And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Truth to Learn
God’s Word regarding Christ’s second coming, delivered by the prophets of old, is made more reliable by His first coming.
Behind the Words
The words “more sure” come from the Greek word bebaios, the root of which is basis, meaning “a firm footing or foundation,” hence our English word, basis. This is the same root as the word we saw back in verse 10 where Peter told us to “make our calling and election sure.” The word in today’s verse is expressed as a comparative. Therefore, it means “firmer footing,” or “more foundational,” or “more certain.”
“Pay attention” is translated from the verb prosechÅ. This is a compound word made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and echo, meaning “to have.” As a nautical term, this means “to hold a ship in a specific direction” or “to keep one’s course toward a place.” As used here it means “to apply one’s mind to something,” that is, “to give attention to.”
Meaning Explained
This is another one of those verses that has stirred up considerable debate among scholars and theologians over the centuries. It primarily centers on the phrase “word of the prophets made more certain.” The controversy comes in when we ask ourselves what two things are being compared by Peter. Is he making a comparison between the transfiguration and prophesy? Is he simply saying that the word of prophecy was very sure and could be relied on, or is Peter saying something else?
A literal translation of this passage reads, “and we have the prophetic word more firm.” It appears that what Peter is saying is, because of the coming of Jesus in his first advent, confirmed by his transfiguration, witnessed by only a few people, the words of prophecy concerning his second coming are made even more firm, more steadfast, and more believable. That is why Peter follows this phrase up with, “to which you do well to take heed.”
Peter has been talking about our need to be diligent in developing Christian character qualities, built on the firmness of our election and calling. He reminded us that we are not following fables, but the majesty of God in the flesh, which Peter and the two others had a glimpse of. The prophets have shed some light on both the first and second coming of the Messiah, and we need to take heed regarding those prophecies.
He compares these prophetic messages to a light that shines in the darkness. At night, when there is no light from the sun and very little from the moon, we use a lantern of a flashlight to see where we’re going, but it’s not the same as daylight. That’s exactly what Peter is saying. Prophecy is only a partial illumination of things to come, and it does not make all things clear, yet it does give us a glimpse of what is to come. Peter is saying that we can believe what prophecy says regarding the second coming of our Lord because of His first coming. Having perfectly satisfied many of the predictions by His coming as the Lamb, He will satisfy all the rest by His coming as the King!
Application
Will you be ready when He returns, or will you be like those religious people who completely missed His first coming? They fought against Him and conspired to kill Him because they wanted religion their way (based on their traditions) instead of salvation God’s way (based on the Word of God).
Is your foundation the Word of God, or religious traditions?
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved