In His state of exaltation Christ no longer proclaims the Gospel immediately (αὐτοπροσώπως), but mediately, through the ministerial work of the Church, John 20, 21; Matt. 28, 19. 20; Mark 16, 15.16; 2 Cor. 13, 2. 3; 2 Tim. 1, 9—11. Nevertheless also in His state of exaltation He remains the true Prophet and Teacher of His Church, Col. 3, 16; Eph. 4, 10—12, so that His Word alone should be preached to men, John 8, 31. 32; 1 Pet. 4, 11; 1 Tim. 6, 3—5. All who preach their own wisdom in place of God’s Word are not Christian ministers, but false prophets (άντίχριστοι), whom believers should avoid, Matt. 15, 7—9; 7,16; Rom. 16, 17.18; 1 John 2, 18. Dr. A. Strong rightly says: “All modern prophecy that is true is but the republication of Christ’s message, the proclamation and expounding of truth already revealed in Scripture.” (Syst . Theol., p. 389.) Of all false prophets the Pope at Rome is the most insidious and pernicious, since he perverts the Word of God and opposes the prophetic office of Christ under the pretense that he is the viceregent and vicar of the exalted Lord. For this reason he is the Antichrist (άντίχριστος κατ’ ἐξοχήν), 2 Thess. 2, 3 ff.
Also in the Old Testament the Son of God, or the preexistent Aoyog, was the true Teacher and Prophet of the Church; for it was He who conversed with the saints of old and revealed to them the truth of salvation. This important fact Scripture teaches by declaring a) that it was the Spirit of Christ that inspired the prophets who prophesied of the grace that should come, 1 Pet. 1, 10—12, and b) that it was the Son of God who revealed to Israel the saving truths of God, John 12,41; cp. Is. 6,1 f.; 1 Cor. 10, 4. Luther: “Almost in all places in the Old Testament Christ is revealed to us under the name of God.” (St. L., II, 853.)