The Prophetic Word
2 Peter 1: 12-21
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The New
Testament Witness of the Apostle
Peter |
Max A
Forsythe | |
In the telling of ancient English history there is no finer tale than that of Arthur, "the once and future King" so ascribed by literary fiction. There is connected with Arthur a convincing fable still held dear by the crowned heads of Britain that the last king of England will be called Arthur. For such a superstition, no royal parent will so name any apparent heir to the throne. Just because around such an incredible name, there has gathered any number of legends and tales to mystify and entertain the public.
In America we have found it difficult to separate the mystical name of Camelot from the "reign" apparent of a once seemingly martyred president in the [sexties]. Even those who would worship at the oval office currently inhabited by a much lesser imitative cad, will accept legendary excuses in place of hard facts and any proven acts of immorality so that the romantic image may carry on and on! Certainly, we may assume however rightly, that just as daring exploits and heroic deeds were gathered around the knightly Arthur, so have opposite scandals been attracted to our own fallen anti-hero. In both cases, ancient and current, the truth is extremely hard to discover and pin down. Thus, we may understand even in our own day how substantiative and even fictional tales may be tagged fairly or unfairly.
Since, such stories have been the entertainment of generations in the telling of their national myths, far too many scholars wrongly suppose that such was the same development in the growth of the legendary Jesus of history into the Christ of our true and faithful churches. One European scholar supposed that he could demystify the Christ and so find the Jesus of History. By the time he was through with the New Testament, he was left with one singularly inadequate paragraph that provided absolutely no knowledge that could lead to the salvation of anyone! The strength of such false suppositions and ways of thinking are why so many faithless spiritual perverts inhabit the pulpits of the land and give through their supporters a moral pass to the ungodly paganism now flourishing widely in our much touted and celebrated New Age.
Enough of the tawdry tales and idylls of our earthly kings. Let us turn to the firm ground of Holy Scripture to understand the rugged and faithful truth of the Gospel once given to the saints. In what we might be tempted to call Peter's Last Will & Testament, we find the old Apostle making certain that what he has seen first hand and known from the kindness, mercy and glory of our Lord, will be faithfully recorded by those who also recorded his gospel account. The modernists who decry the theological Christ of Paul should also be as equally perplexed by the gospel and letters of Peter. Because, Peter's testimony is much the same as all the other writers of the New Testament.
If we would be perplexed in our ordering of a Gospel outline, we should be aware that Mark's outline of Peter's preaching makes no claim to be ordered by chronology. Neither have I followed any special method in the planning of this series except to have something appropriate to say during the Advent and Resurrection seasons of this coming year at the end of the second millennium.
Let us finish our analysis of verses twelve through fifteen. We see the aged Apostle making a special effort to encourage the faithful in the beliefs and events so carefully recorded for their and our behalf. It is usually in these twilight years, that great liars repent of their fish tales and finally share the truth of what they have known. The Scottish photographer of the best picture of Nessie the Loch Ness Monster confessed in his last weeks how he had so ably assisted the "national tourist board" in bringing visitors, scientists and believers to spend their days and treasure in and around the beautiful part of his world. But, as we look seriously at what Peter is saying, we do not find any such fish tales. In fact as we move on to the next verse, sixteen, Peter adamantly tell us us "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Peter will die just as convinced in the Lordship and Godship of Christ as he has since the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Contrary to all the liberal thinking of the last century, Peter and all the rest take their task of witness seriously. Peter remarks that indeed he was an eyewitness of the majesty of Christ. He heard himself the voice of God the Father and if we should profit from his Gospel - we must take his reports as verifiable history. These things actually happened - these words were actually spoken and he has only recorded what he has known to be certain.
What is more, we are given the additional testimony of Matthew, Luke, John, Paul, James and the magnificent writer of Hebrews. Their combined testimony is given unity and credibility by the very Spirit of our God and Father. It is good to know that the absolute truth is recorded here for our benefit, because it gives us the strength to carry on against the perverse fictions of the worldly around us. But we have more than enough evidence from Peter to know the truth, we have as Christians the Holy Spirit to encourage and enable our belief.
What can we say of worldly scholars who scoff at the inspiration of the Bible and remain incredulous to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?If they know not our Lord, they have not His Spirit in them and their advice and learning must be held suspect even as their leadership is rejected out of hand. From time to time I use a few commentaries of William Barclay. I well know where his liberal heart was focused. I also know that he hired only the most conservative students to do his historic research because he knew he could trust them. If you read him at all, you read him for that atmosphere of the holy land, the geography and the proven history. However, when you consider his theology you can only marvel that one so talented remained so cold and inconclusive to the reality of the gospel records. How sad to know so much but miss the mark.
Thankfully we are not totally dependent upon commentators or preachers in our time, but have in our common tongues the very words of Holy Scripture. And if we read Peter here arightly and are moved by the Spirit even as he and the prophets were moved - then we too can know the hard reality of the life of Christ and what He has accomplished for our eternal benefit.
Peter goes on in verse nineteen to remind us of the benefits of the words of the Hebrew prophets and the records of the Old Testament Canon. We may know that God has confirmed the Law and the Prophets in Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself even said that he came not to change even the smallest characters in the linguistic records handed down from the times of Moses through Malachi. Treasure these, he encourages us, read and study them as a light in a dark place until the light of truth arises in your heart. Know this, he implores us: "no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
You know, that verse is one that was hardly ever mentioned in most of my Seminary classes! Yes there were two faithful professors who had not been brow-beaten into conformity - but they were always guarded in their public discourse. And one of them even helped to organize the only Seminary Teachers Labor Union in the country at that time in order to help protect his and other's freedom to share something other than the liberal party line.
In our coming to this precious and holy truth recorded in Scripture we must all be reminded that our reputation for handling of the texts is not to be known as cute, astute or theologically innovative. No indeed, if we are to understand the word once give through Peter and all the rest, we must take it at face value and neither add anything to it nor take anything away from it, so help us God.
I suppose that if the liberals of my youth had been more loving in their churchmanship and if their toleration had sincerely matched their advertised methodology - I could have been persuaded of their interpretation. Providentially, the wolf's teeth behind their shepherd's cloak gleamed through now and again and whenever I tested their liberality by misbelieving them even as they misbelieved the scriptures - their fangs were quickly displayed. Providentially the Lord in His wisdom sheltered me from falling for the crooked lie of liberalism and through a handful of castoff books from their bookstore gave me a solid foundation to build upon. I remember the fall that I went to Seminary, the theological bookstore was under new management and so many works were marked down because they were being discontinued. Being Scotch with my limited resources I bought up some very valuable works by Jay Adams, Francis Schaeffer and C.S. Lewis. Had those books been burned instead of being made available, who knows where I would have ended?
But I dare not leave out my upbringing - unlike almost all of my fellow students, I had read the Westminster Confession at home under my father's instruction, and that inoculation also helped to hold me to the truth and faith once given to the saints.
Now, I do not anticipate a sudden departure to the next life, as the Apostle Peter so realizes here. But if this should providentially be my last sermon - let the words of Peter here be mine as well:
"no prophecy of Scripture
is of any private interpretation,
for prophecy never came by the will
of man,
but holy men of God spoke as they
were moved by the Holy Spirit."
Amen, no pastor can give any more solid testimony to the reliability of scripture than that. And if you sincerely believe the reality of the Prophetic Word, then you have the truth and if you have the truth and the Spirit - you have the Christ. May you be so blessed. Amen.
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Resources Used | |
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Green, Michael. |
Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: 2nd Peter. |
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Johnston, W.B. |
Calvin's New Testament
Commentaries: |
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The New
Geneva Study Bible (NKJV) | |
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2pt01d |
19 September 99 |