Lesson 13
Second Peter
Warning against dangers
facing the Church
Review:
1:19 Indeed we keep
on having the more reliable (sure/firm) prophetic word to which you do
well by paying attention to (as a lamp shining in a dark place [the
kosmos] until which time a day dawns and the bringer of light may arise in
your hearts.)
We must be sure we understand that
it is the illumination of the prophetic word that will provide the discernment
necessary to illuminate your life, and the historical reality of the day in
which you live.
Peter's point here in the flow of
the context was that until the Lord returns his readers, and us by application,
should give attention to the Old Testament and to the apostles' teaching,
especially since false teachers were already perverting them.
Observations:
1.
Peter is affirming that the prophetic word is more reliable or firm than the
empirical witness of the transfiguration. (28 years prior)
2.
Because of this the prophetic word is to placed ahead
of any empirical phenomena, i.e. experience you might have.
3.
Principle is that all empirical phenomena, experiences must be judged,
evaluated by light of the prophetic word.
4.
The transfiguration was a legitimate witness to the prophetic word in that it
is a preview of the 2nd Advent of Christ spoken of many times by the
prophets in the OT.
5.
Today in the Church age any extra Biblical prophecy is to be rejected
regardless of any apparent “supernatural attestation” i.e. miracles.
6.
It is not an understatement then to say that orientation to the prophetic word
which includes TTC is extremely important as we live the Christian life.
7.
To all generations of the church it is a lamp illuminating the darkness of the
kosmos in which we live providing us the discernment needed.
8. Rem that earlier Peter noted that it is the spiritually
blind and myopic believer (vs:9) who will stumble
around in the darkness when the light of the Word of God is readily available.
9.
The P/T faithfully communicating the Word of God is the lamp which illumines
your soul as you hear the word empowered by the Holy Spirit which ultimately
provides you the discernment needed for f2.
10.
What Peter is reminding us is that this light from the prophetic word is more
reliable, more firm and will be so until the day dawns.
11.
The “day dawning” here to Jesus Christ's return at the Rapture which will signal the beginning of
a new day, the Day of the Lord. Which will culminate in the 2nd
Advent and the establishment of the Kingdom promised to
12. Jesus Christ is the
“Morningstar” who will arise for the Church age believer at the Rapture
13.
This must be distinguished from that phase of the “Day of the Lord” when He
returns as the “Sun of righteousness.”
Mal. 4:1-3
14.
So to the OT saints and
the Tribulation saints He will be not the morning star but the Sun at the 2nd
Advent.
15. Just as the morning
star precedes the sunrise so Christ will return for
His bride, the Church age saints, prior to the Tribulation which as we noted
will be the greatest outpouring of the Justice of God.
16. Peter has been exhorting for some time in
the context that is through our diligence toward the intake of the prophetic
word in time that will provide us the viewpoint needed for incite into the
issues of the day in our life.
17. We will then have
the frame of reference that the Holy Spirit needs to provide us the divine
guidance in any and all situations.
But know this first of all,
Peter once again picks up the thread from
vs:19 before the parenthesis.
Indeed
we keep on having the more reliable (sure/firm) prophetic word to which you do well by
paying attention to;
knowing this
- What Peter is trying to get across
here is that the next statement presents a chief principle of hermeneutics,
therefore must always be kept in mind as we approach the text of Scripture.
that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own
interpretation,
- "Prophecy"
is another word for the Word of God since it is what the Old Testament writers
"spoke forth," which is the literal meaning of the Greek word propheteia, here translated "prophecy."
- It was a mark of a false prophet to
speak his own thing or from himself or as Peter mentioned in vs:16 cunningly devised or concocted myths.
-
Point Peter is making here is that what we have in Scripture did not originate in the minds of
men but in the mind of God.
Observations:
1. Peter is not saying
that the prophetic Word cannot be understood.
2. The emphasis here is
on the source, the origin of the prophetic word in other words revelation.
- point is
it is not from man, one’s own determination
3. Since the origin is
from God, this must be remembered especially by the P/T when studying any
passage in order to prevent eisegesis, that is reading
into the passage one’s own whims or desires for the passage to say.
4. The only way to
ensure the correct understanding or determination of any scripture is to
operate on the same source of power, the Holy Spirit who is the one who
originated the text and is the ultimate teacher making the message real and
understandable when we’ve done our home work.
For no prophesy
at any time has been proclaimed
by an act of human will, the prophetic word does not come by means of
the will or desire of man, qe,lhma -ma ending indicates a result, puts an emphasis
on an act therefore expresses the function of man’s volition
but men moved by
the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
men here in context refers to the writers of Scripture; the
majority text adds an adjective here translated holy a[gioj to describe
these men;
moved the verb is fe,rw same as earlier with emphasis on borne
along or carried along
by the Holy Spirit u`po. pneu,matoj a`gi,ou ablative =
agency which tells us that the Holy
Spirit is the agent of the inspiration of Scripture.
Summary:
1.
Peter says here that all Scripture, the prophetic word, is from the ultimate
source of God, initiated by God.
2.
This actually confirms the completeness and authority of the OT canon.
3.
Not even one is found in the canon of Scripture that is from the source of
human derivation.
4.
Mechanically, God the Holy Spirit employed imperfect man to record God’s
perfect eternal revelation.
5.
No error crept into Scripture (original texts) due to the Holy Spirit’s
ministry.
6.
Logical inference: If God is able to use imperfect men to record Scripture
including the prophetic word, and He did, therefore He is able also to use
imperfect men to exegete and communicate the Word of God correctly.
7.
As a communicator of the Word we’re to be the mouthpiece for God’s truth. 1 Pet. 4:11
8.
Next Peter moves to the distortions of the communication of truth down through
history as he warns of the dangers of false prophets and false teachers.