The Title of Ellen White

[Woody]

Was Ellen White "more than a prophet"?

Or would this be blasphemy?

For this was what Jesus was called -

"Thus the favored disciples passed from group to group, encouraging and strengthening the faith of their brethren. Many of those assembled heard these communications with amazement. A new train of thought was started in their minds regarding the crucified One. If what they had just heard was true, then Jesus was more than a prophet." Ellen White in 3SP 235

Matt.11:9 "But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet."

[John317]

Ellen White's description of her work as being more than a prophet is found in 1 SM 35-37. She said that her work embraced that of a prophet but it included much more than the name "prophet" signifies. She was also an evangelist and teacher.

The context of 3 SP 235 shows that the passage is referring to the fact that Christ was not only a prophet but Deity. The disciples were just beginning to realize this as they reflected on the significance of His resurrection.

[Woody]

This begs the question:

Should we be using the term/title - "more than a prophet"?

[ClubV12]

I know of some 70 people under Moses who only prophesied ONCE, and then never again. They were NOT "more than a prophet", they BARELY qualified as a prophet at all!

John the Baptist was more than a prophet, he was more renowned for being an evangelist!

What biblical prophets do we know off that were strictly prophets, with no other functions to speak off? They came, they prophesied more than once, and there is no other record of them doing anything else?

I think the term fits EGW very nicely, she was much more than "just" a prophetess. The first thing that comes to my mind in that regard is a profound author. Is she not, perhaps, the most prolific female author ever in history? For sheer volume of work if nothing else.

[Woody]

I don't know. Much of her work are private letters to other people. And much of her books are just compilations and repeating what she has said over and over again.

If all of my over 24,000 posts just here on CA were put in compilations ... I just might compete with Ellen White.

But then I'm not a woman. So, I would not be able to get the most prolific woman writer award. :)

[Kevin H]

Amen John, her work included evangelist and teacher. I would like to bring up for all of us to consider one more thing. I may not have a firm grasp on this at this time, but since I've heard the suggestion maybe others of us can also consider this to see if it makes sense or not. This has come from some of the archaeology classes I took and the specific relationship to Mrs. White came from a lecture I heard, I think it was the debate between John Wood and Walter Rea, Lancaster MA 1982, but I'm not positive.

In the ancient world there were prophets who had the direct visions from God, the sons of the prophets who were the students in the schools of the prophets, there were what we can call "World Prophets" who had a very universal message and part of their job was to write the Bible, but also they were very much involved with the political systems, and there were local prophet who had visions but who's job was to apply the messages of the world prophets to their local situation. but there was also what was called the Lord's Messenger, a human prophet who was seen as part of the divine counsel representing earth and bringing the messages from the divine counsel to earth. It has been argued that while Ellen White was not a "World Prophet" that she was still the traditional position of Messenger of the Lord, a prophet choosen to be more than a regular prophet but to be part of the divine counsel.