2 Peter 1:12-21. This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Sunday, April 23, 2023.
We continue looking at the love of God, particularly as it pertains to salvation. We have talked about the Incarnation, that God loved us enough to take on the nature of a human. We then talked about Redemption and the fact that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of redemption for humanity. Last week, we looked at God's love in pouring out His Holy Spirit and dwelling within believers.
This leads us to our subject today, God's love displayed in creating the Bible, or the Scriptures. This is not a gift that is intended to be received and then put on a shelf in order to gather dust. We are intended to become a people of the Word. That is, just like we should want to be a people of the Spirit of God, so too, we should want to be a people of the Word of God.
In fact, I would say that it is impossible to be a person of the Spirit, and at the same time, not be a person of the Word. I say this because a growing number of people emphasize that they are spiritual, but not religious. I would suspect that the Bible is tossed into the "religious" side of their equation. However, the Spirit will point us to the Word, and the Word will point us to Jesus and the Spirit that he has made available to us.
Let's look at our passage.
At the beginning of this section, the Apostle Peter recognizes that his decease, or departure, is nearing (v. 14-15). It is clear that he is speaking of death from the added language of "putting of [his] tent." These were clear metaphors that no one seriously rejects. This has put in his heart a determination to make sure that they will "always have a reminder of these things" (v. 15) after he is gone. Yes, he is alive now reminding them of what he had taught them, but he will not be alive in the future.
Interestingly enough, Peter uses a word for his upcoming departure that we know as the word exodus. It is most known because of the second book of the Law of Moses, Exodus. The word has the idea of a way or road out, and is often translated as departure. The book of Exodus is about Israel's departure from Egypt, and here Peter sees his coming departure from Earth. This word is used only three times in the New Testament. It is used here and in Luke 9:31 where Elijah and Moses appear in glory and speak to Jesus about his "decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." The word for decease there is "exodus" in Greek. The third place is in Hebrews chapter eleven where Joseph on his death bed reminds the families of Jacob that God has promised them an upcoming exodus from Egypt.
This is important because Peter uses several words that clearly connect to the Transfiguration in Luke 9, which he clearly speaks about in verses 16-18. We will look at this in more depth in a moment.
So, how did Peter ensure that they would always have a reminder after his personal exodus? First, he taught and preached the Gospel to churches, pastors, and bishops. Though he would depart, other faithful people would be left behind to continue the work. They do not so much take his place as carry the work forward.
Second, Peter is making sure a written record of his teaching is left behind. Thus, we have the two letters of Peter. His first letter is addressed to Christians who have been dispersed into the area of Asia Minor (Modern Turkey) due to persecution. This second letter is basically written to anyone who is a Christian. These are not just highly personalized letters from one individual to another. They represent the basic teaching of the Apostle Peter, along with his sermons recorded by Luke in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. On top of this, tradition teaches that Mark's Gospel has the Apostle Peter as its main source. In 1 Peter 5:13, Mark spent enough time with Peter to be referred to as "my son," by him.
I believe that this is why Peter brings up the next section. In a sense, you could ask this question. Who wants to read a book from a first-century Israelite fisherman? In verses 16-18, Peter establishes his credentials for caring about his teaching making it to the next generation and beyond. An amazing outflow of God's grace has been given to him, and he feels the duty to ensure that it continues after his death.
Peter could have made a long list, but he focuses on one event, what is called the Transfiguration. This is the word that Luke uses to describe this event. Mark uses different words, but it is clear that they are describing the same event. Peter, James and John see the face of Jesus transfigure, or rather transform, into a glowing, shining face of heavenly glory. Even his clothing is described as becoming white as snow and glowing. I always picture a mantle on a gas lantern when it is lit.
Now, there is a powerful parallel between the Transfiguration/Transformation event and what happened at Mt. Sinai in the book of Exodus. The literary ties are too many to overlook. There is a cloud of God that comes down on the mountain, God's voice is heard audibly from heaven, it is in the context of a new covenant being made between God and His people on earth, there is a mediator of that covenant, and witnesses to the powerful glory of God present, there is a mention of a tabernacle, and we could list more.
When Peter tells people about the power and future coming of Jesus in glory, he is not just following a cunningly designed story that he heard or made up. He is an eyewitness, along with James and John, of a singularly amazing event. Hebrews tells us that Moses was faithful as a servant of God to build the House of Israel for God. Yet, Jesus is faithful as a son building his own house (the Church). Jesus is not just another Moses. He is the Greater Moses, just as he told the people "a greater [one] than Solomon is here." Just as Moses took Joshua partway up on the mountain with him, so the Three disciples become witnesses to a greater glory of God. Moses is enabled to see the back of God's glory, but the Three are enabled to see God's glory in the face of Jesus. Of course, Jesus in human form is a mitigated form of the absolute glory of God. Yet, the event signals that in some way we have been enabled to see the face of God, when mortals really cannot do so and live. I could go on, but you get the drift. Moses saw God's glory, but Jesus is the glory of God, the exact image of His person. In Jesus, we have been given a glimpse of the glory of God.
The Three would go back and tell the other nine disciples what they saw. Of course, the nine had seen some amazing things as well. They saw Jesus walking on the water. They also saw Jesus stand up in a boat and say, "Peace, be still!" When the wind and waves immediately stopped, they were shocked. "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” They didn't see the Transfiguration, but it was in keeping with what they had seen. They would have quickly believed.
The Twelve would go forth and speak these things to the people of Israel. Yes, there were some that wouldn't admit any miracles of Jesus, but many knew there was something different about Jesus. They had watched him heal people blind from birth, lame from birth, lepers, demon-possessed people set free, thousands fed with just a little food in the wilderness. They may not have seen Jesus do all the things that the apostles did, but it would fit with what they knew about Jesus. This is why the resurrection of Jesus was eventually believed by thousands of early Judeans. Over 500 people had seen Jesus after the Resurrection. With such evidence stacking up, it is hard to really claim conspiracy, lying, and trickery. Just as something amazing happened to Israel in the desert and they came out a nation with laws and religious service to which they all agreed, so the early Christianity cannot be explained by natural means. Something amazing happened in first century Jerusalem, and it has changed the destiny of humanity!
The Transfiguration to the Crucifixion to the Ascension is a Mt. Sinai moment in which the glory of heaven comes down, meeting with His people, and makes a new covenant with them, really with whosoever will believe upon Jesus as the Christ. Jesus doesn't just talk with God; he is revealed as the very glory of God itself. Peter thus speaks of him receiving honor and glory from the Father when He spoke at the Transfiguration.
There are few times that it is clear in the text that God audibly speaks. Typically it is in a dream, a vision, or through an angel. Peter hears the voice of God say, "This is My Beloved Son. Hear him!" This is essentially the same message as at the water baptism of Jesus, except it adds that last part. Any Judean of the day would have recognized the term My Son. They would not have connected it necessarily to being divine, but as being the Messianic offspring of David promised by God in 2 Samuel 7:14. God promises David that One from his line would be a son to God and God would give him a forever kingdom. This is also seen in Psalm 2 where the nations of the earth are chafing under God and His King Messiah. They are warned to kiss the Son before his wrath rises just a little.
The imperative to listen to Jesus may not have been as quickly recognized, but it is clearly tying back to Deuteronomy 18, where Moses tells Israel that a prophet like him will come later. He tells them that God will require it of anyone who doesn't listen to this prophet. Thus, God the Father goes on record before three mortal humans that Jesus is the Messiah and the awaited Prophet who would set up the New Covenant, like Moses had done before.
This is a kind of layered witness. The whole nation saw amazing things from Jesus, Caiaphas included. A smaller group (the 500) saw even more amazing things than they. The Twelve saw even more amazing things than the 500, and the Three saw the most amazing things of all.
This powerful first-century witness of God's work in Israel leads Peter to then speak of the prophetic Word of God. Such experiences as Israel had in the first century were the foundation to the Scriptures that Israel received from Moses. This was not a bunch of guys sitting around unable to explain the weird world around them, and coming up with a story to keep the masses under control. This is modern man's explanation of religion, but it is not God's explanation of where religion comes from. The Old Testament and the New Testament were proven to be the very Words of God by the spectacular, more spectacular, and most spectacular events that happened with Israel and an amazing mediator at the time. This is then further added to by prophecy that points forward to things that couldn't be known in advance, and yet come to pass.
In verse 19, there is a question about what exactly Peter is saying. He is either saying that the events of Jesus, especially the Transfiguration, have made the Scriptures even more sure, or, he is saying that the Scriptures are even more sure than his experience on the mountain. I don't buy the argument that Peter sees the Old Testament as greater than his experience. Like I said before, Moses wrote the Torah, The Law, in response to a great, spectacular event with God at Sinai. It was revelation from God in the same vein as Peter, James and John experienced. It wasn't a science of man that discovered either the Law or the Gospel. It was a revelation of God.
This brings up the issue of science. True science can powerfully discover how things work, and how to build technology to do things. However, science can never tell you if you should do something. What do you put in a petri dish to determine right and wrong, yes and no? You are left with men making their best guess, which is a recipe for disaster. When it comes to the heart of man and his spiritual condition, we need more than science to help us. We need the revelation of God, which is exactly what Peter received.
Peter was an eyewitness, even an earwitness, of God's revelation. The Old Testament was completely reliable before, but with the revelation of Jesus it is even more proven than it was before. This would apply to the writings of the Apostles as well. What they would write would be the blazing light of truth, powerfully confirmed in the first century as being from God.
If you don't think Peter thought of the writings of the apostles as Scripture, then note chapter 3:5 in this same letter. There he points out that scoffers are twisting Paul's words in his letters just as they did the "rest of the Scriptures." They knew that they were righting down the Words of God, just as Moses knew that he was doing so.
In verse 19, Peter tells believers that they would do well to pay close attention to the Scriptures. The verb here is an intensive looking into something that is important to you. It is important for believers to spend time in the Word of God. If you want to know God, then you will want to read His Word because it was written for our benefit.
Peter says that they should do this "until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." The "until" is a terminus to what he has talked about before. Revelation 22:16 tells us that Jesus is the morning star. So, does Peter mean that we should pay close attention to the Bible until we come to faith in Jesus, and then we won't need it any more? I don't believe so. The key is in noting the need for a light in a dark place. It is true that we need the light of Jesus internally, and the believer receives such at salvation. However, there is always a sense of "now, but not yet" with things pertaining to believers and the Church. We are transported into the Kingdom of the Son of God's love, yet that kingdom is not fully realized on the earth. We become the children of God, but our sonship will not be fully realized until the Resurrection.
On top of this, we are still surrounded by a dark world in which we are shining the light. Thus, the rising of Christ in our hearts and the Day dawning finds its complete fulfillment in the Second Coming of Jesus.
Lastly, I would say that darkness is not always associated with moral wickedness. It is also associated with the lack of understanding in regards to the things prophesied in Scripture. As long as believers do not have the full light of fulfilled Scripture, i.e., there are still prophecies to be fulfilled, then we need to pay close attention to God's Word, Old Testament and New Testament.
Some people do not buy this argument. They have developed a sense that we have the Spirit of God, so we can just dispense with the Bible. They see it as passé. Does Peter make it more clear t hat we should not toss our Bibles and simply follow the Holy Spirit?
I believe this passage and others nip this idea in the bud. In verse 20, Peter states that no prophecy came about from a person's own interpretation. This is speaking of an idea that originates from within themselves. Instead, the Scriptures (Old and New) came from the will of God, the Holy Spirit moving holy men to write. Do you want to know what did come from the will of men? False teaching and false prophecy came from the will of men. Ultimately, even the false prophet is being led and played by the teachings of demons.
On top of this, Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16 refers to the Scriptures as being inspired. The word is literally "God-breathed." Of course, the breath of God is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit. This is exactly what Peter is saying. The written Word of God, i.e., the Scriptures, are a product of the Holy Spirit's work over 1500 years. Why would the Holy Spirit not want to use the holy and spiritual book that was purposefully made for the faith of believers? Will the Holy Spirit simply start over from scratch with each new believer and try to compress all of that work into your life span?
The Apostles who were filled with the Holy Spirit focused themselves on the ministry of the Word. They encouraged believers to pay close attention to the Word, and commended those who made sure that preaching lined up with the Word.
It has been said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and that the New Testament is the Old Testament Revealed. This is true, but we can miss the understanding that the New Testament is shining light precisely upon the Old Testament. Without spending the time to know what the Old Testament, you will miss much of what the New Testament says. In truth, God's Word will put in your heart and mind the concepts and ideas that will give the Holy Spirit leverage within your soul. Through it, we work with Him in taking possession of our soul, and obtaining the wisdom of God in salvation for us and our community.
It is the Holy Spirit that illuminates our understanding in regards to Scripture. This work will never end while we are in these mortal bodies. Thus, let us be a people of the Word of God and a people of the Spirit of God. Some have acted as if these are in contention, but I believe that I have shown that they cannot be so.
Some have put down being led by the Spirit and emphasize the Word of God only. Yet, on the other extreme, there are those who over-emphasize being led by the Spirit, even referring to the Bible as being an old, stale word from the Lord. Yes, we want to hear from the Lord in our hearts and minds, but this process will be fraught with pitfalls and errors if we are not a people steeped in God's Word. Thus, this is a false dichotomy.
Without the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures will fall on deaf ears when it is spoken and preached. This is where we should remind ourselves that Jesus is the Word of God long before there was anything to write on. The Scriptures are a mediated picture of the Lord Jesus himself. They point to him and help us to keep from getting off track as we are led by the Holy Spirit. This is God's love, plan, and purpose for us.
The Pharisees are forever proof that quoting a whole book of the Bible and having a graduate degree in theology cannot save you. Paul stated that the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). If you focus on the words without the Spirit of God, then you will end up being a Scripture twister like all of the other false teachers. Humble yourself by the Spirit, and ask the Lord to help you hunger for His Word, and gain understanding by it. Let's be a people of the Word!