Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 162nd Edition.
Dear Apple of God’s Eye,
Today’s passage (2 Peter 1:19) continues with the theme of the truth and reliability of the gospel that started in the previous passage. This is the gospel Christians everywhere were being persecuted for. Peter, James, and John were witnesses of the Transfiguration of Jesus, a real event about a real person. But that is not the most significant thing. In this verse, Peter says the word of God is more reliable than the dramatic event!
Confirmation (v. 19a). The exact meaning of what Peter is saying here is a Bible scholar’s challenge. One possibility is that Peter means that the transfiguration was a confirmation of the prophecies of the Old Testament. While that is possible, it is unlikely because of the limited scope of the human witnesses – only three in number, while there were scores of miracles witnessed by thousands. The other possibility is that Peter is saying that the prophetic word, meaning the Old Testament scriptures, is more sure (reliable) than even the most dramatic of miracles. This seems the more likely, in view of what Peter says next:
Conformity (v. 19b). The word is like a light shining in the darkness of night. To avoid stumbling, it is wise to pay attention to what light reveals. The light of the word is not always completely clear. If you have a candle in a dark room, you will not be able to see everything clearly but you can see enough of the profiles of objects so that you can safely navigate around them and avoid painful collisions. When the Day of the Lord comes, which the apostle will be talking about later, it will be as the dawn, when the morning star – the brightest star in the night sky rises in our hearts, revealing the exact state of things.
There are many things that are not certain in the word of God, as we examine it. But everything we need to live lives that honor God is clear to us. Let us pay attention, close attention.
Your Loving Pastor