Second Epistle of Peter
HIS POWER AND COMING
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:16 (KJV)
In verses 1-4, Peter tells of the blessings we have in Christ. In verses 5-7, he tells of the practical virtues which we should add in our faith because of these blessings. Now in verses 16-18, he brings in the glory of Christ Himself as an added incentive to live for Christ. He tells of this glory by citing the wonderful event generally called the transfiguration.
"cunningly devised fables"
No doubt some in Peter's day, as now, accused the apostles of following cunningly devised fables. They preached of the power of Christ and His coming again, but some said they had hallucinations or wild dreams. Peter says, "Not so, on the Mount of Transfiguration we had a preview of His coming in power. We are not basing our teachings on fables, but on solid evidence." Hopefully, we are convinced that the Lord will come again.
"eyewitnesses"
The apostles everywhere attested to the fact that they were eyewitnesses of Christ in His glory. In his first epistle, John says (1:1-3) that they had declared unto them the things which they had seen, heard, and handled of the Word of Life. Paul, too, tells how he saw Christ in His glory on the Damascus Road. Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell the story of the transfiguration. It seems unlikely that so many men of good report would join together for the purpose of spreading as truth that which was only a myth.
The more we read of the apostles the more convinced one becomes of their integrity. They were men who would not be guilty of deception. In Acts 4:13, they are spoken of as being "unlearned and ignorant men". Such are not likely to be clever imposters. What did they stand to gain by broadcasting cunningly devised fables? They met opposition everywhere and were accused of folly and madness. As we read portions like Acts 3:6 we must conclude that gaining money was not their aim. If it was, they certainly did not get it. Instead they were persecuted, imprisoned, and all but John met martyrdom for their convictions.
Some say that the Bible is full of fables. If so, who wrote them and why? Would priests write them while so often condemning wicked priests? Rich men would not write them either, because they are certainly spoken against. The Bible also condemns worldly wisdom, so it is not likely that learned men would write them. And what poor man would have the time or ability to so write?
The Bible is not composed of cunningly devised fables. Even today, through faith in Christ and the Word, thousands of lives have been transformed from sin to righteousness. Where the light of its pages enter, not only individuals but whole nations are lifted. This is something no cunningly devised fable could do. The striking unity between its parts and the fact that unbelief of a bitter kind has been able to overthrow it also prove it to be the Word of God.
The story is told of a skeptic in Europe who remarked that it was impossible in these days to believe in any book whose authority was unknown. A Christian asked him if the compiler of the multiplication table was known. "No", he answered. "Then, of course, you do not believe in it," persisted the other. "Oh yes, I believe in it because it works well." "So does the Bible," was the response. The Bible is supernatural in origin, divine in authorship, human in penmanship, infallible in authority, infinite in scope, universal in interest, eternal in duration and personal in application.
In Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:1-10, and Luke 9:28-36, we read of the transfiguration. Shortly before this time, the Lord began to teach His disciples that He would go to Jerusalem and there be tried, condemned, and crucified. This greatly upset the disciples, and perhaps one of the main purposes of the transfiguration was to assure them that even though He was to be crucified, He would rise from the dead and come again in glory.
Peter, James, and John were the three privileged ones with the Lord on the mount. We read in Luke 9:29 that as He prayed He was transfigured before them. If we would pray more perhaps we would more often behold and also manifest His glory. This transfiguration was truly glorious. Light emanated from His body and caused all His clothing to shine and glisten. This is probably how the Lord appears now in glory and will appear when He comes again. For the most part, while here His glory was veiled.
While upon the mountain the Lord had two well-known visitors. Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Him. Moses died on Mount Pisgah (Deut. 34:1-7), but
Elijah never died, but instead was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kin. 2:11). Some have seen in Moses a picture of those who have died in the Lord and in Elijah a picture of those who shall be translated to heaven without dying at the time of His coming. As Moses and Elijah appeared with Him in Glory, so all saints who have died will appear with Him in His future glory and also all those who are translated at His coming.
It is interesting to note that the three on the mountain spoke of the decease that our Lord "should accomplish at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31). So, on the Mount of Transfiguration, we have the necessity of the cross emphasized as well as a picture of His glory. Moses represents the law. In his writings, he told of Christ's death and also of His glory. Elijah was a representative of the prophets. They also tell of Christ's death and glory. The Lord took Peter, James and John up on the mountain so that they might be firmly impressed with the importance and necessity of the cross, as well as have a personal testimony concerning His glory.
"the power"
The transfiguration especially impressed Peter with two things – "The power and coming of our Lord Jesus." That these two things were especially intended by the Lord is evident from Mark 9:1. "Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." Peter says that this is exactly what he saw in preview on the Mount of Transfiguration. Some translate the expression "power and coming" as "coming in power." The Lord says just that in Matthew 24:30. "And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Some were questioning this coming with power of our Lord Jesus, for we read where they ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" (2 Pet. 3:4).
Christ often demonstrated His great power while here on earth. He had power over sin and sickness, also over the things of nature such as the wind and the waves; He raised the dead and He Himself came forth from the grave. When He was about to ascent into heaven, He said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matt. 28:18). When He comes again His power will be demonstrated in even a greater way. He will sit on the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32). "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth" (Ps. 72:8).
Peter says that when he saw Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration, he had a preview of Him as He will appear at His coming again. Some try to apply "the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" to His first coming, rather than to His coming again. The word for coming here is parousia which is almost always used in connection with His future glory.
On the mount, we see not only the King's glory, but we have the voice of the Father. We have Old Testament saints – Moses and Elijah. We have New Testament saints – Peter, James, and John. The bride will share the glory of the bridegroom, just as a queen shares the king's glory. In Zechariah 14:5 we read, "And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee." "And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (Rev. 19:14). According to Revelation 19:8, it is the bride who is clothed in this white linen and it speaks of the Saint's righteousness. In Revelation 19:11-16, we have the coming of Christ in glory and these saints clothed in white linen are the ones following Him.
There are some in this world who do not believe in the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of this coming hundreds of times in both the Old and New Testament. Yes, He is coming back to wind up the affairs of this world and take His children home to live with Him for eternity.
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:17 (KJV)
In our last verse Peter states that he had been an eyewitness of Christ's power and glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. In this verse he tells of having heard the voice of the Father testifying to the fact that Christ was His Son and that He was well-pleased with Him.
"He received from God the Father"
Peter now emphasizes the fact that Christ had received special honor and glory from His Father on the Mount of Transfiguration. Moses, the great law giver, was there and he had been greatly honored. Elijah was a great prophet and he, too, had been greatly honored. Now God the Father was honoring Christ above either of these. Moses and Elijah had both been great servants, but now the Father says that Christ was more than a servant; He was a "beloved Son." The Father also testifies to the fact that this Son always pleased Him and that it was He whom the people of God should hear. Peter does not mention this last truth, but Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell of it.
"honor and glory"
The Lord Jesus says, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father" (Matt. 11:27). Also "All power is given unto me in heaven, and in earth" (Matt. 28:18). God the Father will gather together in one in Christ all things in heaven, and on earth (Eph. 1:10). Every knee shall bow to Him, and every tongue shall confess Him as Lord (Phil. 2:10, 11). These truths are everywhere manifest in the New Testament. Especially John's gospel is full of things Christ has and will receive from His Father. Honor was given to Christ on the mount by the voice of the Father. The cloud which the Father spoke from probably was like the Shekinah glory which hung over the tabernacle and temple in Old Testament times. This cloud resting upon Christ would symbolize that all the glory of God was now centered in Him.
It is well to remember that His honor is our honor and His glory our glory. In John 17:22, the Lord Jesus says, "And the glory which thou gayest me I have given them." As the bride of Christ, the church will share His honor and glory. This should keep us from seeking the paltry honors of this world and cause us to seek bringing honor to His name.
"a voice...from the excellent glory"
The voice of the Father came to the Lord Jesus on two special occasions; first at His baptism and then at His transfiguration. Peter does not mention the baptism, perhaps because he was not there. At the transfiguration he was there and personally heard the voice of the Father as especially mentioned in the next verse. This verse emphasizes that the voice came from the excellent glory. The Revised Version translates this: "majestic glory." No doubt this refers to the bright cloud out of which the Father spoke. Peter was thoroughly convinced by this voice and this wonderful glory, that Christ was the Son of the living God.
"this is My beloved Son"
God the Father says, "This is my beloved Son." Moses and Elijah were very high in the estimation of the Lord and also of the Israelites. Peter had said, "Let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias" (Matt. 17:4). In this way Peter thought to honor the Lord Jesus equally with Moses and Elijah. In Luke's gospel account (9:33), we have the statement that Peter did not know what he said. The Father says, "This is my beloved Son," as if to say, "Peter, as great as Moses and Elijah were, my Son is above them and greater. He has far greater authority and glory." Yes, Jesus Christ is far greater than all the great men of God – either Old or New Testament times. God the Father also exalted Him far above the angels, because He never calls the angels sons in this way. "For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?" (Heb. 1:5).
"My beloved Son"
We should not wonder that the Father calls Christ His beloved Son. All of us love our sons and daughters just because they are our sons and daughters and we love them more when they are obedient sons and daughters. Christ was a most obedient Son. He was "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8). "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again" (John 10:17). It must have been difficult for Him to leave the glory of the mountain and descend to the shame of the cross, but He was willing to go in order to please His Father and so become the Savior of lost sinners. For our sakes the Father was willing to permit His Son to lay His glory aside and die on that awful cross. How thankful we should be to such a Father and Son. Their love for us was (and is) very great indeed or they never would have gone to such extremes to save us.
When we accept Christ (trusting and obeying Him) as our Savior, we too become sons of God and He loves all His children in a special way. In the sense that we are obedient and well-pleasing to Him could He say of us, "My beloved son" or "daughter" as the case may be? Let us forget the favor and applause of men. Rather let us seek to be the kind of children who are easy for Him to love. The more we are conformed to the image of His Son the more He will love us.
"in whom I am well pleased"
The Father was well-pleased with every word and every action of His Son – from the manger to glory. He was well-pleased with His birth, His life and His death. It pleased Him that His Son, by His life, showed the character and heart of His Father. It's amazing but true – the Son was willing to lay down His life as an atonement for the poor lost sinner. In Isaiah 42:1, we hear the Father say of Him, "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth." Christ could say, "I do always those things that please him [His Father]" (John 8:29).
The Father is well-pleased with His Son and certainly those who are saved are well-pleased with Him, too. Hopefully, the Lord is well-pleased with us as well. Are we like the apostle Paul who said, "Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him?" (2 Cor. 5:9, R.V.). At his conversion Paul asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6) and from then on he sought to do His will day by day. May each of us strive to be more like this dear servant of the Lord or better still, more like the Lord Jesus Himself. He never sought to please Himself but only His Father. The more we seek to please Him here, the more He will glorify us when we get home to be with Him in heaven.
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:18 (KJV)
Consider the Revised Version of this verse: "This voice we ourselves heard borne out of heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount." Thus Peter lays stress on the fact that he, James, and John actually heard this voice from heaven and so were not following any cunningly devised fables.
"we heard"
In verse 16, he states that they "were eyewitnesses of his majesty." Here he emphasizes that they actually heard this voice and understood exactly what the Father said. In fact, the message of the Father was addressed to them. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matt. 17:5). In Matthew 17:6 we read, "And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid."
In his gospel account, John says, "And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father" (1:14). How favored these three, Peter, James and John were to actually see His glory and to hear the voice of the Father. We are not privileged now to see Him in His glory, but as we read the Word we can hear His voice and thank God. The Lord pronounces special blessings to those who have not seen, yet have believed (John 20:29). Although we are not now as privileged as these three apostles, when he comes again we will also see Him in all His glory.
"the holy mount"
Peter calls the Mount of Transfiguration "the Holy mount," because there he had a sight of the glory of Christ and of His Father. The presence of the Lord is what makes a place holy. When the Lord speaks to Moses out of the burning bush, He says, "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground" (Ex. 3:5). When Joshua was in the presence of the Lord, he heard similar words; "Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy" (Josh. 5:15). Because of the presence of the Lord, Zion, the temple site in Jerusalem is also called a holy mountain (Zech. 8:3; Ps. 87:1, 2).
