Purpose of Scripture

“For…” (2 Peter 1:16-22)

Peter had just expressed the great need for constant, continual reminders of the truth to the saints. Now he introduces the reason for this need with the term “for.” He gives purpose of revealed Truth through the Scriptures.

▸ Scripture is Not From Myths

The written words are not a collection of fables or myths (from the Greek word muthos from which the English term myth is derived). The Gospel is not just a “cleverly devised” or sophisticated fabrication from talented human minds. It is true that there are fabricated stories in connection with the events recorded in scripture. Many of the Jewish apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings of the Jews and Gnostic writings of the second and third centuries such as The Gospel of Thomas are of this sort.

Paul warned both Timothy and Titus to avoid these. ”Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. … But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness” (1 Timothy 1:4, 4:7). “And they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:4). “Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth” (Tit. 1:4). In fact, the term “fables” is always used to denote something negative in the New Testament.

Many liberal scholars have attacked the divine inspiration of the Bible by making such claims. The Bible is not fiction. It is not on the level of the mythology of the Greeks and Romans. Its is not a made up story like that of the writing of Mark Twain or Charles Dickens. This does not mean that it does not use various figures of speech known as fables or hyperboles.

▸ Scripture is Preached

Peter and the rest of the inspired writers have preached the “power and coming of” Christ. The “power” of Christ is most likely His miraculous birth, ministry, resurrection, and ascension. The “coming” is in reference to the second coming. These too are not to be regarded as fiction.

▸ Scripture is From Eyewitness Accounts

When removing the scriptures from the genre of fiction one must give veracity for it being a recording of factual events. Peter mentions that the source of the information written in scripture is not from secondhand material.

He mentions the Transfiguration where he along with James and John were eyewitnesses of that great event. It is recorded by the synoptic Gospels in Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:23-36.  The disciples saw with their eyes the Lord’s majesty, glory, and honor. ”He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matt. 17:2). ”His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them” (Mark 9:3).

These accounts were not given to Jesus from men but came from God the Father. The “majesty” is the divine nature of Jesus as God. The “glory” of this event was seen as a brilliant light shone upon Christ. Jesus was seen with the Old Testament greats Moses and Elijah. Moses representing the Law and Elijah the prophets. Jesus fulfilled all that the Law and the prophets wrote about Him (Lk. 24:27). Jesus is greater than these two. He was given the “honor of one who outranks others, pre-eminence” (Thayer 624). He is the Son of God and no one else has His status or radiant splendor.

▸ Scripture is From Divine Witness

Not only were Peter and others eyewitnesses, but also ear-witnesses of the glory and deity of Christ. This event clearly demonstrated that Jesus was the Son of God. Be sure to note that Peter was not the only one who saw and heard the events on the mountain. Whereas one disciple may have a hallucination, three men seeing and hearing the same vision at the same time is impossible.

The voice the disciples heard from heaven was from God the Father referred to here as Excellent Glory. He said, “this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matt. 17:5b). God also spoke of His relationship and approval of Jesus when He said about Christ’s baptism, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).

The mount where the Transfiguration is said to have taken place is either Mt. Tabor or Mt. Hermon according to scholars. Mark said they went “up a high mountain” (9:20). Mt. Hermon is more likely since it is only fourteen miles from Caesarea Philippi where the prior events of the Gospel of Matthew had just taken place.

▸ Scripture is Sure

Not everyone had the privilege of both seeing and hearing the events of the Transfiguration. This by no means keeps the readers of the scriptures from having confidence in the truthfulness of the Gospel message. There is also the testimony of the prophetic words recorded in the Old Testament. It contains over three hundred prophecies about the Coming Christ. It is beyond belief that one mere man could ever have fulfilled all of these in a short lifetime. Such a feat would be mathematically and logically impossible.

▸ Scripture is to Be Studied

Since the scriptures are so sure, the saints should pay attention to them. This is not a mere academic approach to the scriptures where a scholar uses the Bible as a mere textbook. Instead, it is to be used as a guidebook for living a spiritual life on earth and a road map to get to heaven.

▸ Scripture is Shining

The phrase “as a light that shines” uses the Greek term phosphoros for “light.” It is used to describe the “day star” or “Morning Star” a reference to Venus which is really a planet not a star. It is so called because it precedes the rising of the sun. The term is also used by the Greeks in reference to their kings. The darkness of the heart can be exposed by the light of the Word, this will take place until a “day star” shines within the heart. Some believe this to be a reference to the Second Coming of Christ. However, it is more likely that it refers to the effect of Christ as the light bearer enlightening the dark heart. The Bible has the ability to dispel the darkness of ignorance and sin within the heart. As the Psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).

▸ Scripture is Not Humanly Conceived

“Knowing this first” tells the students of scripture that the very first thing they must understand about the Bible is its actual source.

Is Peter forbidding any student or reader of the scriptures to use their own intellect in reaching a determination concerning the thought a certain passage is teaching? Peter is not prohibiting Bible Study. In fact, he had just encouraged them to pay attention to the scriptures.

The word “private” is from the Greek idias meaning “one’s own.” The Greek term epilouseos is translated here as “interpretation.” This is a most unfortunate translation of the word, not that it is inherently the wrong word, but it conveys the wrong meaning to most readers. Some thus take this passage to teach one not to study the scriptures so as to explain the meaning.

If the Holy Spirit wanted Peter to convey this meaning, he would have chosen the Greek words disnoigo or diermeneuo. Instead, Peter used the Greek term epilysis. is the idea of a loosening or unloosening. The idea is the revelation of God’s Word. Man did not come up with the written words on his own. God revealed these words to him so he could write them down. The word “is” shines light of this misunderstanding. It means to become or spring into being. The point of the passage is not forbidding someone from reading and being able to communicate what it means, but to show that the source of every scripture is from God.

Verse twenty-one makes the meaning of “private interpretation” very clear when it says: “for prophecy never came by the will of man.” In fact, this is the very indication of a false prophet. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the Lord’” (Jer. 23:16). Consider Balaam who sought to be rewarded with the gold from the King of Moab by prophesying a curse upon the children of Israel. He wanted to proclaim a curse, but God would only permit him to speak a blessing.

▸ Scripture is Spirit Given

The Greek word for “Spirit” in this passage is from the Greek word pneuma meaning “wind.” Paul wrote, “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. 3:16a). The Scripture are inspired (theopneustos meaning literally, God-breathed). The term moved is used by Luke in Acts 27:15,17 to show how the wind would move a ship in across the water by filling its sails. The Holy Spirit acts as the breath of God in moving the prophets to write down the very words God wanted in the scriptures.

This is the Plenary-Verbal Theory of inspiration. All the parts and words of the Bible are from the direction of God through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Bible contains no false teaching even in regard to historical, scientific or prophetic statements. Paul describes the process of the revelation of the Word or mystery of God’s plan of salvation in the Gospel. “By which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 3:4,5).

God did not use man as if he were some kind of mechanical robotic recorder lacking a mind or personality of his own. Using the writing ability and experiences and vocabulary of the writer, God authored (through the Holy Spirit) the very words used in scripture. The fact the Bible is The Book is because of its overall unity. All forty writers, over 3500 years, in three languages, wrote down the sixty-six different books by the guidance of one Author. This is why the Scripture are certainly trustworthy as the very Word from God.

– Daniel R. Vess