October 27
“We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain,” 2 Peter 1:16-18.
Having written about the certainty of their salvation that his readers should have, the apostle Peter proceeded to tell them that the certainty of salvation was not based on “cunningly devised fables,” or myths. When the disciples taught and preached, they did not make up a story with a lot of nice-sounding nonsense. They proclaimed a message of spiritual power that would touch the hearts of their hearers. They also proclaimed that the Christ who suffered and died had risen from the dead, that He had ascended into heaven, and that He was coming again.
They had been eyewitnesses of His majesty – that is, of the mighty power of God. As His called disciples, they had witnessed the mighty power of God through the Savior’s many miracles, His many works and wonders. Jesus healed the sick; He restored sight to the blind; He made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak; He cleansed the lepers and enabled the lame to walk; He stilled the storm on the Galilean; He told the disciples to fish and enabled them to miraculously catch a multitude of fish; He raised the dead; and the list goes on and on.
In addition to these many physical miracles, He told the people who He was and why He had come into the world. He comforted troubled sinners and offered peace and hope through the forgiveness of sins, which He would gain for all people by suffering and dying on Calvary’s cross.
The witness and the testimony of the disciples was exceeded by the heavenly Father, who spoke through a cloud to the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, when they were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Honor and glory were bestowed upon Jesus by God the Father, who said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” God the Father was pleased with the life of Jesus and the work that He was doing to redeem all people.
Peter writes, “We heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” There was no doubt in the minds of the disciples who Jesus was and what He came to do while He dwelt upon this earth. Jesus proclaimed that He was the Son of God and that He had been sent by the heavenly Father to redeem all people.
When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, the Father also spoke from heaven and said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” Matthew 3:17. By the grace of God, we have the heavenly Father’s testimony preserved for us in Holy Scripture.
We were not eyewitnesses, as the apostles were, but our testimony remains the same as theirs. We are witnesses on the basis of Holy Scripture.
“Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word;
Curb those who fain by craft and sword
Would wrest the Kingdom from Thy Son,
And set at naught all He hath done.
Lord Jesus Christ, Thy pow’r make known,
For Thou art Lord of lords alone;
Defend Thy Christendom that we
May evermore sing praise to Thee.
O Comforter of priceless worth,
Send peace and unity on earth.
Support us in our final strife,
And lead us out of death to life.” Amen.