"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," 18we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:16-21, ESV)
Peter, in the previous verses, was encouraging the believers to pursue "godliness" given the surety of our beliefs ("knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ"). And in verses 16-21, Peter mentioned 3 "possible" bases of one's beliefs. And he picked one as the ultimate basis of our belief.
Three Possible Bases for One's Beliefs
1. Illegitimate myths (v.16a)
Here Peter put a negative: "we did not follow cleverly devised myths". The Christian faith is not based on invented stories of old, which would make the Christian faith false and untrustworthy.
2. Legitimate personal perception (vv.16b-18)
Peter contrasted "myths" with being "eyewitnesses". Peter is saying that he, along with the other apostles, witnessed the glory of Christ with their very eyes. Moreover, they also "heard" the voice of the Father confirming that Jesus is the Son of God. Peter even emphasized that they "were with him", as we can read in the gospel accounts, commonly called Transfiguration. (Mk. 9:1-10; Lk. 9:28-36) Personal perception or personal experience is really a persuasive reason why we believe certain things to be true. And Christianity has much of this. However, for Peter, there is something superior to this, namely, the scriptures.
3. Superior Scripture (vv.19a,20-21)
Peter said the scripture is "something more sure"*. It's above all our senses, above all human perception, experience, or even miracles. The ultimate basis of our beliefs is the Bible. Yes, experience has authority. Yes, tradition has authority. But none of these surpass or equal the scriptures. He described it as a "lamp shining in a dark place". That implies that one is lost in this dark world apart from it. It also implies that it is sufficient to guide us. The reason this is so is in verses 20-21. That is, that prophecy/scripture never came by the prophet's own interpretation** of things. It came through God's will. The Holy Spirit moved them and they spoke from God. The Scripture is superior because it is God's word.
Christians, according to Peter, will take heed to the scriptures "until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts". This refers to Christ's return or our glorification. Christ is also referred in the Bible as "Morning Star" (Rev. 2:28; 22:16 cf. Lk. 1:78, 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 5:14) and His return relates to an ending of darkness for believers (Rom. 13:12; Rev. 21:3-25). That he "rises in [our] hearts" means that His return will bring us comfort and joy. This is where "faith" and study of scriptures end because everything will be clear to us by that time.
Here are some application of the text:
1. You have the Scriptures. Do Not Turn to myths like fortune-telling, zodiac signs, Feng Sui, etc.
2. Scripture is something more sure. Do not esteem experience, traditions, or other authorities over it.
3. Scripture is our lifetime lamp. Take heed to it until you meet the Author face to face.
*NASB (and others) translates it somehow differently: "we have the prophetic word made more sure". That implies that personal perception/experience confirms scriptures. In any case, it just confirms it. Scripture is still above experience.
**Some translates it "origin". But the meaning of the Greek "epilupsis" is more likely less tied to its etymology. It has various meanings, one of which is "the act or process of explaining, explanation, interpretation."
Christians, according to Peter, will take heed to the scriptures "until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts". This refers to Christ's return or our glorification. Christ is also referred in the Bible as "Morning Star" (Rev. 2:28; 22:16 cf. Lk. 1:78, 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 5:14) and His return relates to an ending of darkness for believers (Rom. 13:12; Rev. 21:3-25). That he "rises in [our] hearts" means that His return will bring us comfort and joy. This is where "faith" and study of scriptures end because everything will be clear to us by that time.
Here are some application of the text:
1. You have the Scriptures. Do Not Turn to myths like fortune-telling, zodiac signs, Feng Sui, etc.
2. Scripture is something more sure. Do not esteem experience, traditions, or other authorities over it.
3. Scripture is our lifetime lamp. Take heed to it until you meet the Author face to face.
"The faith of the Protestants, in general, embraces only those truths, as necessary to salvation, which are clearly revealed in the oracles of God. Whatever is plainly declared in the Old and New Testaments is the object of their faith. They believe neither more nor less than what is manifestly contained in, and provable by, the Holy Scriptures... The written Word is the whole and sole rule of their faith, as well as practice. They believe whatsoever God has declared, and profess to do whatsoever He hath commanded. This is the proper faith of Protestants: by this they will abide, and no other." (John Wesley)---------------------------------
*NASB (and others) translates it somehow differently: "we have the prophetic word made more sure". That implies that personal perception/experience confirms scriptures. In any case, it just confirms it. Scripture is still above experience.
**Some translates it "origin". But the meaning of the Greek "epilupsis" is more likely less tied to its etymology. It has various meanings, one of which is "the act or process of explaining, explanation, interpretation."
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