2 Peter 1:13-21: The Transfiguration Year A
I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
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 had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Two things that are helpful to me when reading this passage. First is to read the entire chapter. Doing that gave me a much better feel for how Peter is arriving at saying these things. The second, keep in mind while reading this that it is written to help his listeners guard against false teachers.
It seems to me that Peter is arriving at this after encouraging his audience to remember the journey they are on, where they started and where they are going. He encourages them with this:
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral [h]excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For the one who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
It seems that the journey that Peter is reminding them about is one that is not just knowledge. It is one of growing in virtue by putting into practice their knowledge of Christ. And this growth, as evidenced by their deeds, is what validates their faith and silences the “blind and shortsighted’ false teachers who would seemingly rather settle for a knowledge of Christ that is “useless and unproductive”.
I appreciate that Peter takes the time to remind his listeners to put their faith in what God has done and is doing in their lives. And he reminds them that what is happening is a result of what was promised:
3 for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us [e]by His own glory and [f]excellence. 4 Through [g]these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.
Before he begins to talk about prophecy and interpreting prophecy, he reminds the church that the life they themselves are living is the fulfillment of prophecy!
For so long I thought and was taught that I had to resist temptation and sin, to be worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit. I now believe that is bad theology. I am now more inclined to believe that my desire to resist temptation and sin comes only through the grace of God and it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit, which has been poured out on all, that I am able to resist evil. And this exists only because of what Jesus did on the cross. It is because of that that I am able to “participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world”.
Peter seems to be telling his listeners that their lives confirm the prophecy of scripture. He is also reminding them that He was with Jesus on the mountain when He was miraculously transfigured. An event that signified the cross was imminent and assured Jesus to not doubt it. It is interesting that Peter is writing this as he seems to be aware that his death is imminent. Peter is sayin that what happened that day is not a story that he and James and John created in order to convince anyone of anything. It was hidden in scripture and was revealed through Christ’s death and resurrection.
This is stirring! Peter reminds us that prophecy is not born out of our desires and it never really makes sense until it has been fulfilled. The life that I can choose to live, following Christ, participating in the will of the Father, through the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit, is the fulfillment of God’s promises in Scripture.