Look-up
NT
2 Peter 1:12-18
esv
12 Therefore I intend t always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in u the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this v body, 1 w to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 x since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, y as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. Christ’s Glory and the Prophetic Word 16 For we did not follow z cleverly devised a myths when we made known to you b the power and c coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but d 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, e “This is my beloved Son, 1 with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on f the holy mountain.
2 Peter 1:12-18
na28
12 Διὸ μελλήσω ἀεὶ ὑμᾶς ὑπομιμνῄσκειν περὶ τούτων καίπερ εἰδότας καὶ ἐστηριγμένους ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ ἀληθείᾳ. 13 δίκαιον δὲ ἡγοῦμαι, ἐφʼ ὅσον εἰμὶ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ σκηνώματι, διεγείρειν ὑμᾶς ἐν ὑπομνήσει, 14 εἰδὼς ὅτι ταχινή ἐστιν ἡ ἀπόθεσις τοῦ σκηνώματός μου καθὼς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐδήλωσέν μοι, 15 σπουδάσω δὲ καὶ ἑκάστοτε ἔχειν ὑμᾶς μετὰ τὴν ἐμὴν ἔξοδον τὴν τούτων μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι. 16 Οὐ γὰρ σεσοφισμένοις μύθοις ἐξακολουθήσαντες ἐγνωρίσαμεν ὑμῖν τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμιν καὶ παρουσίαν ἀλλʼ ἐπόπται γενηθέντες τῆς ἐκείνου μεγαλειότητος. 17 λαβὼν γὰρ παρὰ θεοῦ πατρὸς τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν φωνῆς ἐνεχθείσης αὐτῷ τοιᾶσδε ὑπὸ τῆς μεγαλοπρεποῦς δόξης• ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός μου οὗτός ἐστιν εἰς ὃν ἐγὼ εὐδόκησα, 18 καὶ ταύτην τὴν φωνὴν ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐνεχθεῖσαν σὺν αὐτῷ ὄντες ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ὄρει.
lookup
Notes
Don't ever forget: Jesus is coming back in power Intro : Myths versus truth. Eyewitnesses, truth, and warranted belief. Examples. The problem of fake news. Confirmation bias. How can we know? What if the gospel is fake news? What do you do with myths? Embellish and re-imagine them. What do you do with the truth? Remember it, and keep remembering it. This section: rebuilding confidence in the Old and New Testament. Today, his apostolic ministry of reminder, and the eyewitness (apostolic) reliability of the NT. Next week; the OT has been 'more fully confirmed'. All this will strengthen the church for the false teachers, 2.1ff 1. Peter is committed to reminding and strengthening them in the truth before he dies (v12-15) v12 link 'therefore' - since there's a rich welcome to come; since there's a life to be lived diligently in the right now...therefore I'll do my all to remind and strengthen you. 'Remind' v12, 'reminder' v13, 'recall these things' v15. N o new word, just strong reminders. v13-14 the 'tent' of his body will soon be put off. His 'exodus' (v15) is coming, cf Luke 9.31. cf Luke 22.32 Jesus told Peter to 'strengthen' his brothers. 2. Peter saw Jesus' majesty with his own eyes (v16-18) v16 Peter will make every effort 'for'...it's no lie, it's the truth. Not 'clever' myths (v16) when talking about the power and 'parousia' (advent, arrival, return) of Jesus. False teachers dismissing the gospel and its events as 'fake news'. But it's true - eyewitness 1.16, 1.18 Eyewitnesses v16. Eyewitness testimony does not decrease in truthfulness over time! v17-18 the 'Mount of Transfiguration': Jesus glimpsed without the veil, as he really is. The 'preview' or 'trailer' of his return in glory. Daniel 7 prophecies it; the Mount previews it; the Ascension is the fulfilment, and his return will make this clear to all. Why talk about the transfiguration to bolster confidence in the return of Jesus? Jesus connected the two, Matt 16.27 or cf Mark 9.1. Matt 17.1 adding a time marker to show the transfiguration happened 6 days after Jesus had said these things about his return. Jesus and the gospel writers connect the two as part of the same reality. It's like Peter is saying, I was there, I saw the trailer. The real thing honestly is coming! Jesus really is the beloved Son of the Father ( my son! my beloved one!) , which means that we're really on the right track in putting on his own 'glory and excellence'. cf God's heart for his Israel - eg Jeremiah 'my darling one' God's glory. This is true, it's no myth. He gives us the gift of total confidence so our faith can be truly established and strengthened. He gives us reminders. FCF. Forgetfulness and doubting. Drifting into the category of myth. H1. Mocking the gospel as a myth, fairy-tale. H2. Functionally, in practice, forgetting that this is really true. It's become a functional myth. You wouldn't risk or lose for it. Other 'issues' become more precious to you, more jealously protected and obsessed over. 'Cleverly devised myths'. [You don't fight over 2 plus 2 equals 4, but you'll patiently live it and defend it; some Christians will constantly fight over issues, whilst losing patience with the gospel itself...showing it is functional myth, not the great indicative, in their lives] [parenting, deuteronomy, shows this is not to be on the shelf but daily lived; gospel centred versus gospel based] Person of Jesus. He is the coming King, and he has been seen as this. He is the beloved of the Father. He bore testimony to God's word, and then made it more sure himself by his own words. Work of Jesus . He died to give total confidence in the words and the plan of God. He died to heal our forgetful, doubting minds. He died at the hands of those mocking the Kingdom as a myth, to open the door to them. He was raised and received honour and glory, and he is returning in that glory. He died and rose that his people might share in the Father's love as sons before the Father. Union with Jesus . I will share in his glory and excellence. I am loved by the Father in him. What I will be simply cannot be compared to what I am now. Invitation/correction . Come, know that this is true, eyewitness, sure, incorrigible. Come and share in the glory of Jesus' kingdom. Confrontation/rebuke . Turn away from mocking this. Turn away from treating it as a myth. Consolation/comfort . This really is true; when we see him we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Those who sow in Jesus shall reap at his return. In Jesus you are a dearly beloved child of the Father. Wrap-up: What do you do with myths? Embellish and re-imagine them. What do you do with the truth? Remember it, and keep remembering it. Will we remember and not ever forget that Jesus is surely coming back in power?
notes