A Catholic biblical scholar has neatly summed up the role of the Prophets as "the conscience of Israel". Just as our conscience teaches us to distinguish right from wrong and goodness from evil, so the prophets functioned within the community of Israel in a similar way. They spoke the word of God to guide and admonish, to castigate and to console the chosen people.

Jesus was not a prophet: he was much greater than any prophet. He did, however, on occasion liken himself to the prophets: he lamented over Jerusalem, suggesting Jerusalem would kill him just as it killed the prophets before him (Mt. 23:37).

Vatican Council II speaks on several occasions about Jesus' prophetic, priestly and kingly roles. Samuel admonished Saul: "Obedience is better than sacrifice": the interior dimension of religion is more important than the exterior. Thus Vatican Council II declared: "The holy People of God shares also in Christ's prophetic office: they give a living witness to him, especially by a life of faith and love and by offering to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips praising his name (cf. Heb. 13:15)" (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 12. cf. 31, 34).