2 Peter 1:16-21
Notes
Transcript
Last week we did an overview of the kingdom of God and how every follower of Christ has been betrothed to Jesus through his covenant and is now awaiting the day Christ returns to establish his physical kingdom here on earth; after which we will be presented to him spotless and perfect at the final marriage ceremony as described in Rev. 19.
Today, Peter is going to offer us proofs for why we can trust him as we continue to diligently practice becoming more like Christ. This is also where Peter begins to contrast his faith in Christ with those of the false teachers in chapter 2.
Let me start with a quote: Justin (also called Justin Martyr), who along with his disciples was beheaded in 165 AD, said: “That whatever statements we make, because we learned them from Christ and the Prophets who preceded Him, are alone true, and are older than all writers, and that we should be believed, not because we speak the same things as the writers, but because we speak the truth.”
Let’s read 1 Peter 1:16-21, “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. 17 For 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,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, 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, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
In verse 16, Peter says that he and others didn’t follow cleverly devised myths about Jesus’s power and coming. What cleverly devised myths is Peter referring to? In his letter, Peter addresses two arguments that were being made after the time of Jesus’ resurrection. The first objection to the disciples’ claim was that of Jesus’ majesty, or divinity – whether or not Jesus was truly God. And the second was if and when Jesus would return. Today we’ll focus on Jesus’ divinity.
Peter says that James, John and himself were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ transformation into God Himself. Can someone lookup Matt. 17:1-8 “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 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.” 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.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.”
Peter, James and John saw Jesus change appearance to something new – something they were probably fearfully familiar with. Perhaps the prophet Daniel came to their minds, as in Dan. 7:9, where Daniel foretold “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.”
“As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
Or perhaps they were thinking of Daniel 10:4-6, “On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.”
On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.
Or perhaps they were reminded of Psalm 104:1-2 which says “Bless YHWH, O my soul! O YHWH my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, 2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.”
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
covering yourself with light as with a garment,
stretching out the heavens like a tent.
Regardless of what else Peter and the others thought during Jesus’ transfiguration, it was obvious that they knew that Jesus was revealing His holiness (literally!). Jesus became something ‘other’ and ‘separate’ from them. Jesus’ appearance and body literally changed into something holy, glorified and divine. This event only confirmed Peter’s belief in Jesus, because earlier in Matt. Chapter 16, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ and the Son of the living God. This amazing event solidified it!
There is another fascinating observation about what Peter and the others witnessed on the mountain with Jesus. In verse 5, it says that a bright cloud enveloped them, then a voice from the cloud said “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” This absolutely amazing experience where Jesus actually talks with Moses and Elijah should immediately remind us of Exodus 34, where Moses was called up to the top of Mt. Sinai presenting to God the two new tablets that he made after smashing the original ones. Then in Ex. 34:5 it says “ YHWH descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of YHWH.” God proclaimed his own name to Moses.
The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
Whose name did God proclaim to Peter, James and John? God said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” God the Father just told these men that Jesus has equal authority to God. If you listen and obey Jesus, then you’re listening and obeying God.
And this isn’t the first time this had happened to Jesus. Can someone look up Matt. 3:16,17 “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
And John the Baptist, Peter, James and John weren’t the only testimonies of Jesus’ divinity. Even the first Christian martyr, Stephen, testified to Jesus’ true Identity. Can someone look up Acts 7:54-56, “Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
There was one individual who wanted to meet Peter, and get to know him, and possibly to investigate his claims. In Gal. 1:18-20, Paul says of himself, “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas [which is Peter] and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)” Paul spent 15 days with Peter. I think it’s safe to assume that the topic of Jesus’ resurrection came up at least once! And this meeting was no more than 9 years after Jesus was raised from the dead.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)
In verse 19, Peter says that “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed,” which is similar to what he said in 1 Peter 1:10, which says “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.”
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,
One of the prophets of the old testament foretold about a suffering servant: can someone look up Is. 53 “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah said that this person, who we now know to be Jesus, was murdered for our transgressions (verse 5); God laid on him the iniquity of us all (verse 6); then he died and was buried with the wicked and with a rich man in his death (verse 9) – Jesus was crucified with two criminals, and was then buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man who was part of the Jewish Sanhedrin, the same group who accused Jesus; but Joseph was a secret follower of Jesus. Jesus completely fulfills this prophecy that was made about 700 years before he was born. Even Philip in Acts 8 told the Ethiopian eunuch, who was trying to figure out who Isaiah 53 was talking about, that it was about Jesus.
Peter continues in his letter in verse 19 “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, 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.” Peter knows that to truly understand and appreciate what Jesus did for us and what he will ultimately do during his earthly reign, we need to understand the old testament. You cannot fully understand the new testament without understanding the old!
For example, each time you read Gen. 3 about Adam failing in his duty to protect Eve, you should remember the last Adam (“Christ” 1 Cor. 15:45), who will never forsake his bride. When you read about Abel being killed by his brother Cain in Gen. 4 for practicing his righteousness, you should think of Christ who also died for righteousness’ sake (Heb. 11). When you read about Noah in Gen. 6, whose name means “soothing or rest”, you should think of Jesus who truly gives us rest and refreshes our souls (Matt. 11:28). And like Job, Jesus was tested by God and tempted by the devil three times, but Jesus was obedient even unto death (Phil. 2:8). When you read of Melchizedek in Gen. 14, in which Melchizedek was king and high priest, you should see Christ who was prophesied by Zechariah in chapter 6 as being the Priest whom God would place on his throne. Or when you read of Abraham in Genesis 17 as being the father of many nations, you can remember Christ who is our Everlasting Father (Is. 9:6). Or when you read about Isaac in Gen. 22 you can remember that God’s only Son, Jesus, was killed and buried, but that he actually rose from the grave (John 2:22).
When you read about God changing the name of Jacob to Israel (which means ‘wrestle with God’), in Gen. 32 you can think ahead to Jesus through whom we would never need to wrestle with God again, trying to force a blessing from Him, because Jesus was given a position in which to intercede on our behalf (John chapter 17 and Rom. 8:34). Or what about Joseph at the end of Genesis who endured a series of sufferings and subsequent “resurrections,” ultimately being raised to the second highest position in that part of the world, you can think of Jesus who did die and was then raised by God Himself to sit at the right hand of God to rule over the entire world (Luke 22:69). And let’s not forget about Moses, who throughout Exodus was charged by God to be His mediator to the people of Israel; though Moses was righteous and talked to God face-to-face, Jesus is our mediator and doesn’t need to talk to God face-to-face because Jesus is God (John 10:30). Then when you read about Joshua leading the Israelites into the promised land that was to be their inheritance, know that Jesus also leads us into His eternal kingdom which is our inheritance (Daniel 7:18).
When you read about the many Judges that God appointed to rescue and redeem Israel, think of Christ who rescued and redeemed you from sin. Even the mighty and stubborn Samson accomplished more in his death by killing thousands of Philistines than he did during his life, so too did Christ Almighty by accomplishing everything in his death and resurrection. When you read of David (who was the complete opposite of Samson) being a gentle shepherd who watched over his flock, yet ruled over his people as king, think of Jesus who is our great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20).
When you read about Elijah in 1 and 2 Kings, who rebuked Israel for pagan idolatry or stopped the heavens from raining for three years or multiplied the widow’s flour to feed her family, you can remember Jesus who rebuked the religious leaders, calmed the storm and fed thousands of people with only a few loaves and fish. When you read about Solomon building God’s temple which was to be built to precise and exacting standards, remember Jesus, who is God, is very much concerned about the details of your life, for God knows even the number of sparrows on earth and the number of hairs on your head (Matt. 10:29-31).
When you read about Jonah who was swallowed by a giant fish for three days and three nights due to his disobedience, and then was “resurrected” by God to preach to the evil people of Nineveh, think of Jesus Christ who was dead and buried for three days due to his righteous obedience and then was resurrected and used his disciples to preach to the gentiles.
Charles Spurgeon, in his book The Soul Winner, said “You remember the story of the old minister who heard a sermon by a young man, and when he was asked by the preacher what he thought of it he was rather slow to answer, but at last he said, “If I must tell you, I did not like it at all; there was no Christ in your sermon.” “No,” answered the young man, “because I did not see that Christ was in the text.” “Oh!” said the old minister, “but do you not know that from every little town and village and tiny hamlet in England there is a road leading to London? Whenever I get hold of a text, I say to myself, ‘There is a road from here to Jesus Christ, and I mean to keep on His track till I get to Him.'” “Well,” said the young man, “but suppose you are preaching from a text that says nothing about Christ?” “Then I will go over hedge and ditch but I will get at Him.”
You see, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament. Every single story is a foreshadow of him. Jesus is all of those prophets, kings and judges, but fulfills those roles perfectly. Where each of those men fell short, Christ did not fall.
Peter goes on to say in verse 19 that we “will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place.” This is true, of course. Even the writer of Psalm 119 acknowledged this truth. Can someone lookup (or quote) Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Even Solomon thought this to be so significantly true that he wrote about it in the book of Proverbs. Can someone look up Prov. 6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life.”
Peter continues in verse 19 “until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” What does that mean? Can someone look up Rev. 2:26-28 “The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star.”
Ok, we’re getting closer to the meaning. In John’s vision, Jesus told John to write to seven churches. And in this message to the church in Thyatira, Jesus just said that the one who conquers will receive the morning star.
Can someone jump over to Rev. 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Jesus is the morning star. Even that evil prophet Balaam in Numbers 24:17 spoke of the Messiah in this way “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.” And are we surprised that a star guided the wise men to Bethlehem when Jesus was a child?
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
Peter ends this section by saying “that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” God through the Holy Spirit gave these people the ability to see or speak the future as it pertains to Christ. And notice that all prophecy in Scripture relates to Jesus – to further His kingdom and glory. May we take seriously the words of Jesus at the end of John’s revelation: “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
The angel that was speaking to John in Rev 22:10-11 encouraged him by saying, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
Do right, and be holy. May we prayerfully seek God’s strength and wisdom to remain diligent in our practice of agape love toward others so as to bring honor and glory to Jesus’ name.