The Light of the Word - 2 Peter 1:19-21

Intro

Review:

In many ways, Peter’s second letter is all about truth.

Ch. 1 is about Truth Upheld - where Peter puts forth the truth and holds it up as the standard and essential component of godly living.

Ch. 2 is about Truth Maligned - Peter will use approximately 37 different words to describe false teachers who mock God, twist the truth, and bring in destructive heresies.

Ch. 3 is about Truth Remembered - Peter gives his second clear purpose statement, that his readers remember the words of the Prophets and the Apostles. He will then go on to remind the readers of the truth of God’s judgment, the truth of the new heavens and new earth, and the reminder to live in a godly way as we look for the coming day of God.

Going back to 1:3-4, Peter explains that it was God who moved first - giving the Apostles everything needed for life and godliness, giving His precious and magnificent promises, in order that those who trust in Christ would become partakers of the divine nature.

vv.5-11 give some of the fruit and result of being a partaker of the divine nature, these Christ-like virtues that come about as Believers continue to submit to the Lord and grow in grace and true knowledge of the Lord Jesus. It is necessary that Believers confirm their calling and election - working out this salvation and continually being submitted to the sanctifying work of the Spirit in our lives.

vv. 12-15 is Peter’s personal explanation for writing and giving the reasons for being so diligent to remind the people of what they already know. Because Peter is going to die soon, he is diligent to write these things down so that they would have a record of truth and be able to recall these things to mind.

vv. 16-18 is when Peter begins to address one of the challenges to his apostolic authority and the truthfulness of what he and the other Apostles have taught concerning the power and coming of the Lord Jesus. They were not following cleverly devised tales, but they were eye-witnesses of His majesty - they saw Jesus become transfigured before their eyes, they heard the voice from heaven proclaim “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased”, and they were with him on the mountain in a real, physical, whole-body experience.

But even more reliable than their legally-admissible eye-witness testimony, they have the prophetic word more certain, sure.

Today we are going to finish out chapter 1 with perhaps Peter’s strongest argument for the truthfulness of his teaching.

Before we get into the text though, we need to understand who the Prophets are.

The Prophets

1.1 Explain ‘Prophets’

God is eternal and infinite, and forever existed in the completeness of His being. There was never a time when God was not, and there was never a time when God was alone. As the Triune God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit enjoyed perfect relationship and fellowship in eternity past, and on into eternity future.

And yet, in the infinitely holy mind of God, He chose to create, and then to reveal Himself to His creation. God is a self-revealing God, making Himself known and knowable.

We see God’s personal communication in the book of Genesis, where He speaks directly to His creation in making it, but then with Man he speaks with Adam and Eve. (Genesis 1-3)

Because God reveals Himself, He also establishes additional ways that His presence may be known. God establishes representatives to rule on the earth or to represent a decision/movement of God. (Gen 1:26-27 “26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

God established a representative in Noah, who is described as a preacher of righteousness, and he was also a herald of the judgment that was coming.

Even through judgment God is making Himself known.

God goes beyond this even and establishes an office or position of someone who is God’s mouthpiece, meaning this person speaks for God (Exodus 3; 4:10-17 TURN HERE.

Moses was going to speak for God. God’s words were going to be in Moses’ mouth, so that what Moses was speaking was not his own words but God’s words.

Moses was the first of the Prophets in this sense, speaking for God, and there would be others that would come after.

The Prophets would very often be tasked with reminding the people of what God had already said, and revealing something new that God was going to do.

Application Points

God is knowable and has made Himself known [PPT]

God is knowable - He is imminent, near, self-disclosing, and able to be known in a personal relational way - because He is a personal relational God.

God has made Himself known - He has disclosed and revealed Himself through various means, for His glory and our growth.

God is merciful, gracious, compassionate, faithful, and slow to anger - He has both said this and shown this.

1.2 Constraints on the Prophets

As we talk about the Prophets in a bit more detail, we need to understand some of the constraints or boundaries of what it means to be a Prophet.

These men and women were speaking God’s words, not their own.

With Moses for example, God didn’t say “Go to Pharaoh and just wing it!” God told Moses exactly what to say.

A messenger, ambassador, and in this case the Prophet, is not sent to speak their own words, but the words of whomever sent them. The prophets had some very interesting constraints on what they were and were not to say.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 TURN HERE.

The Prophets were only allowed to speak that which aligned with the previously revealed Word of God (Torah).

If a prophet spoke something that was in clear violation of the holy Scriptures, that prophet was to be put to death. (This also extended to other members of the community).

Deuteronomy 18:15-22 TURN HERE.

Another significant constraint on the office of the Prophet was the specific words that they were to say. The Prophets were to speak only what God instructed - not whatever they wanted. If they spoke presumptuously and it didn’t come to pass, the people were not to be afraid of that prophet, because he would be executed.

Application Points

God is serious about His Word, His Name, His Reputation

God preserves the purity and clarity of His Word [PPT]

1.3 Authority of the Prophets

Not in their own identity

Various occupations of the prophets (shepherd, foreign minister, farmer, gardener, some were sons of prophets)

Not a bloodline, tribe, or family (diversity of background and calling, by God’s choice)

Not because of their power or ability - in many ways they were ordinary men and women who had been chosen by God for His purposes and timing.

Their authority was intertwined and connected with their service as a Mouthpiece and Representative of God.

“The word of the Lord came to ....” and then they would relay those words to the people.

“This is what you will say....” - Again, going back to the Deuteronomy passages - only speak what God had revealed.

Literary device/ Legal format - Rib/Riv - “case against you” - Prophets acting as prosecuting attorneys, bringing them back to Covenant faithfulness, Law, Reminding the people of what God had already communicated. And certainly there were new things being revealed by God through the Prophets. But they did not have authority on their own. It was only because of God who chose them.

Application Points

All authority is delegated authority [PPT]

Representing authority requires faithfulness to that authority

The power and authority of the Prophets was in their adherence to God who revealed Himself to them.

Now we go back to 2 Peter 1. Peter began his letter by stating that Christ had given to the Apostles everything pertaining to life and godliness, and they had experienced the true knowledge and calling of Jesus who appointed them to be Apostles.

And also remember that Peter, James, and John were on the mountain with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah when Jesus was transformed/transfigured/metamorphasized before them.

2. Authority Questioned and Confirmed (v.16-19)

Peter is writing to remind the people about the Truth, and here we see the first indication that there is a problem. The authority of Peter and the Apostles is being questioned by these false teachers, seeking to draw people away from the Apostle’s teaching about the power and coming of Christ.

2.1 Authority of Peter/Apostles Questioned

2 Peter 1:16 NASB95

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Charge - “you are following cleverly devised tales”

These false teachers are seeking to discredit the truthfulness of the Apostle’s teaching on Christ’s power and coming.

see 3:3-4 - mockers will come with their mocking, “where is the promise of His coming? All continues just as it has from the beginning of creation”

Note carefully that the false teachers aren’t challenging the teaching directly, but rather the character and integrity of the Apostles. NOT THAT THAT’S ANY BETTER, but look how slimy and squishy this tactic is.

Peter’s Defense of his authority extends back to to the beginning of the letter -

Jesus gave the Apostles everything pertaining to life and godliness (1:3)

They received this through the true knowledge of Jesus (1:3)

Jesus gave to the Apostles His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature (1:4)

2.2 Authority of Peter/Apostles Confirmed

And now specifically Peter addresses the charge against him - The Apostles are eye-witnesses of Jesus’ majesty (1:16; Transfiguration; Legal testimony, admissible in court)

Not only were there three eye-witnesses to the power and coming of Christ, but They possess the more reliable/certain/sure prophetic word

more than their experience verifying their teaching, they have the reliable/certain/confirmed prophetic word

Their experience of seeing Christ is governed/constrained by the Word of God

Like the prophets of old - they couldn’t just speak whatever they wanted (Deut 18).

They could only speak what was in agreement with previously given revelation (Deut 13), and only the words that God told them to say.

The truthfulness of their testimony is governed by the nature/source of prophecy - from God

Application Point

Our experiences must fall under the authority of the revealed Word of God [PPT]

So the Apostles do have authority, and they are the mouthpieces of Christ by His own choosing them and appointing them. And because Peter and the Apostles have authority, all of these false teachers would do well to pay attention to Peter and his teaching.

2.3 Proper Response to the Prophetic Word

“Pay attention” - give heed, follow, turn your mind to, be alert to.

Remember back to the Prophets of old - they were not speaking their own words, but God’s words. And when God speaks, it is wise to pay attention.

Peter uses three figures to illustrate the effects of paying attention to the prophetic word

Like a lamp illuminates the darkness, so too the prophetic word

What are the benefits/results of turning on a flashlight in a dark place?

provide clarity - see better, see clearly, be certain of where you are

prevent harm - avoid stepping on something sharp, a hole, a snake

gives wisdom and knowledge for decision-making - know where to go, how to get there, whether to move right or left,

“day dawns” - going from a period of darkness to light; concealed to revealed; coldness to warmth;

“morning star arises in your hearts” - φωσφορος - light-bringer - morning star - Venus. The celestial indicator that daylight is following. Visible before sunrise, during, and even after. 3rd brightest object in the sky.

These are metaphors, figures, indicating something true about the prophetic word.

As a lamp provides light and clarity right in front of you, so too the Word of God gives sight, clarity, understanding, wisdom.

As the day dawns after a period of darkness (night) so too the Word of God brings light and understanding to those who pay attention to it and submit to it.

As the morning star indicates that more light is to follow, heeding/submitting/paying attention to the prophetic word indicates that more light/wisdom/discernment/understanding is to follow.

Application Point

God is the source of wisdom and understanding [PPT]

Proverbs 1:7 “7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Proverbs 4:7 “7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10 “10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Pay attention to the Word of God - it is how you will gain godly wisdom

James 1:22 “22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

2.4 The Authority of the Prophetic Word

2 Peter 1:20–21 NASB95

20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Peter goes back to the topic of the authority of the Prophets and Apostles.

“No prophecy is a matter of one’s own interpretation/explanation”

Remember Deut 13 - Not up to the Prophet’s explanation or interpretation

They must be aligned to the revealed Word of God

The Prophets were to submit to the Spirit of God as well as the inspired written Word of God

“no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will”

Deut 18 - no presumptuous words spoken that God had not decreed or commanded the prophet to speak

The prophets were under the authority of God Almighty, and the Spirit of God moving them along to speak what He wanted

“but by the Holy Spirit carrying them along/bringing them along, men spoke from God”

“carrying/bringing them along” - passive verb - the prophets were being acted upon by an outside agent.

the prophets were being moved along from one state to another. From not prophesying the words of God, to being carried along and prophesying the words of God.

“the word of the Lord came to me, saying...”

“the burden which the Lord gave to me...”

These men and women were not speaking their own message. They carried the heavy oracles of God to the people who needed to hear it.

When the Prophets spoke, they were speaking the very oracles, utterances, and words of God.

When they wrote, they were writing the very words of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

This is the very basis for the doctrine of inspiration - that God breathed out His words through the Prophets/Apostles through the agency of the Holy Spirit and in cooperation with the unique personal nature of the human authors.

The conclusion of this line of argument that Peter puts forth is that he and the Apostles are not teaching their own opinions or thoughts on the power and coming of Christ - but they are being carried along by the Holy Spirit to speak and write down the very words of God.

Application Points [PPT]

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NASB95

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

The Law, the Wisdom/History Writings, the Writings of the Prophets, and the Writings of the Apostles are the authoritative Word of God.

God has not given you and me the prophetic word, and our words/speech are not authoritative like the Apostles.

But when we pay attention to the words of the Prophets and the Apostles, there is tremendous benefit and fruit as we submit to God’s Word.

As the Prophets were to be aligned with what God had already revealed, we too must be aligned with what God has already revealed through His servants.

Our teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness is only as effective as our adherence to the Word of God

The doctrine of inspiration means that the Word of God carries the authority of God.

This is not a regular book - this book alone has the words of eternal life!

In this book we learn of the Gospel! - our great rebellion in sin, our great need for reconciliation, and the great sacrifice of Christ who obeyed the will of the Father in order that your sin and my sin would be placed upon Christ, and His righteousness in exchange would be placed on us. But Jesus did not stay in that grave, rather He was resurrected and appeared, and will return!

The authoritative Word of God means that it is Sufficient - enough - adequate - God has given what is needed for life and godliness.

The inspired, authoritative and sufficient Word of God means that we can trust God and what He has said in His Word.