Description
Peter gives eye-witness testimony of Christ's transfiguration, which was like the trailer to the full second coming movie. He also urges his readers to trust the reliability of the prophetic scriptures that point to Christ's coming.
Commentary
Christ's Transfiguration like a trailer for the Second Coming (v16-21)
In these verses, Peter looks forward to the second coming, and back to Christ's transfiguration as proof that Jesus really will return in glory. In Matthew 16:28, Jesus was recorded as saying, "I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Immediately after this, Matthew records how Jesus was transfigured six days later, after leading Peter, James and John up a mountain. Christ's transfiguration is seen as a preview of the second coming, like the trailer to a movie. Peter says in verse 16, "For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of his grandeur".
In verses 17 to 18 he continues, "For he received honour and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: “This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.” When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain". As a preview of the second coming, it was very significant that at the transfiguration, God affirmed Jesus as his son, in accordance with Psalm 2:7. Having personally witnessed the trailer, seen Jesus in his glory, and heard the Father proclaim Jesus as his son, Peter could affirm with absolute assurance that the second coming would also just as surely take place in the future.
In verse 19, Peter turns to the assurance of the prophetic scriptures, which he affirms as reliable. He urges his readers to pay attention to these, just as they would to a light shining in a dark place, 'until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts'. Literally speaking, the morning star refers to the planet Venus which is the brightest object in the night sky after the moon. It rises at the break of dawn and is a sure sign that the sun is about to rise. What Peter is saying is that we are still in the night time when we need the shining light of the scriptures to guide us like a torch. Then when the second coming is imminent, we will recognise the signs, like the morning star rising. As it rises, so will excitement rise within our hearts as we eagerly anticipate the second coming. Metaphorically, the second coming is like the sun rising, just as Matthew 17:2 says of Jesus at the transfiguration, "His face shone like the sun".
In verses 20 to 21, Peter says, "Above all, you do well if you recognise this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God".
In these verses, Peter looks forward to the second coming, and back to Christ's transfiguration as proof that Jesus really will return in glory. In Matthew 16:28, Jesus was recorded as saying, "I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Immediately after this, Matthew records how Jesus was transfigured six days later, after leading Peter, James and John up a mountain. Christ's transfiguration is seen as a preview of the second coming, like the trailer to a movie. Peter says in verse 16, "For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of his grandeur".
In verses 17 to 18 he continues, "For he received honour and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: “This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.” When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain". As a preview of the second coming, it was very significant that at the transfiguration, God affirmed Jesus as his son, in accordance with Psalm 2:7. Having personally witnessed the trailer, seen Jesus in his glory, and heard the Father proclaim Jesus as his son, Peter could affirm with absolute assurance that the second coming would also just as surely take place in the future.
In verse 19, Peter turns to the assurance of the prophetic scriptures, which he affirms as reliable. He urges his readers to pay attention to these, just as they would to a light shining in a dark place, 'until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts'. Literally speaking, the morning star refers to the planet Venus which is the brightest object in the night sky after the moon. It rises at the break of dawn and is a sure sign that the sun is about to rise. What Peter is saying is that we are still in the night time when we need the shining light of the scriptures to guide us like a torch. Then when the second coming is imminent, we will recognise the signs, like the morning star rising. As it rises, so will excitement rise within our hearts as we eagerly anticipate the second coming. Metaphorically, the second coming is like the sun rising, just as Matthew 17:2 says of Jesus at the transfiguration, "His face shone like the sun".
In verses 20 to 21, Peter says, "Above all, you do well if you recognise this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God".
Tags
Places:
Symbols: Morning star, Sunrise
Tags: Reliability of prophetic scriptures, Importance of the second coming, Transfiguration
Symbols: Morning star, Sunrise
Tags: Reliability of prophetic scriptures, Importance of the second coming, Transfiguration
Salutation
1 From Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, have been granted a faith just as precious as ours.
2 May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
Believers’ Salvation and the Work of God
3 I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.
4 Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge;
6 to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness;
7 to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love.
8 For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.
9 But concerning the one who lacks such things – he is blind. That is to say, he is nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins.
10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin.
11 For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.
Salvation Based on the Word of God
12 Therefore, I intend to remind you constantly of these things even though you know them and are well established in the truth that you now have.
13 Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,
14 since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.
15 Indeed, I will also make every effort that, after my departure, you have a testimony of these things.
16 For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of his grandeur.
17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: “This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.”
18 When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
20 Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination,
21 for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
1 From Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, have been granted a faith just as precious as ours.
2 May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
Believers’ Salvation and the Work of God
3 I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.
4 Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge;
6 to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness;
7 to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love.
8 For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.
9 But concerning the one who lacks such things – he is blind. That is to say, he is nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins.
10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin.
11 For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.
Salvation Based on the Word of God
12 Therefore, I intend to remind you constantly of these things even though you know them and are well established in the truth that you now have.
13 Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,
14 since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.
15 Indeed, I will also make every effort that, after my departure, you have a testimony of these things.
16 For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of his grandeur.
17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: “This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.”
18 When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
20 Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination,
21 for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
(NET)
