2 Peter 1:12-21 (CSB)
12 Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right, as long as I am in this bodily tent, to wake you up with a reminder, 14 since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me. 15 And I will also make every effort so that you are able to recall these things at any time after my departure.
16 For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased!’ 18 We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.19 We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
As we saw last week when we started 2 Peter, Peter didn’t waste any time getting to the point he wants to make. He wants them to remember all the things he told them in his first letter. In that letter, he told them what it looks like to follow Jesus; how they are to be humble and submitted to one another, serving people in love. He’s continuing that same theme and wants to remind them about the way they are supposed to live. They are to develop a deep knowledge of God. Not just knowledge about God, but truly knowing God. It is that Greek word epignosis, which means first-hand experiential knowledge. For when we have this deep knowledge of God, then God divinely gives us everything required for life and godliness. He listed seven different qualities all believers should possess, and then in verse 8 said, “If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the [epignosis] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I want to point out that in that first section of 2 Peter, he uses the word knowledge 5 times. He will continue to make that a focus of the whole letter, and so I want to explain this form of knowledge a bit more before we move on.
We see this same word epignosis used in 2 Timothy 3:7, which contains a warning to avoid people who “have a form of godliness” but do not truly know God. It says these people are “always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth” for they never attain the knowledge, the ‘epignosis’ full knowledge. They never truly know God, for what they are learning is not the truth.
How do we avoid becoming like these people? How do we come to this saving ‘epignosis’ knowledge of God? We must have two kinds of knowledge: the experiential knowledge of knowing God, and the more general gnosis kind of knowledge of knowing about Him, too. It’s just common sense if you think about it, for we must have a proper knowledge of God in order to understand His directives. In the company that my husband and I run, my primary job is making sure our employees know what we want them to do. If they lack knowledge, then they will not reach the goals we set for them. In my family, if I don’t teach my children properly, they will lack knowledge on how to do all the things they need to know to grow properly.
Knowledge should not be underestimated in its importance. People who lack knowledge are easily led by anyone who would seek to manipulate them. Knowledge is power. This is why governments would love to keep people illiterate and ignorant. People in power know that people who are not knowledgeable can be deceived and controlled. We can recognize that fact in the world, but it is no different for the Christian. The devil wants to keep us ignorant. But if we want to follow God, we must increase our knowledge of Him. The only way to do that is to spend time with Him and to read His word, for He reveals Himself to us through His Word. If we don’t read God’s word, how can we know who God is? How could we know what He wants us to do and how He wants us to live?
Peter, therefore, wants the believers to remember that the key to following God is first and foremost to know God. I’m sure this seems really basic to you. It’s a pretty obvious statement. It probably sounded basic to his hearers, too, and that’s why he says in verses 12-15, “Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have. I think it is right, as long as I am in this bodily tent, to wake you up with a reminder, since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me. And I will also make every effort so that you are able to recall these things at any time after my departure.”
Even though he knows they already know this information, this information is so important that he needs to tell them it again. That’s why Peter’s aim is to remind them multiple times, ensuring they never forget and can always remember this truth. He wants them to pay attention to what he’s about to say. To make his point hit home even harder, I think that’s why he mentions to them that he’s not long for this world. Did you catch what he said in verse 13? He said, “I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me.”
We don’t know if the Lord specifically told Peter that he would die soon or if he just knows because he’s older now that he is reaching the end of his life. The text says that it’s information the Lord has given him. Maybe He had recently spoken to him and told him his death was imminent. Whether the Lord made that clear to him recently or in the past when He was alive on earth, we do know that John 21:17-19 records a conversation between Peter and Jesus. And it says, “He asked him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’
‘Feed my sheep,’ Jesus said. ‘Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.’ He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, ‘Follow me.’”
We know from historical documents that Peter was martyred. He was led to his death, and tradition has it that he chose to be crucified upside down, for he said he was not worthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. In Ellicott’s Commentary he writes, “Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee.—Do these words refer to the crucifixion of Peter? Tradition, from Tertullian downwards (Scorp. xv.; De Praescr. xxxv.), states that he was crucified, and, interpreting this prophecy by the event, asserts that they do. Tertullian himself so understood them, for he says, ‘Then is Peter girded by another when he is bound to the cross.’”
I also want us to notice the language that Peter uses to describe his death. He says he will “lay aside my tent,” and earlier he said, “I am in this bodily tent.” Peter knew that his life was only temporary. He viewed his body as nothing more permanent than a tent. In 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, we see this same word again. It says, “For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring to put on our heavenly dwelling.”
There is so much language in the Bible that supports this idea. Philippians 3:20 says, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” As we know, this world is not our home. We are just ‘camping’ here for a while. And compared to the length of eternity, as James 4:14 says, our lives, “are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.”
If we have this perspective, that life is temporary and short, then won’t that change how we behave here on earth? Why would we want to lay up treasures here on earth if none of it will last anyway? From my experience, this is not an easy perspective to keep a hold on. It takes a lot of faith to realize that what we see is just temporary. Yet this is exactly what the Bible tells us to do. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
To help his readers remember this, that is why Peter describes his body as a tent. It’s just temporary. You can’t keep much stuff in a tent. It’s not meant to be permanent. If we can remember that, then we can keep our priorities straight.
Let’s move on to verses 16-21. At first, I thought Peter switched topics, and I wondered why these verses were included in this same chapter of 2 Peter. But on contemplation, it makes perfect sense. He’s explaining how we attain true epignosis knowledge of God.
Verse 16 says, “For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” Unlike people who follow myths, Peter and the other apostles were firsthand eyewitnesses of Jesus. Verses 17-18 say, “For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased!’ We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.”
Peter saw the dove descend on Jesus and heard the Father speak. Peter was also on the mountain with Jesus when He was transfigured, and he heard that same voice again. He knows this is what really happened. It’s not some myth or story that has been passed around. It happened. He was there. He’s a witness and his testimony is solid. His knowledge of God is true epignosis knowledge.
Think for a moment about your first-hand epignosis knowledge of God. What have you seen the Lord do? When have you heard God’s voice speak to your heart? Think about a time when God answered a prayer. A moment when You knew that you knew God is real. If you can’t answer that question easily, don’t be discouraged. Ask God to reveal Himself to you on a deeper level. Ask God to prove Himself real to you. I know He will be faithful to do so. These moments of the Lord showing Himself faithful and speaking to us are so important in building our faith in Him. For then we can testify, just like Peter, that we, too, are eyewitnesses of the majesty of God.
Then he says in verses 19-21, “We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
He’s clarifying that these words he’s been writing are not simply his ideas. He has written what he’s written because, just as the Old Testament was written by the power of God, so too has he been writing as he has been “carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
That is why he tells his readers to remember all these things he’s been telling them. It’s not Peter’s words that are important, it is the fact that what he is speaking is from God. If his hearers want to not be useless or unfruitful, if they don’t want to fall away from God, then they must listen to these words from God.
He started this letter by listing all those characteristics that believers need to add to their lives. He wants them to understand that those directives he’s been giving them are not his ideas. They are the words that the Lord has led him to write. So, they must be careful to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and work on adding all those qualities to their lives. They have to choose to do those things.
Just as Peter urges his readers to pay attention to his words, we too must be careful to follow the divinely inspired Word of God. For if we don’t follow it, then we can be easily led astray by human words that distort the Gospel. It’s so easy to become deceived and lulled into believing lies. It’s difficult to hold on to the truth. The devil, who is prowling around, as Peter warned in his first letter, is doing everything he can to distort the truth.
That’s why Peter says, “I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have.” We can’t ever allow ourselves to get to a place where we think we don’t need to be reminded of the truth. As people, we are prone to forget God’s word. Look at the Israelites. They would do so well and follow God and then, almost overnight, it seems, they forget what God said to them. Everything in this world is set up to corrupt our minds. We are bombarded by distortions and false ideas all day long. Daily we must remind ourselves of the truth or we too will soon forget.
But there is good news. Verse 19 applies directly to us, too. It says, “We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” Unlike people who are always learning but are never actually attaining a knowledge of the truth, we can look to Scripture to truly know God. Unlike the people Peter was writing to, we have the complete word of God in the Bible. Having been given this amazing gift, we would do well to pay attention to it! It’s the only thing that can combat the lies of the enemy. It is what lights up the darkness. It brings clarity and allows us to see the truth. Like a light being turned on in a dark room, God’s word illuminates the truth so we can see rightly. Without God’s word, we are stumbling in the dark and are easily deceived.
If we don’t have first-hand knowledge of God, and if we don’t know His word, then we will be taken in by cleverly contrived myths. And the worst thing is, we won’t even know it’s happened. We will think we’ve got it all figured out; that we’re so smart and wise. But unless we’re sticking to the truth, which is revealed to us through Scripture, we’ll be deceived. We must hold on to God’s unchanging word. This is the only way to be sure we’re truly following His path.
We will never reach a point where we don’t need to be reminded of these things. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.”
God gave the Israelites that directive, and borrowing Peter’s language again, we would do well to remember it and apply it to our lives today. All day long, we need to be remembering God’s word, talking about what He said, discussing it, and repeating it.
Not only must we hold dearly to God’s word, but we need to remind ourselves of all the times we have been first-hand eyewitnesses of what God has done in our lives and in other people’s lives. We would do well to remember what God has done for us. We should write down answers to prayers so we can look back and see how God moved in our lives. We should give our testimonies and share with other people how God has proved Himself real by changing our lives. We should also read books by people who tell us how God has come through for them. There are so many amazing books written by missionaries who testify of God’s miraculous power: when we read them, our faith is built stronger.
As we read those first-hand accounts or read through scripture, we will see story after story of how the Lord has proven Himself faithful and trustworthy. We can hold on to the promise that, just as He was faithful in the past, He can still be trusted today. As Peter wrote back in verse 4: God, by His great love and mercy, has given us great and precious promises. God promises that by His love and mercy we “may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.”
Let us hold on to His great promises of love and mercy. God has given us everything we need to follow Him. Let us press on to know God deeply, so through the power of His Holy Spirit, He can transform our human nature into a reflection of His divine nature. Let us press on to attain all these qualities that will help us escape the corruption of the world. Let us be careful to follow the divinely inspired Word of God so we are not led astray by human words that distort the Gospel. Let’s remember how we have been first-hand eyewitnesses to His faithful actions in the past. In living in this way, we confirm, to ourselves and to others, our standing in the family of God and can become fruitful for God’s service.
Pray: Heavenly Father, we love You and praise You for Your goodness toward us. Please help us to keep the proper perspective about life. Help us to remember that we are here only temporarily, and our purpose here is to prepare for eternity with You. Please help us to live by faith, trusting in Your unchanging word. Give us grace to follow Your directions and live devoted to You, confirming our calling through our actions. Please help us to never forget Your great love for us and all the good things You have done for us. Please reveal even more of Yourself to us so we can testify even more of Your majesty. In Jesus our Savior’s name we pray, amen.
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