Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

1. There is no question that the idea of the disciples inventing the Messiah Jesus and Christianity was a popular argument used by false teachers in Peter’s day. It is still being used today.

2. Peter declared unashamedly that he and the other apostles (“we”) did not follow fables, tales, or mythology regarding Christ.

3. When they had preached the truth about Christ and the gospel, they themselves were not spinning mythological yarns or cleverly devised (perfect passive participle of sophizō – skillfully, cunningly devise) tales (muthos – legends or fables, Eng. “myths or mythology”). Rather they were making known (gnorizō – to make known, in some instances it refers to revelation, Luk 2:15) the truth.

4. In reality, it was the false teachers who were deceitful and crafty in their lies and false teaching (Eph 4:14; 1Ti 1:4; 2Ti 4:4; Tit 1:14).

B. Power and Coming of our Lord

1. What did Peter reveal to his readers by way of divine revelation? The Second Coming. Peter made known to them the doctrine of Christ’s Second Coming. The Second Coming is no myth or fable but a reality that comforts believers and causes false teachers to tremble. “Coming” is the Greek word parousia which means to come and be present alongside and often refers to the Second Coming in the NT (2Th 2:8).

2. In 2Pe 3:3-4ff, Peter mentioned the arguments of the false teachers against the Second Coming long with Peter’s answers.

3. The Second Coming is the culmination of God’s redemptive program. Without it, the rest is meaningless because there would be no salvation or eternity for believers.

4. The Second Coming is different from the Rapture. The Rapture involves the removal of the Church before the Tribulation, only the Church is a part of it (1Th 4:16), and will take place in the air (1Th 4:17). The Second Coming involves rescuing Israel and Tribulation saints, judging Israel’s enemies (Rev 19:19-21), believers will be with Christ (Rev 19:14), and it will take place on the earth (Zec 14:4).

C. Witnesses of Christ’s Majesty

1. Peter’s first answer to the truth of the Second Coming was that he and two other apostles (James and John) were eyewitnesses (epoptês – firsthand observer) to Christ’s majesty (Mat 17:1).

2. Christ’s majesty (magaleiotês – greatness, splendor, and glory) refers to deity (cf. Act 19:27), greatness (Jer 33:9 LXX, Luk 9:43), and glory as depicted by Mat 17:2. They observed first hand that Jesus was the Lord of glory.

3. Peter’s argument therefore was that since he was a firsthand witness of Christ in all His glory as the Son of God, when the Son of God stated He was coming again (Mat 24:3, 27, 37, 39), Peter believed it and made known this truth (1Pe 1:5, 13; 4:13).

4. In a sense, this was Christ’s glory that He would have in His kingdom after the Second Coming. In Mat 16:28, Jesus promised some of His disciples that they would see this glory before they died. That promise was fulfilled to Peter, James, and John at the Mount of transfiguration.

II. CHRIST HONORED BY THE FATHER (17a)

A. Christ Always had Glory

1. Though Christ still had to accomplish God’s redemptive plan by dying on the cross and being resurrected, his disciples were able to get a glimpse of who Jesus actually was.

2. Furthermore, they would get a glimpse of the glory that would be restored to Him after accomplishing redemption.

B. Christ Laid Aside Divine Prerogatives

1. Christ never stopped being God, but He set aside some of the prerogatives as God (Php 2:6-8).

C. Glimpse of Christ’s Future Glory

1. After Christ accomplished redemption, His glorious prerogatives as God were restored (Php 2:9-11; Joh 17:5).

2. The disciples were given a glimpse of Christ’s honor (time – the worth and value ascribed to a person) and glory (doxa – manifestation and in some cases radiance of splendor of majesty) which He would have in His kingdom after His Second Coming.

3. When did Christ receive this visible manifestation of His glory of which Peter, James, and John witnessed? It was when the Father made His glorious declaration concerning Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mat 17:5a).

III. HEARD THE VOICE OF THE FATHER (17b-18)

A. Father’s Utterance (17b)

1. “Utterance” is the Greek word phōnê and means a voice (Luk 11:27), sound (1Co 14:7), or [divine] message (Act 13:27). Here it certainly refers to the Father’s divine message that was audibly heard.

2. What was that divine message? The Father declared, This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased (Mat 17:5b).

a) The Father identified Jesus as the glorious Son of God (Mat 3:16-17 cf. Joh 12:28).

b) The Son was beloved by the Father (Joh 17:24 cf. Joh 14:31; 15:9).

c) The Son had the full favor of God (well-pleased).

B. Witnesses of the Utterance (18)

1. Peter was one of the disciples that witnessed the audible utterance of God. Peter clarifies the specific event. It was on the holy mountain, the Mountain of Transfiguration.

2. Peter was a witness of two glorious experiences:

a) 1) Christ’s glory

b) 2) The Father’s Divine Utterance.

3. Peter needed no more reassurance as to who Christ was. Neither did Peter have any cause to doubt the reality of the Second Coming of Christ the glorious king.

IV. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. Can Myths Precede Facts?

B. Evidence of Witnesses.

C. Supernatural Experiences.

Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516