Lesson 12
Second Peter
Warning against dangers
facing the Church
Important aspects of the Transfiguration continued:
1. Introduction
- key word -
metamorfo,w
basic meaning is to change into another form therefore to transfigure.
2. The Importance of the Transfiguration
3. Background to the Transfiguration or what led up to it and made it
necessary.
a. The immediate need for the generation of Christ’s day and therefore
for Peter’s generation.
1. they were approaching a major turning point
of great significance, the cross, a new
dispensation, the church age and therefore a change of their ministry focus
2. the offer of the kingdom to
5. As they were coming down from the mountain, after the Transfiguration Jesus
commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man
has risen from the dead." Matt
17:9; Mark 9:9; Luke 9:36
6. This marked a major turning point in His
ministry and it was at this time that He began to prepare them for the upcoming
events by giving them details of the cross and the events leading up to it.
7. As usual Peter shows his lack of understanding
and was rebuked by Christ. Matt 16:22-23
8. The postponement of the kingdom, Messiah’s
literal rule and reign which was the Jewish hope was critical to them.
9. In fact
so much so that it was still on their mind, and the
last thing they asked of Christ before His ascension in Acts 1:6-7, “Is it at
this time you restoring the kingdom to
10. The Lord’s answer to them was that your not going to see it in your generation but you have
another important ministry, the establishment of the church. Acts 1:8
11. Since they were preoccupied with the kingdom
presentation, it was essential now that it was postponed, that is rejected by
- this is exactly what the transfiguration accomplished.
12. This very vivid demonstration, the preview of the 2nd
advent through the transfiguration has served to preserve, reinforce to the
Jews that indeed God had not broken His promise to
- our passage in 2nd Peter tells us that he caught
on and understanding
13. So the immediate and short term importance of
transfiguration is to verify that indeed the promises to
b. Long term importance, all subsequent generations of the church age.
1. Just as this generation who were with Jesus Christ needed a vivid reminder, that what God promises He will do!
2. Future generations also need a reminder, but the reminder will take
on a different form.
3. This is what Peter is up to here in the context of 2nd
Peter. Yes Jesus will return at the rapture and then at the second
advent, you will receive your inheritance.
4. The stated means of confidence and assurance is through the Word not
through visions or some empirical demonstration. 2 Pet
4. Specific features of the transfiguration, the details.
a. It contains all the essential features of the future Millennial kingdom that is the setting forth of the coming
of the Son of man in glory to establish His earthly rule and reign as promised.
b. Jesus Christ appears not in humiliation, that is in
His humanity but in glory, reflecting His essence.
- Matt
17:2; Mark 9:3; Luke 9:29
c. Moses is present in a glorified state, which represents the redeemed
believer who have passed via death into the
kingdom. Matt
d. Elijah also in a present in a glorified state represents the redeemed
who enter the kingdom via translation, those believers of the church age who
are alive at the time of the rapture 1 Thes
4:13-18; 1 Cor
15:50-53
e. Together Moses and Elijah represent those who will serve in the
kingdom.
- OT saints are the friends of the Bridegroom while the
church age saints are the bride. They all have a function in the kingdom rule
of Christ.
f. The un-glorified witnesses, Peter, James and John represent
g. The multitude at the foot of the mountain (Mk
- these are ones who are left after
the baptism of fire, the judgment of the nations at the end of the Tribulation.
The emphasis of the importance of Doctrine over experience.
So we have the
prophetic word made more sure,
the prophetic word to.n profhtiko.n lo,gon( refers to the message of a prophet, it is not
just referring to TTC, the future as in 1 Pet
- also
included in the message of a prophet is comfort, exhortation to believers
example: Acts 15:32; 1 Cor 14:3
(made) more sure comparative adjective that we noted in
- Must ask more reliable, more sure
than what??
Therefore what Peter is saying is that a knowledge
of Prophetic word is more sure/reliable than any experience even if that
experience is legitimate and extremely great, as his was in making clear the
deity of Christ, His uniqueness and previewed His 2nd advent.
The next phrase is a challenge: to
which you do well to pay attention
The rest of the verse is a parenthesis:
as to a lamp
shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in
your hearts.
But for our study what is important are the metaphorical uses:
- Luke
-
- So what’s in view here is the
ministry of the Holy Spirit illuminating the Word so that we have discernment
as we deal with the many and varied circumstances of life.
as to a lamp
shining in a dark place,
We as believers being plus Doctrine and the Holy Spirit are to be shining
in a dark place;
We are unable to function in this dark place effectively without the
illumination of the Word of God by the Holy Spirit. Rem: Psa. 119:105
The parenthesis continues: until the day dawns and the morning star
arises in your hearts.
Jesus Christ's return at the Rapture
will signal the beginning of a new day, the day of the Lord. Which
will culminate in the 2nd Advent and the establishment of the Kingdom
promised to
- Numb 24:17;
- To the Church age saints Christ is
the morning star at the Rapture.
- To the OT saints and
the Tribulation saints He will be the Sun at the 2nd Advent.
The truth that Christ is coming
again must first arise in their hearts, like the morning star, giving inner
assurance that that day is coming.
Peter's point here was that until
the Lord returns his readers should give attention to the Old Testament and to
the apostles' teaching, especially since false teachers were already perverting
them.
1:19 Indeed we keep
on having the more reliable (sure/firm) prophetic word to which you do
well by paying attention to (as a lamp shining in a dark place [the
kosmos] until which time a day dawns and the bringer of light may arise in
your hearts.)