Arthur Anderson

Prophets & Prophecy

Chapter 15

Definitions

The verb "prophesy" means "to speak before" (from Greek pro, before, and phemi, to speak). The gift includes both the idea of foretelling and forthtelling, predicting the future and preaching. A prophet was God's mouthpiece: he spoke for God and gave His message. Sometimes that message was regarding the future. Other times it concerned the present, even the past, or simply doctrinal truth, but it was always God's message spoken forth.

The Issue

Some controversy arises at this point. Today's renewed interest and investigation of the spiritual gifts has seen many non-charismatics redefine the gift of prophecy. The Charismatics, of course, readily admit the revelatory nature of this gift and claim its operation today. Some modern non-charismatics have defined the gift in another way, resulting in an interpretation which allows the gift of prophecy today but not in its revelatory sense. They say that the gift of prophecy means only the ability to speak forth for God, to preach; it is not necessarily, they say, a revelatory gift, but the ability to preach the truth of God's Word with great power and insight.

The issue can be stated in the form of two questions: 1) Is it Scripturally allowable to limit the gift to only forthtelling (as opposed to predictive prophecy)? and, 2) Is there in that forthtelling nothing revelatory? That is, is it merely the ability to expound previously revealed truth?

So the question to clarify at the outset is one of definitions. The answer to this question will determine the course of the remainder of the study.

Evidence

First of all, it must be recognized that one who prophesies is a prophet. This would seem obvious