2 Peter 1:16-21

CIT: Peter wants the church to fully believe the testimony and teaching of the apostles regarding obedience to Jesus and his imminent return.

If there is no second coming or judgment, Peter’s emphasis on pursuing godliness diligently to receive an eternal reward collapses. Living a godly life is optional, to say the least, if one’s heavenly destiny is not involved. -Thomas R. Schreiner

Peter is referring to the second coming of Christ. There was a growing group of false teachers that were saying Jesus’ return would not happen but we simply a heroic myth. This was causing people to abandon Chrisitian obedience. *Will study later in the letter*

Peter’s Experience (vv. 16-18)

The disciples recognize Jesus as the Messiah (Matt 16:16 “Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”). But it was not yet time so he commanded them to secrecy (Matt 16:20 “Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.”). Jesus begins to prepare them for his death and resurrection (Matt 16:21 “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”) . Immediately following that Jesus goes to the mountaion with Peter, James, and John.

Mount of Transfiguration

Matthew 17:1–13 ESV

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Prophecies (vv. 19-21)

God’s Word claims to be trustworthy

2 Tim 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

Ps 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;”

Ps 119:160 “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

God’s Word has proved to be trustworthy

Ps 2:7 “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”

Matt 17:5 “He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.””

Gen 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

Acts 3:25-26 “You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Gen 49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”

Luke 3:33 “the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,”

2 Samuel 7:12-13 “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

Matt 1:1 “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Isa 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Matt 1:21-23 “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).”

Mic 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

Matt 2:3-5 “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:”

Dan 7:13-14 ““I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Luke 1:31-33 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.””

We must also learn what He’s taught us about how to live in this world. The Bible is full of practical advice on how to think and live. It teaches us about wisdom: the skill of living wisely in the world He’s created. We do well to pay attention to what He’s written. As we get to know God and the Bible, we learn what He wants from us in the practical details of our lives: in how we work, play, love, rest, and more. We learn what the Bible calls wisdom: the skill of living. So how do we get to know Him? The best tool for building knowledge is to read, listen to, and study the Bible. - Darryl Dash “How to Grow”

If believers are going to stand against the errors of false teachers, they must seek to know, accept, and obey the totality of Scripture, even as the apostle Paul did in testifying before the Roman governor Felix, “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they [the Jews] call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets” Acts 24:14 - John F. MacArthur Jr.