. So he kept searching elsewhere: there’s more 

here and there, even on the internet. And some of our Protestant brethren seem to have a better 

understanding of it than ourselves. Then the Holy Spirit took over. … 

Dear readers, it’s all about Jesus Christ. The answer lies in properly understanding the Headship, 

Prophethood, Priesthood and Kingship of Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), the 

Divine Prophet (‘Light of the Nations’), the Divine Great High Priest (see the Letter to the Hebrews), 

and the Divine King, ‘Lord of lords and King of kings’ (Rev 17:14). 

And it was Bishop Fulton Sheen’s remarkable ‘Life of Christ’, lent to me by Fr. Kevin Smith, which also 

helped considerably in the search. Thank you very much Bishop Fulton Sheen, and thank you too, once 

again, Father Kevin. 

One passage in Bishop Fulton Sheen’s chapter on Jesus’ Religious Trial is of particular significance: 

‘It was Christ the Prophet, therefore, Who was on trial before Caiaphas; it would be Christ the King Who 

would be on trial before Pilate; and it would be Christ the Priest who would be disowned on the Cross as He 

offered His life in sacrifice. In each instance, there would be mockery of His office. …’ (Bishop Fulton 

Sheen, ‘Life of Christ’, Image / Doubleday, 1977, p. 335). Here was inspired understanding from an eminent 

Catholic Bishop. 

Indeed, Bishop Sheen’s book provides luminous insights on Jesus Christ, Prophet, Priest and King, and 

these helped to illuminate the path for even further meditations, leading to even deeper understandings 

given by the Holy Spirit on Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest and King. 

And so this present work, walking in the footsteps of Bishop Sheen’s reflections, and proceeding beyond 

them, investigates two primordial relationships: 

- the first, between the Prophethood-PRIESTHOOD of Jesus Christ, the Head of All Creation, and 

humankind’s spiritual pillar of governance. 

- the second, between the Prophethood-KINGSHIP of Jesus Christ, the Head of All Creation, and 

humankind’s temporal pillar of governance. 

And even as the draft of this book was being finished, the Holy Spirit continued inspiring more 

understandings of this very important dual spiritual-temporal governance structure for humanity. This is 

vital for the Christian laity, and the Catholic Church, for both the spiritual and temporal worlds, in the New 

Evangelisation, in the coming new era of our time. 

Christians cannot adequately understand the Divine Rights of Jesus Christ, so important for the 

future, unless we properly and profoundly understand Jesus Christ, the God-man, in his Headship of 

All Creation, as Prophet, Priest and King, and the meanings of these three offices in spiritual and 

temporal governance of our world. 

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And among his divine rights, he has the right to intervene in the course of human history. And apparently, 

from reading the ‘signs of the times’, it seems that he would be about to do so, and apparently quite soon 

too. This book sketches out the canvas of the Headship, Prophethood, Priesthood and Kingship of Jesus 

Christ, and the two fundamental relationships given above. Further insights are given in the following work, 

The Divine Rights of Jesus Christ Part 4: The Davidic Covenant (and subsequent works). 

The next step will then be to understand the prophethood, priesthood and kingship of the Baptised Christian 

laity, and their implications for Catholic action in the world in the New Evangelisation. However, only by first 

knowing Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest and King, can we, the Christian laity, properly 

know who we are, what is our share in his triple office, what are our responsibilities, and what we are called 

to do. We are called to radically change this world. The prophethood, priesthood and kingship of the 

Christian laity is another fascinating subject, which will be discussed in a following work. 

To all the Knights, Oblates, Servants and Friends of the Order, and Priest advisors, for spiritual and temporal 

encouragement, support and help, thank you all very much. 

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2. GOD, ‘YAHWEH’, ‘GREAT KING’, THE ‘HOLY ONE’ OF ISRAEL: 

The Triune Nature of God: 

The Pilgrim 

God, in his very nature, is triune, ‘Three in One and One in Three’, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

St. Patrick ‘immortalised’ the trèfle (Fr.), ‘three foil’, clover, the Irish shamrock, by using it to explain the 

Blessed Trinity. 

The Bible, especially the Old Testament, is replete with, among many others, verses, exclamations, praises 

and proclamations that God is All Mighty, All Holy and All Knowing (Omniscient). These are three 

fundamental attributes of the Triune Godhead, in the Three Persons, throughout the entire universe, in the 

invisible and the visible worlds (see also The Divine Rights of Jesus Christ, Parts 1 & 2). 

In that God is All Mighty, Creator, Great King over all heaven and earth, and that his creation is to 

recognise this as such, we already begin to perceive the office of his Kingship. In the beginning, God 

gave man ‘dominion’, that is, he established him in ‘kingship’ over the earth: … ‘God said, ‘Let us make 

man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of … all … God blessed them, 

saying to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. .’.’ (Gen 1:26-28) 

In that God is Holy, Thrice Holy, and that his creation is to recognise this as such, we already begin to 

perceive the office of his Priesthood. His holiness is more than just one divine attribute among others: it 

characterises God himself, the very essence, eternal being and mystery of God. And in the beginning, God 

established man in ‘priesthood’: ‘Thus heaven and earth were completed in all their array. On the seventh 

day God had completed the work he had been doing. He rested on the seventh day after all the work he had 

been doing. God blessed the seventh day and made it Holy, because on that day he rested after all his work 

of creating.’ (Gen 2:1-3). ‘Be Holy, for I, Yahweh your God, am Holy. … And you will keep my Sabbaths; I 

am Yahweh your God.’ (Leviticus, 19:2,3). 

In that God is Omni-Present and All-Knowing, and that his creation is to acknowledge this as such, 

we already begin to perceive the office of his Prophethood. For God is Eternal Light -- not just visible light, 

but indeed divine knowledge -- Truth, Love and Wisdom … and the Word of God, the Bible, is the testimony 

of these treasures. 

‘Priesthood’ and ‘Kingship’ are the twin pillars of governance that God ordained for the governance of 

mankind, in his spiritual and temporal orders respectively. Prophethood illuminates, with the Word, the 

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Truth and the teachings of God, both the ‘Priesthood’ and the ‘Kingship’ governance pillars, in mankind’s 

spiritual and temporal orders respectively. 

Jesus Christ is Head of All Creation: 

These three primary offices, so to speak, of the Triune God extend over all creation through the Second 

Person of the Divine Trinity, the very Word and Revelation of God, Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s 

Anointed One’), who is both God and man through the hypostatic union. Indeed, these three offices are 

explicitly manifested in Jesus Christ … ‘for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.’ (Col 1:19) 

In his Absolute Primacy, ‘Headship’, over the entire created universe, Jesus Christ, in his three primary 

offices, is Prophet (‘Teacher of Humanity’), Great High Priest, and ‘Lord of lords and King of kings.’ 

Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, God and man, one person with two natures, is ONE BEING – he is not a 

composite of three separate entities. Starting from his absolute primacy, and following key events in his life 

-- Birth, Baptism, Public Ministry, Transfiguration, Trials (both religious and civil), Passion, Crucifixion, 

Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost -- this present work brings into clear focus the triple offices unified 

in the Messiah-ship of Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), that is, his three principal 

functions in his messianic mission, his Prophethood, his Priesthood and his Kingship in his mission 

to mankind. 

However, while Jesus Christ has three distinct primary offices -- Prophethood, Priesthood and Kingship -- 

they are nevertheless completely united, and operate in unity, in a single God-man person (in worldly 

language one might say ‘Jesus Christ wears three hats’). Furthermore, Jesus Christ, as St. Paul teaches, 

cannot be divided. 

These three primary offices of Jesus Christ -- Prophethood, Priesthood and Kingship -- extend and reign 

over both humankind’s spiritual order (’priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) and temporal order (civil, 

secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’). 

Jesus Christ, as Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest and King, is head of the spiritual world and the 

spiritual order, as Great Divine God-man High Priest, in Heaven and on earth. Hence he is Head of the 

entire spiritual world and mankind’s spiritual order on earth, and hence he is head of the Church he founded. 

In this, however, he does not cease to be Prophet or King. From Jesus Christ, as Head, but primarily in his 

office of Great High Priest, spiritual authority and governance flow down to mankind’s spiritual order 

(‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’), to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that he founded. 

Complementing his Priesthood, Jesus Christ, in his Prophethood, is the ‘Light of the World’, ‘the Way, Truth 

and Life’, for mankind’s spiritual order (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’). 

Jesus Christ, as Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest and King, is also head of the temporal world and the 

temporal order, as Great Divine God-man King, in Heaven and on earth. Hence he is Head of the material 

world of the universe and mankind’s temporal order on earth, and hence he is ‘King of kings’ (Rev 17:14), 

and ‘ruler of kings on earth’ (Rev 1:5). In this, however, he does not cease to be Prophet or Priest. From 

Jesus Christ, as Head, but primarily in his office of Great Divine King, temporal authority and governance 

flow down to mankind’s temporal order (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’), to 

mankind’s governing structures and institutions. Complementing his Kingship, Jesus Christ, in his 

Prophethood, is again the ‘Light of the World’, ‘the Way, Truth and Life’, for mankind’s temporal order (civil, 

secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’). 

‘Priesthood’ and ‘Kingship’ are the twin pillars of governance , whereas ‘Prophethood’ is the office which 

illuminates and guides both. 

This is fundamental for understanding the twin-pillared Divine Plan for governance of mankind’s 

spiritual and temporal orders. It is also fundamental for understanding the great mystery of the 

perpetuity of the Davidic Covenant, the Messianic Covenant, and its forthcoming fulfilment in the 

temporal order (which is discussed in The Divine Rights of Jesus Christ, Part 4: The Davidic Covenant, A 

Seven Year Walk With St. Joseph). It is also fundamental for understanding the great mandate and the 

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fulfilment of the divine mission of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, to the end of time 

(which is discussed in The Divine Rights of Jesus Christ, Part 5: The Great Mandate). 

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3. THE ORIGINAL PRIMACY OF ADAM -- King, Priest and Prophet: 

In the beginning, God -- the Divine Trinity -- created Adam in his own image and likeness. In the image of 

His Only Eternally Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Adam was created with original integrity, in his three 

principal functions of kingship, priesthood and prophethood (teacher). 

God gave Adam dominion -- kingship -- over the earth and all that it contained (Gen 1:26-31). Thus 

Adam was established in dominion (domain) and kingship, the three principal functions of which are 

legislating, ruling and judging (i.e., correcting) in the temporal domain. 

On the completion of Creation, on the seventh day, God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because 

on that day he rested after all his work of creating (Gen 2:1-3). Thus Adam was also established in holiness 

and priesthood, the three principal functions of which are sanctifying, teaching and governing in the 

spiritual domain. 

Adam was also established in prophethood, that is, to transmit and teach all that God had given to him -- 

original knowledge and wisdom -- as head of the human race. 

And thus Adam, as head of the human race, and his wife Eve, were established in the divine order as son 

and daughter of God respectively, with Adam established in headship, and kingship, priesthood and 

prophethood. But they disobeyed God and fell, losing original holiness and integrity, losing headship and its 

three offices. And thus began, much later, the long road of redemption. 

‘Wounded by sin and immersed in sense-life, human nature was no longer sufficiently attuned to the 

invisible government of God. Hence the wound had to be healed by the Humanity of Christ, by which 

Christ made satisfaction for man's sins. It was necessary also that He should assume a visible nature in 

order that, by a visible government, man should be brought into contact with the invisible.’ St. Thomas 

Aquinas, ‘De Veritate’). 

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4. THE MYSTERY OF MELCHIZEDEK -- KING, PRIEST and PROPHET: 

Melchizedek – King of Justice / Righteousness (from the Hebrew words melek = king and tsaddiq = 

justice, righteousness). 

After the Fall of Adam, humanity degenerated until Yahweh’s intervention through the great deluge, the Flood, 

which reduced humankind to a mere surviving remnant. The book of Genesis relates the story of this surviving 

remnant, of Noah and his wife, and their three sons, Shem, Ham and Japhet, and their families. 

With the call of Abram (Abraham; in about 1850 B.C.), his son Isaac, and his son Jacob, and his twelve sons 

who fathered the twelve tribes of Israel, Yahweh began the great saga of his chosen people, the Israelites. In 

Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek, Yahweh pre-figuratively manifested again, in Melchizedek, the triple 

functions of sonship originally conferred upon Adam -- kingship, priesthood and prophethood -- that were to 

be restored to redeemed humanity. Melchizedek, who appears mysteriously in Genesis (ch. 14) and turns up 

again in King David’s Psalm (109)110, is a pre-figuration of Jesus Christ the Messiah. It is the Letter to the 

Hebrews which explains Christ’s priesthood, in terms of the order of Melchizedek, the order of original integrity 

given to Adam. But there is more. 

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“When Abram returned from defeating Chedor-Laomer and the kings who had been on his side, the king of 

Sodom came to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, that is, the Valley of the King (about a quarter of a mile from 

Jerusalem). Melchizedek, King of Salem, brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High; he 

pronounced the blessing: Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be 

God Most High for putting your enemies into your clutches. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” (Gen 

14:17-19) 

Bread and wine were symbols of the Old Testament covenant after the Flood. Melchizedek’s offering of bread 

and wine in thanksgiving to Yahweh for the rescue by Abram of his relative Lot, who had been captured by 

raiding kings, is seen as a pre-figuration of the Passover Sacrifice of Christ at the Last Supper and the 

institution of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. And so indeed it is. 

The mysterious Melchizedek, having no history or genealogy in Scripture, was a manifestation of the 

Kingship, Holiness (‘Priesthood’) and Omniscience (‘all knowing-ness’, c.f., ‘Prophethood’) of Yahweh. 

Melchizedek -- King, Priest and Prophet -- bore the triple functions, dignities, responsibilities and 

authorities of king, priest and prophet that had originally been given to Adam in his state of original 

integrity. Furthermore, Melchizedek -- king, priest and prophet -- was a pre-figuration of Jesus Christ, the 

Eternal Son of the Father, who was yet to make his appearance in history among humankind, as the 

Messiah, the perfect King, Priest and Prophet. 

Yahweh later began restoration of kingship, priesthood and prophethood through Moses and Aaron, and 

later again through the authentic anointed kingship, priesthood and prophethood of King David (1010-970 

B.C.). This failed at the end of the reign of Solomon (970-930 B.C.), and continued sporadically in his 

descendants … with only two fully faithful kings, Hezekiah (716-687 B.C.) and Josiah (640-609 B.C.), in a 

thousand years. 

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11. THE TRIALS OF JESUS CHRIST, MESSIAH, PROPHET, PRIEST and KING: 

A Overview of What Took Place in the Divine Order: 

The dual pillars that bear the responsibilities for governance of God’s people – mankind -- on planet earth, 

are spiritual (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) and temporal (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’ ‘nation’, 

‘international community’). Both pillars are informed and enlightened by the prophetic function, the teaching 

function that illuminates both pillars with supernatural Truth. The Commandments and teachings of Jesus 

Christ, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest and King, are for both mankind’s spiritual and temporal domains. 

Supernatural enlightenment is also given by the Holy Spirit to both mankind’s spiritual and temporal 

domains. Furthermore, in the governance of God’s people, the spiritual order and the temporal order are 

called to cooperate, to work together, to mutually enlighten each other. 

Twenty centuries ago, Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’) redeemed both mankind’s spiritual 

and temporal orders, through being falsely tried, judged, condemned and put to death by mankind’s 

degenerate spiritual and temporal orders, which were both in need of redemption. And, through Jesus’ 

sufferings, trials and sacrifice, this is what happened. 

The spiritual authority and powers (religious, the Sanhedrin) and temporal (civil, the Roman authority) tried 

and judged Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’). And Jesus, the Messiah, Prophet, 

Priest and King, through his sacrifice and resurrection, conquered and redeemed mankind not only 

individually but also collectively. He redeemed mankind in all his institutions and for all time -- in the 

spiritual order (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) and the temporal order (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, 

‘nation’, ‘international community’) in their governments and institutions of peoples and nations. 

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Jesus, in his trials, sufferings and crucifixion, took obedience to his Father’s Will to the ultimate, delivering 

himself up without resistance to inhuman and unjust powers, both religious and civil, ‘achieving through all 

his sufferings the experience of obedience’ (Heb 5:8), making of his death the most precious sacrifice to God 

his heavenly Father, that of obedience (Heb 10:5-10; c.f., 1 Sam 15:22). 

In the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ trial by the spiritual order or religious power (by Caiaphas, the High 

Priest; the Jewish elders; the Sanhedrin), we must realise that Jesus acted as Head of the spiritual order, 

not only as Priest but also as Prophet. Therefore, Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), not 

only Priest but also Prophet (teacher), overcame his trial through his resurrection, thereby redeeming 

mankind’s spiritual order, mankind’s priesthood, and the teaching magisterium of the spiritual order. 

In the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ trial by the temporal order or civil power (by Pilate, the Roman 

Governor), we must realise that Jesus acted as Head of the temporal order, not only as King but also as 

Prophet. Therefore, Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), not only King but also Prophet 

(teacher), overcame his trial through his resurrection, thereby redeeming mankind’s temporal order, 

mankind’s kingship (civil government leadership) and the teaching magisterium of the temporal order. 

Prior to examining these two trials more closely and the significance of their redemptive functions, it is 

necessary to take a closer look at Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), in his Headship, i.e., 

in his Primacy, as Prophet, Priest and King. 

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12. THE ABSOLUTE PRIMACY OF CHRIST -- HEAD OF ALL CREATION: 

(some Bible quotations in this section are from RSV, NRSV) … 

Conclusion: Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, has absolute sovereignty -- as King, Priest and 

Prophet (Teacher of Humanity) -- and is the ruler of the order, history and destiny of the universe. 

This makes it much easier to understand what really took place during Jesus’ trials by the spiritual and 

temporal powers of the time. 

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13. JESUS’ TRIAL BY THE SPIRITUAL POWER -- TRIAL OF HIS PROPHETHOOD and 

PRIESTHOOD. 

Jesus, Messiah, Prophet-Priest, Redeemed the Spiritual Teaching Magisterium and Priesthood 

through Trial of his Prophethood and Priesthood. 

Synopsis: Jesus Christ, Son of God, Messiah, Prophet and Priest: 

Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), Son of God, the Messiah, Prophet and Priest, was 

unjustly tried, judged, condemned and put to death by the spiritual authority (the High Priest; the 

Jewish elders; the Sanhedrin) of the time; Jesus, in his Prophethood and Priesthood, in taking on the 

sins of the spiritual authority and power (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘spiritual teaching magisterium’, 

‘temple’, Sanhedrin), redeemed the spiritual authority and power (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘spiritual 

teaching magisterium’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) of peoples and nations, for all time. 

In Jesus’ trial by the spiritual authority, there is interplay of both his Priesthood and Prophethood as 

Caiaphas, the High Priest, the Jewish elders and the Sanhedrin, the spiritual authority of the day, judged and 

condemned Jesus, Messiah, Prophet and Great High Priest. 

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The Gospels relate various preludes in his public life, ministry and teachings, and the tension of the gradual 

build-up to Jesus’ arrest, trial and condemnation. This chapter relates some of the important ones. 

Jesus Redeemed the Spiritual Pillar of Governance: 

Caiaphas, the High Priest, in collaboration with Jewish elders and the Sanhedrin, had obtained what 

he wanted. The religious authority, the spiritual pillar of governance of the day, had falsely tried, 

judged and condemned Jesus, their long-foretold Messiah King-Priest, to death. The spiritual pillar 

of governance was in need of redemption. 

Jesus affirmed both his Divinity and his humanity. He gave testimony of being at the right hand of God, from 

whence He will come again on the last day. In prophesying that he would sit at the right hand of the Father, 

he implied that he would resurrect and ascend into heaven. In prophesying an immanent return, in a 

‘second coming’, it would be his turn to weigh up the scales of judgement upon the reception that mankind 

had given him in his ‘first coming’. In prophesying his victory and glorification, he was confirming Psalm 

(109)110, wherein is foretold the exaltation of the Son of God after his humiliation, when He will make His 

enemies His footstool, as David, King and prophet, had already prophesied, Psalm (109)110, and as the 

prophet Daniel had more clearly foretold (Dan 7:13-14). 

In the hour when the greatest indignities were heaped upon him during his trial, in the face of the incredulity, 

apostasy and injustice of the Jewish religious authority, the spiritual pillar of governance of the day, Jesus 

testified to his Divinity. He proclaimed the Truth, his triumph, his reign, and the fact that He would come to 

judge the world. He allowed his glory to shine latently forth, to be properly comprehended in the light of his 

resurrection. 

It was about midnight when the religious trial ended. The high priest rendered his decision that Jesus, the 

Son of God, was guilty of blasphemy. In also rending his robes, Caiaphas the High priest was not only 

rending the vestments of his very own priesthood, but in fact he was putting an end to the priesthood of the 

Levites and Aaron itself, and opening the way to the new priesthood of Jesus Christ, prefigured in 

Melchizedek. The following day, when Jesus gave up his spirit on the cross, the veil of the Temple would be 

rent by the hands of God himself, from top to bottom, untouched by human hands, de-consecrating the 

Temple. 

The unjust trial and false condemnation was wrought by the hands of a degenerate spiritual pillar of 

governance in need of redemption. Jesus, the Son of God, Eternal Divinity, the ‘Light of the world’, ‘the Way, 

the Truth and Life’, was condemned to death. The Eternal High Priest was condemned to death by the one 

who was High Priest for but a year. Caiaphas the High Priest had said that it was better for one man to die 

rather than that the Romans would completely subjugate the nation. Yet it would be the very refusal by the 

spiritual pillar of governance to accept him as its Messiah that would bring upon them the destruction of 

Jerusalem and the Jewish nation by Roman armies in 70 A.D., as Jesus has prophesied. 

Through being falsely tried and unjustly condemned to death by the spiritual pillar of governance of 

the time (‘High Priest’; Sanhedrin), Jesus, Messiah, Prophet and Priest, Lamb of God, perfect victim 

in his perfect Paschal Sacrifice on the cross, through his Resurrection conquered and redeemed the 

world’s spiritual pillar of governance and institutions (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’), for 

all time! 

Conclusions: 

Jesus, Son of God, (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), Messiah, Prophet and Priest, was 

unjustly judged by the spiritual authority (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) of his people; the 

Lamb of God allowed himself to be led to the sacrifice in order to redeem the spiritual pillar of 

governance (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’), authority and power of peoples and nations, 

for all time. 

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Through being falsely tried and condemned by the spiritual pillar of governance and the spiritual 

teaching magisterium of the time (the Sanhedrin), Jesus, Messiah, Prophet and Priest, through his 

resurrection conquered and redeemed the world’s spiritual pillar of governance and teaching 

magisterium, and established the TRUTH, in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church and her 

institutions, for all time! 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

Once the Sanhedrin, the spiritual pillar of governance, had pronounced Jesus guilty, next it would be 

the turn of the Roman Empire, the temporal pillar of governance. 

The Sanhedrin then delivered Jesus over to Pilate, the Roman Governor, being that the Roman government 

reserved for itself alone the right to put condemned persons to death, and in the belief that Pilate would do 

so with relatively little hesitation. The prophecy that Jesus would be delivered up to the Gentiles was now to 

be fulfilled. Caiaphas, in instigating the decision to put Jesus to death out of purported fear of the Romans, 

was actually preparing the ultimate destruction of the Temple and the Jewish nation. And as the Jewish 

elders and people gave Jesus up to the Roman power, so too were they later given up to the Roman power 

in the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple, as happened in 70 A.D., for ‘not one stone was 

left upon another’, as Jesus had prophesied. 

Therefore, early on the day of the Passover, ‘First thing in the morning, the chief priests, together with the 

elders and scribes and the rest of the Sanhedrin, had their plan ready. They had Jesus bound and took him 

away and handed him over to Pilate.’ (Mark 15:1-5). 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

14. JESUS’ TRIAL BY THE TEMPORAL POWER: TRIAL OF HIS PROPHETHOOD and KINGSHIP. 

Jesus, Messiah, Prophet-King, Redeemed the ‘Temporal Teaching Magisterium’ and the Temporal 

Leadership – Kingship -- through Trial of his Prophethood and Kingship. 

Synopsis: Jesus Christ, Son of God, Messiah, King-Prophet: 

Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), Son of God, the Messiah, Prophet and 

King, was unjustly tried, judged, condemned and put to death by the temporal power (civil, secular, 

‘temporal teaching magisterium’, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) of his time. Jesus, 

in his Kingship and Prophethood, in taking on the sins of the temporal power (civil, secular, 

‘temporal teaching magisterium’, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) redeemed the 

temporal authority and power (civil, secular, ‘temporal teaching magisterium’, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, 

‘international community’) of peoples and nations, for all time. 

In Jesus’ trial by the temporal authority, there is interplay of both his Priesthood and Kingship as Pilate, 

the Roman Governor, under pressure from Caiaphas, the High Priest, the Jewish elders, the Sanhedrin (the 

spiritual authority of the day) and the crowd, falsely judged and condemned Jesus, the Messiah, Prophet and 

King. 

The Gospels relate various preludes in his public life, ministry and teachings, and the tension of the gradual 

build-up to Jesus’ arrest, trial and condemnation. This chapter relates some of the important ones. 

Jesus Redeemed the Temporal Pillar of Governance: 

The religious trial by the spiritual authority, the Jewish chief priests, elders and the Sanhedrin, had 

mystically focussed on Jesus Christ, Son of God, Messiah, Prophet and Priest, though not for the chief 

priests, elders and the Sanhedrin. For the chief priests, elders and the Sanhedrin, the charge that emerged 

during the religious trial was that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, Son of God. The chief priests, elders and 

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the Sanhedrin considered this inadmissible and blasphemous, deserving the death penalty: Truth was 

judged by the error of the spiritual authority of the time as being false. The ‘spiritual teaching magisterium’ 

and authority were in need of redemption. 

The civil trial by the temporal authority, Pilate the Roman Governor, had mystically focussed on 

Jesus Christ, Son of God, Messiah, Prophet and King, though not for the temporal authority. For Pilate, 

the charge that emerged during the civil trial was that Jesus claimed to be a King, the Messiah, Son of God, 

a spiritual king, of a spiritual kingdom. Pilate dismissed this reality, this Truth, because he considered it 

irrelevant, as having no consequence, for him officially and personally, and on behalf of the temporal 

authority, the Roman Empire. Pilate chose expedient injustice over inconvenient justice: Truth was judged 

by the error of the temporal authority of the time as being false. The ‘temporal teaching magisterium’ and 

authority were in need of redemption. 

The erring spiritual power of the day, the Sanhedrin, succeeded in imposing its false and unjust judgement 

through the temporal power of the day, Pilate the Roman Governor. Pilate, ignorant of the spiritual Truth 

and realities, unable and disinclined to comprehend the Truth, lax and unjust as a judge, weak in the use of 

his authority and power to maintain order, failed in his duty to protect an innocent victim by carrying out right 

judgement. 

Pilate had sought to reassure himself that Jesus’ assertion of kingship and kingdom was no threat to the 

political situation of Roman occupancy, and no threat to his own situation because his enemies, among both 

Jews and Gentiles, would testify against him and denounce him to Rome (Caesar). Jesus, acknowledging 

his Messiah-ship of a spiritual kingdom, had penetrated Pilate’s conscience sufficiently with the explanation 

of the Truth that his kingdom was a spiritual kingdom, not a temporal political earthly kingdom, and hence 

was no threat to his situation and Roman authority and power. 

Pilate flaunted his power to release or condemn Jesus. And Jesus, the Prophet (Teacher of Humanity), 

Head of both the ‘spiritual teaching magisterium’ and the ‘temporal teaching magisterium’, 

enlightened Pilate that power comes not from Caesar but from God. This was Jesus’ intervention before the 

‘temporal teaching magisterium’. Whether kings, governors or rulers know it or not, all earthly authority and 

power comes from God and is given from on high. While Pilate was unaware of it, nevertheless Caiaphas 

certainly was. If Jesus was innocent, Pilate had no authority to condemn him. If Jesus was guilty, Pilate 

had no power to release him. In his errant judgement, Pilate, the judging magistrate, was found (judged) to 

be at fault. The temporal ‘teaching magisterium’ and power were in need of redemption. 

Pilate, the Roman Governor, through laxity, lack of integrity, lack of proper use of authority, and an 

unjust trial, failed to uphold justice, yielding to the unjust judgement of the spiritual power, Caiaphas, 

the High Priest, in collaboration with Jewish elders and the Sanhedrin. The civil authority, the 

temporal pillar of governance of the day, had falsely tried, judged and condemned Jesus, the longforetold 

Messiah-King, to death. The temporal pillar of governance and its ‘teaching magisterium’ 

were in need of redemption. 

And here is another mystery in the redemption: the apparent relationship between the Gentiles and the 

kingship of Christ: it is seen in the visit of the Magi, who were Gentiles, at his birth, when they had come to 

do homage to the newborn King of the Jews; it is seen in the imperial edict of Caesar that mobilised people 

throughout the whole Roman Empire in order to fulfil the prophecy of Micah that the Messiah would be born 

in Bethlehem; and it is seen in the fact that the civil trial by the temporal power, the Roman Governor, 

centred upon Jesus’ kingship. 

Conclusions: 

Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), Messiah, Prophet and King, was unjustly 

judged by the temporal (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) authority and 

power of His people; the Lamb of God was allowing himself to be led to the sacrifice in order to 

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redeem the temporal (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) authority and 

power of governments and institutions of peoples and nations, for all time. 

Through being falsely tried and condemned to death by the temporal power of the time (the Roman 

Governor), Jesus, Messiah, Prophet and King, through his Resurrection conquered and redeemed 

the world’s temporal institutions (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’), for 

all time! 

Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), Messiah, Prophet and King, ‘Lord of lords 

and King of kings’, was unjustly judged by Pilate, the Roman governor, the temporal (civil, secular, 

‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) power of his people: Jesus, in his Kingship, in 

taking on the sins of the temporal (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) 

authority and power, came to redeem the temporal (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international 

community’) authority and power of the governments and institutions of peoples and nations. 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

15. THE CRUCIFIXION, THE SACRIFICE: THE ULTIMATE TRIAL OF THE MESSIAH, PERFECT 

PROPHET, PRIEST, KING and VICTIM. 

Synopsis: 

Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), Head of All Creation, the Messiah, 

Prophet-Priest-King, Redeemed Everything Through His Sacrifice on the Cross. He was fully present 

and totally in command on the Cross, in all three of his triple functions of Prophet, Priest and King, 

also simultaneously in himself the Perfect Victim Lamb of God Victim for the redemption of the sins 

of humanity, individually and collectively. 

Jesus himself taught the mystery of suffering and self-sacrifice, that by dying to oneself, that it is through 

losing and indeed sacrificing one’s life that one saves it, one gains salvation. Now Jesus, Perfect Lamb of 

God Victim would himself do what he had taught, and accomplish what he had come to do. 

They then took charge of Jesus and led him -- ‘like a lamb to the slaughter’ (Is 53:7) -- carrying his own 

cross, out to the Place of the Skull or, as it is called in Hebrew, ‘Golgotha’, where they crucified him with two 

others on either side, Jesus being in the middle. Pilate wrote out a notice and had it fixed to the cross; it ran 

‘Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.’ This notice was read by many of the Jews, because the place 

where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the writing was in Hebrew, Latin and Greek, addressing the 

principal cities of the world, Jerusalem, Rome and Athens. So the Jewish chief priests said to Pilate, ‘You 

should not write “King of the Jews”, but that the man said, “I am King of the Jews”.’' Pilate answered, ‘What I 

have written, I have written.’ (John 19:19-22) 

In the ritual for purification from contagious skin diseases in the book of Leviticus (Lev 14:10-18), the 

Levitical priest offered a lamb as a sacrifice of reparation … and sprinkled the person being purified seven 

times with oil … As Jesus made reparation for humanity on the Cross, he pronounced his immortal seven 

last holy words of redemption upon humanity … as representatives of humanity spoke seven last words to 

him … 

The ‘Seven Last Words’ Spoken by Jesus from the Cross: … 

Seven Last Words Spoken to Jesus on the Cross: … 

The Trial of Jesus’ Kingship-Priesthood: the Messiah King-Priest Victim on the Cross, before God 

and the World: 

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Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. He was not from the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe. Jesus never claimed 

the title of priest, because this was a specific function reserved to members of the tribe of Levi, the Levites -- 

the Levitical priesthood. 

Obedient to his Father’s will, Jesus the perfect Eternal Great High Priest, came to perfect the priesthood of 

Melchizedek. Rejected by the Levitical priesthood, he was to offer himself, the Lamb of God, the Perfect 

Victim, and his Most Precious Blood, for the expiation of the sins of the people, for the whole of mankind. At 

the end of his public ministry, he was to sacrifice himself as the true Paschal Lamb, on the Cross, on the very 

day of the Jewish Passover, at the very same hour as the traditional paschal lamb was sacrificed in the 

Temple by the Levitical priesthood. Jesus, the Divine Great High Priest was to replace the Old Testament 

Covenant and the old sacrifice of the old Law with the New Covenant and the New Sacrifice. 

…. 

It would be appropriate to study and meditate on the Psalms, prophecies and Scriptures concerning Jesus’ 

redemptive mission and sacrifice. This in itself merits a separate study. 

Conclusion: 

Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), the HEAD OF ALL CREATION, the Godman 

Messiah, despite atrocious physical and moral suffering, was fully present and totally in 

command on the Cross, in all three of his triple functions of PROPHET, PRIEST and KING. He was 

also, and especially, simultaneously in himself the Perfect Victim Lamb of God, who allowed himself 

to be led, ‘led like a lamb to the slaughter’, to the pre-ordained sacrifice, in order to redeem the sins 

of humanity, individually and collectively, in all his structures and institutions. 

Jesus (‘God Saves’), Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), the Lamb of God Victim, thus redeemed all of 

humanity, in his spiritual order (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) and his temporal order 

(civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’), thereby redeeming both mankind’s 

spiritual and temporal governance pillars, for all peoples and nations, for all time. 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

16. THE RESURRECTION: FROM GREAT CONQUEST TO GREAT MANDATE. 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

17. JESUS CHRIST, THE HEAD OF ALL CREATION, DEMONSTRATES and TEACHES THE 

PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONS OF SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL GOVERNANCE: PROPHETHOOD, 

PRIESTHOOD and KINGSHIP. 

JESUS CHRIST’s PROPHETIC OFFICE: 

Jesus Christ, both God and man, Head of All Creation, divine Prophet, the Word and Revelation of 

God, ‘The Light of the World’, ‘The Way, Truth and Life’, is Mankind’s Teacher of absolute divine 

Truth, for both the spiritual domain (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) and the temporal 

domain (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’): … 

- his coming was foretold by the Holy Spirit through the prophets; 

- he became incarnate through the power of the Holy Spirit; 

- he was anointed by the Holy Spirit at his Baptism and during his mission to mankind; ‘Light of the 

world …’ 

- he brought the Holy Spirit to mankind in his preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God. 

- with the Father, he sent the Holy Spirit upon the Church and mankind on the day of Pentecost 

to continue his work. 

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The three principal functions of PROPHETHOOD, in both mankind’s spiritual and temporal pillars of 

governance, are: 

● to speak and proclaim the Word of God … as revealed by the Holy Spirit … God speaks through 

his prophets; … the revealed Word does not reduce itself to mere words but it is Life; it is 

accompanied by a symbolic participation in that action of Yahweh which accomplishes what it 

proclaims; 

● to teach and preach the divinely revealed supernatural Word and Law of God, as revealed and 

taught by Jesus Christ, ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’, the Teacher of Humanity, and his One, 

Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the authentic ‘spiritual teaching magisterium’; 

● to speak out, intercede, console, counsel, exhort, admonish, denounce, condemn (errors) … 

for God’s people, individually and / or collectively, for organisations and institutions, for governments 

and nations / kingdoms, when they neglect or reject God’s Law or stray from his path, ‘to the right or 

the left’; prophets (teachers) have a duty to counsel … admonish … etc. …kings, leaders … etc.; it is 

their prerogative and duty to declare whether actions undertaken are such as God wishes, e.g., 

whether an action or policy etc. fits into the plan of salvation history. 

The prophetic call is a divine call: God has the entire initiative and dominates the person of the prophet; the 

prophetic charism is a charism of revelation, which makes known to a person what they could not have 

known through their own efforts; it always leads to a mission, the instrument of which is the mouth, pen, 

mind, actions … etc. of the person. 

(Compiled from various sources, e.g., Dictionary of Biblical Theology, ed. Xavier Léon-Dufour, Geoffrey 

Chapman / Cassel, London, 1984, Prophet, p. 468ff.) 

JESUS CHRIST’s PRIESTLY OFFICE: 

Jesus Christ, both God and man, Head of All Creation, prophet and Sovereign Priest over mankind’s 

spiritual domain (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) is … 

- Divine Sanctifier: his sanctification is mankind’s sanctification. 

- Divine Teacher: his Truth and Teachings are mankind’s truth and teachings. 

- Divine Governor: his spiritual reign and government is mankind’s spiritual reign and government. 

These are the fundamental principles for right governance in his Spirit for the spiritual order (‘priesthood’, 

‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’), for the authentic representatives, in the spiritual order, of Jesus Christ, 

Sovereign Priest, his One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that he founded (Lumen Gentium, #19-21) 

The three principle functions of PRIESTHOOD, in mankind’s spiritual pillar of governance, are: 

● to sanctify – the offering of sacrifice, i.e., Holy Mass / Eucharist, for worship, homage and 

atonement; includes sacrificial atonement for man’s sins (Mass / Holy Eucharist); the Sacraments 

(including forgiveness of sins); all the Church’s treasures of the Sacramental life; spiritual and 

physical healing (… ‘the sick are cured, the deaf hear, the blind see, the lame walk, the demons are 

cast out …’ ). 

● to teach - the Gospel of Jesus Christ, ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’, the Laws of God and the 

Church, in both the spiritual and temporal domains; 

● to govern - the ‘power of the keys’ in the spiritual domain, with ‘direct’ powers ‘of binding and 

loosing’, over the spiritual domain, and ‘indirect’ powers over the temporal domain. 

These three principle functions of PRIESTHOOD officially characterise -- in the Sacrament of Order 

(Ordination of Bishops and Priests), Canon Law and Church teachings -- the fundamental roles and 

responsibilities of Bishops and Priests of the Roman Catholic Church. In his first article on the priesthood of 

Christ in the Summa, St. Thomas Aquinas establishes the fact that priesthood is essentially the work of 

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mediation, i.e., (1) the bestowing of divine gifts on the people and (2) the offering of the people’s prayers to 

God and the satisfying for their sins (ST 3a, 22.1). 

JESUS CHRIST’s KINGLY OFFICE: 

Jesus Christ, both God and man, Head of All Creation, prophet and King, ‘King of kings’, over 

mankind’s temporal domain (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’), is … 

- Divine Lawgiver: his Law is mankind’s Law. 

- Divine Ruler: his reign (government) is mankind’s government. 

- Divine Judge: his judgement is mankind’s judgement. 

These are the fundamental principles for right governance in his Spirit in the temporal order (civil, secular, 

‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) for the authentic representatives, in the temporal order, of 

Jesus Christ, Universal King, ‘Lord of lords and King of kings.’ (Quas Primas, 1925). 

The three principle functions of KINGSHIP, in mankind’s temporal governance, are: 

● to legislate, to make laws, regulations etc.; 

● to rule / govern, the executive function of secular governments; 

● to judge, to rectify and correct, the corrective judiciary function; 

These three principle functions of KINGSHIP, i.e., governance and leadership, are evident in the Old 

Testament (especially in the authentic anointed kingships of King David and the faithful kings …),and in 

authentic anointed Christian kingship manifested throughout the era of Christendom, from the anointing of 

Clovis (496 A.D.) to Louis XVI (1775-1793), and other authentically anointed kings. 

Magisterial teachings on these principal functions of governance have also been addressed in various 

Encyclicals by the Popes since even before the French Revolution (1789-1793) (see The Divine Rights of 

Jesus Christ Part 5: The Great Mandate). The source of these principal functions of temporal governance -- 

which is in the divine Kingship of Jesus Christ the King -- are especially given in Quas Primas, the 

Encyclical of Pope Pius XI, on the Universal Kingship of Jesus Christ (December 1925), and related 

Encyclicals. 

THE PRIMACY OF OFFICE: Prophethood, OR Priesthood, OR Kingship? 

God, in his very nature, is triune, ‘Three in One and One in Three’, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

And the Son, Jesus (‘God Saves’), Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), Head of All Creation, is triune in his three 

primary offices as Prophet, Priest and King. 

Jesus Christ is glorified in a host of titles and prerogatives, their meanings all the subject of our holy awe … 

‘Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace’ (Is 9:6), ‘Suffering Servant’ (Is 52:13- 

53:12), ‘Lamb of God’ (John 1:29) … and many more. 

In spiritual and temporal governance over mankind, however, it is the three primary offices of Jesus Christ’s 

Headship of All Creation -- Prophet, Priest and King -- which take precedence, in which all others subsist 

and are subsumed, including the Divine Victimhood, which manifests itself in all three. On the Cross of 

Calvary Jesus (‘God Saves’) Christ (‘God’s Anointed One’), Head of All Creation, was simultaneously and 

inseparably Prophet, Priest and King, as well as Perfect Lamb of God Victim. 

Jesus Christ is Head of All Creation, in both the spiritual and the temporal orders. And so he is Head of 

humankind’s spiritual and temporal pillars of governance, in all three of his offices. 

As Head of humankind’s spiritual pillar of governance, however, he is head as PRIEST, in fact Eternal 

Great High Priest (Hebrews), and while still one in being as Prophet, Priest and King, he has primacy as 

PRIEST; in fact it is as PRIEST and Prophet, … and Kingship is not absent. 

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And the Baptismal share of Christians in Jesus Christ’s Priesthood has been evident in the spiritual 

domain in the heroic lives of an untold multitude of holy Catholic religious men and women, saints, martyrs, 

priests and ‘princes’ of the Catholic Church throughout the centuries. 

As Head of humankind’s temporal pillar of governance, however, he is head as KING, in fact ‘Lord of 

lords and King of kings’, and while still one in being as Prophet, Priest and King, he has primacy as KING; 

in fact it is as KING and Prophet, … and Priesthood is not absent. 

And the Baptismal share of Christians in Jesus Christ’s Kingship has been evident in the temporal domain 

in the heroic lives of an untold multitude of holy Catholic lay men and women, saints, martyrs, leaders, 

soldier-apostles, knights, princes and kings of Christendom throughout the centuries. 

This primacy of one of the three offices, whether of Prophet, or Priest, or King, can now be better 

understood, as given in the above statements of the primary functions of each office, as given in the 

testimony of Biblical, spiritual and temporal history, and as confirmed in Catholic Church teachings. And this 

divinely ordained phenomenon manifests itself in both men and women, and in both the spiritual and 

temporal orders. Praise God! 

When the current world’s errant temporal order (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) 

and the kingdom of the Prince of this world are swept away in the coming purification of the earth, by 

cataclysmic encounter and divine fire, the new temporal order (‘new order’, ‘new kingdoms’, ‘new kings’) will 

gladly embrace and implement divine teachings for the new temporal order of Jesus Christ, Head of All 

Creation, the God-man Prophet-King, who is the ‘Light of the nations’ (John 8:12), ‘the Way, the Truth and 

Life’ (John 14:6). 

The Prophet Daniel, to Nebuchadnezzar: 

‘God Most High rules over human sovereignty and confers it on whom he pleases.’ This is proclaimed 

four times in 3 pages of the book of Daniel, in the episode of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:14, 22, 29; 5:21). 

When the current world’s wayward spiritual order (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) and the kingdom 

of the Prince of this world are swept away in the coming purification of the earth, by cataclysmic encounter 

and divine fire, the new spiritual order (‘new order’, ‘renewed church’, ‘renewed priesthood’) will gladly 

embrace and implement divine teachings for the new spiritual order of Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, the 

God-man Prophet-Priest, who is the ‘Light of the nations’ (John 8:12), ‘the Way, the Truth and Life’ (John 

14:6). 

JESUS CHRIST, KING OF ALL NATIONS, IS COMING, SOON, IN HIS EUCHARISTIC REIGN. 

ALLELUIA! 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

18. CONCLUSIONS: THE PRIMACY OF JESUS CHRIST, HEAD OF ALL CREATION, PROPHET, 

PRIEST AND KING: DIVINE RIGHTS and PREROGATIVES. 

JESUS (‘Yahweh Saves’) CHRIST (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), HAS DIVINE PRIMACY, RIGHTS AND 

PREROGATIVES OVER MAN AND HIS SOCIAL, GOVERNMENTAL AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS, IN 

BOTH THE SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL DOMAINS: 

In his life and teachings, passion and death, resurrection and ascension, Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) 

Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), Messiah, Perfect King, Priest and Prophet, and Perfect Lamb of 

God Victim in a perfect sacrifice, redeemed mankind -- individually and collectively -- in his fallen 

kingship, priesthood and prophethood. Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’) 

conquered (overcame) and redeemed mankind and his social, governmental and political 

institutions: 

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- PERFECT GOD-Man PROPHET, Light of the world, Teacher of humanity, ‘the Way, the Truth 

and the Life’, by submitting to being conquered, he fulfilled all that the Scriptures had 

foretold of him, including details of his passion and crucifixion; he manifested his divine 

Prophethood, and Word of God himself, was the Revelation of God; he fulfilled the prophets 

and prolonged his prophethood to the end of time; in all this he fulfilled all that has to do with 

prophethood, revelation, and knowledge for the proclamation and transmission of the Truth; 

and he redeemed everything that has to do with the knowledge and propagation of his divine 

Truth. 

- PERFECT GOD-Man PRIEST, he offered himself, the Lamb of God and Perfect God-Man 

Victim, in the new Paschal Sacrifice, the New and Eternal Covenant, to atone to his Father 

and redeem fallen humanity with his own Blood; by submitting to being conquered, he 

manifested his divine Priesthood and divine Victimhood, fulfilled the Law of priesthood and 

sacrifice of Israel, perfected all that has to do with priesthood and sacrifice, and prolonged 

his Priesthood and his Sacrifice to the end of time; in all this he fulfilled and perfected all that 

has to do with priesthood and sacrifice, in both the spiritual and temporal domains; and he 

redeemed everything that has to do with spiritual (‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) authority, 

power and governance of religious and ecclesiastical institutions. 

- PERFECT GOD-Man KING, he overcame (conquered) all enemies in Love and Truth by 

submitting to being conquered; in his resurrection he conquered everything, including 

death; he manifested his divine Kingship, fulfilled the Law, perfected the kingship of Israel, 

and prolonged his divine Kingship to the end of time; in all this he fulfilled and perfected all 

that has to do with kingship and governance, in both the spiritual and the temporal domains; 

and he redeemed everything that has to do with temporal (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, 

‘international community’) authority, power and governance of all social, governmental and 

political institutions. 

- Before his final word on the Cross, ‘Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit’ (Luke 23:46), his 

last words -- the final proclamation of the God-man Messiah -- was: ‘It (i.e., the Redemption) is 

accomplished.’ (John 19:30). Yes, the Redemption was accomplished in the spirit; but for twenty 

centuries here below Jesus Christ, the Lord of History, has been leading mankind though its 

accomplishment on earth in the temporal domain, among humankind, in his society, and in all his 

governments and institutions. 

Jesus Christ, the God-Man Messiah, perfect Prophet, Priest and King, not only redeemed the human 

race individually but he also redeemed it collectively, this is to say, religiously, socially and 

politically, in its religious, social and political institutions, and in its religious, social and political 

behaviour and governance. 

From the religious trial that he endured at the hands of the High Priest, the Sanhedrin and the Jewish 

elders, and the civil trial that he endured at the hands of Pilate the Roman Governor, under pressure 

from the Jewish elders and the crowd, it is evident that Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s 

Anointed One’), Prophet, Priest and King, redeemed humankind in both its SPIRITUAL and 

TEMPORAL dominions and governance, namely in the triple functions -- exercised by those to 

whom it is delegated to exercise it -- of PROPHETHOOD, PRIESTHOOD AND KINGSHIP IN BOTH 

THE SPIRITUAL AND THE TEMPORAL DOMAINS (discussion of ‘interior’ and ‘exterior’, ‘universal’ / 

‘common’ and ‘ministerial’ priesthood in the spiritual and temporal domains is to be covered in a later work). 

The ABSOLUTE PRIMACY of Jesus Christ, Son of God, God and man, Perfect Prophet, Priest and 

King, as Head of the Human race, and Redeemer of humanity individually and collectively, in the 

social and the political domains, in both THE SPIRITUAL AND THE TEMPORAL DOMAINS, explicitly 

establishes the nature and scope of his Primacy, Divine Rights and Prerogatives over all humankind 

and over all of his activities. 

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This is a fundamental radical conclusion for understanding his great divine mandate given just prior 

to his Ascension -- ‘Go and teach all nations …’ (see The Divine Rights of Jesus Christ Part 5: The 

Great Divine Mandate). It is also a fundamental radical conclusion for understanding -- and being 

aware in advance -- of the nature and scope of his imminent intervention in human affairs -- 

spiritually and temporally, individually and collectively, religiously, socially, economically and 

politically, in religious, social, economic and political institutions, and in mankind’s religious, social, 

economic and political behaviour and governance (read mis-behaviour and mis-governance). 

Amen. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus, God-Man Prophet, Priest and King, ‘Lord of lords and King of 

kings’. 

1. The first absolutely fundamental foundational conclusion of the PRIMACY, RIGHTS AND 

PREROGATIVES of Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), Prophet, Priest and 

King, is His Headship of the spiritual order, and the fundamental applicability of the social doctrine 

and teachings of mankind’s authority in the spiritual order, the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic 

Church, in its direct authority and power over the spiritual domain and its indirect authority and 

power over the temporal domain. 

2. The second absolutely fundamental foundational conclusion of the PRIMACY, RIGHTS AND 

PREROGATIVES of Jesus (‘Yahweh Saves’) Christ (‘Yahweh’s Anointed One’), Prophet, Priest and 

King, is His Headship of the temporal order, and that the temporal authority and power, which comes 

from Almighty God, is directly responsible, within its jurisdiction, before Almighty God, for the 

common good and welfare, and also for the eternal salvation of those under its care; this includes 

individuals and families, societies and institutions, commerce and industry, government and political 

organisations, and national and international institutions alike, without exception. 

(These aspects are examined further in Divine Rights of Jesus Christ Part 5 – The Great Divine 

Mandate). 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

19. THE DIVINE RIGHTS OF JESUS CHRIST – SUMMARY: 

Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, has Absolute Sovereignty -- as King, Priest and Prophet 

(Teacher of Humanity) -- and is the ruler of the order, history and destiny of the universe. 

Sovereignty belongs to God. Governments in both the spiritual and the temporal orders have the duty to 

love, obey, serve and render homage to God, He who created and sustains us all; and according to his will; 

and to teach, uphold and implement the Truth; and to bring about peace, happiness and prosperity 

(‘common good’) in this world; and, through holy civil institutions that uphold the TRUTH, to raise up souls to 

Eternal Life; and for the spiritual and the temporal orders to collaborate with each other; and to work for the 

kingdom of God on earth, and the coming of the New Jerusalem. 

Jesus Christ has Divine Rights over mankind’s governing institutions, in both the spiritual and the temporal 

domains: 

1. He is GOD, Second Person of the Divine Trinity, Supreme Lord over everything, visible and 

invisible. 

2. He is CREATOR and SUSTAINER of all creation, especially mankind, created in his image and 

likeness (Gen 1:26), which belongs to him, and whose last end is meant to be eternal life with him; mankind 

owes him fidelity, obedience and homage, in both spiritual (‘priesthood’, ‘religion’, ‘temple’, ‘church’) and 

temporal domains (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’). 

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3. He is REDEEMER -- ‘the Way, Truth and Life’ (John 14:6), ‘Light of the World’, and there is no other! 

-- of mankind, restoring him from his fallen state to being ‘children of God’, opening the way to eternal life. 

4. He, ‘FIRST-BORN’ of the Father, is INHERITOR and HEAD of All Creation; hence he is Prophet, 

Sovereign Priest and Universal King over mankind’s spiritual and temporal domains. 

5. He is LOVE -- Infinite, Everlasting, Faithful, Sustaining, Merciful Love; mankind’s spiritual (‘religion’, 

‘temple’, ‘church’) and temporal domains (civil, secular, ‘city’, ‘state’, ‘nation’, ‘international community’) owe 

him faithful LOVE in return. 

6. He is a FAITHFUL God who keeps his PROMISES to peoples, societies, states, nations, the 

international community, for loving fidelity to his Commandments and Covenants, in both spiritual and 

temporal domains, and bestows blessings of peace and prosperity in this life and eternal felicity in the next. 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

20. ALL BAPTISED CHRISTIANS SHARE IN THE PROPHETIC, PRIESTLY AND KINGLY OFFICES 

OF JESUS CHRIST: 

Christians, through anointing by the Holy Spirit in Baptism, share in the prophetic (including teaching), 

priestly (the ‘common’ or ‘universal’ priesthood) and royal (i.e., kingly) offices of Jesus Christ. They are 

called to be “living stones” to be “built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5), 

“a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that [they] may declare the 

wonderful deeds of him who called [them] out of darkness into his marvellous light” (Ex 19:5,6; 1 

Peter 2:9). Christians are called to fulfil the mission which God has entrusted to the Catholic Church 

to fulfil in the world, in accord with the condition proper to each one. (Canon Law 1983, Canon 204; 

Catechism of the Catholic Church #1268, #871) 

(These aspects are to be discussed further in a following work). 

BIBLIOGRAPHY: 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

The Bible (New Jerusalem Bible, 1985, used principally) 

The Bible (RSV and NRSV, used occasionally) 

Life of Christ, Bishop Fulton Sheen, Image / Doubleday, 1977. 

‘The Divine Rights of Jesus Christ’ Series, Part 1: ‘Divine Rights and Constitutional Statements’, and Part 2: 

‘Proofs From Scripture’. 

Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, 1953. 

‘Quas Primas’ (1925), Encyclical of Pope Pius XI on the Universal Kingship of Jesus Christ. 

‘Lumen Gentium’ , Documents of the Second Vatican Council. 

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church, 2004. 

Christian Community Bible, Catholic Bishops Conference, Philippines, 1994. 

Dr. Scott Hahn, ‘Kinship by Covenant’, 2009, Yale U.P. 

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Dictionary of Biblical Theology, ed. Xavier Léon-Dufour, Geoffrey Chapman / Cassell, 1984: on King, 

Kingship, see p. 290ff; on Priesthood, see p. 462-464; on Prophet, Prophetic Office (i.e., ‘prophethood’), 

p. 472-474; on Melchizedek, p. 348-349; on Messiah, p. 354-357. 

---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- ♣ ---- 

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Jesus Christ, Head of All Creation, Prophet, Priest & King ...

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