16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. (2 Peter 1:16-18 KJV)
The Trustworthy Prophetic Word
Here we have the reason for giving the previous exhortation with such diligence and seriousness. These things are not idle tales or meaningless ideas, but are unquestionably true and of great importance. The gospel is not a cleverly invented story. These are not the words of someone possessed, nor the product of human schemes meant to deceive. The way of salvation through Jesus Christ is truly the plan of God—the perfect design of the infinitely wise Lord. It was he who devised the way to save sinners through Jesus Christ, whose power and coming are revealed in the gospel, and the apostle’s preaching was to make these things known.
- The preaching of the gospel reveals the power of Christ—that he is able to save completely all who come to God through him. He is the mighty God and can therefore save from both the guilt and the defilement of sin.
- The coming of Christ is also revealed in the preaching of the gospel. He who was promised right after the fall of man, to be born of a woman in the fullness of time, has now come in the flesh. Anyone who denies this is an antichrist (1 John 4:3), influenced by the spirit of antichrist. But true apostles and ministers of Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, bear witness that Christ came just as promised, in fulfillment of the faith of Old Testament believers (Hebrews 11:39). Christ has come in the flesh. Since those he came to save share in flesh and blood, he also took on the same nature, so that he might suffer in their place and make atonement for them. This first coming is plainly and fully set forth in the gospel, but there is also a second coming that the gospel speaks of, which ministers must also proclaim—when he will come in his Father’s glory with all his holy angels. He is appointed Judge of the living and the dead. He will come to judge the world in righteousness, according to the everlasting gospel, and require us all to give an account of everything done in the body, whether good or evil.
- Though this gospel has been blasphemously called a fable by some who falsely claim to be successors of Peter, the apostle proves it is completely true. During our Savior’s time on earth, when he took the form of a servant, he occasionally revealed his divine nature—especially to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee—when he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothing became dazzling white, beyond anything earthly hands could produce. Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses of this and rightly testified to it. Their testimony is reliable, because they saw it with their eyes and heard it with their ears. Along with the visible glory that Christ displayed, there was also an audible voice from heaven.
The message was this: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”—the greatest declaration ever made from heaven to earth. God is pleased with Christ and with those who are in him. This is the promised Messiah, through whom all who believe are accepted and saved.
This declaration was made by God the Father, who publicly acknowledged his Son—even in his lowly state. In fact, Christ’s willingness to lay down his life is one of the reasons for the Father’s love (John 10:17).
The purpose of this voice was to give Christ special honor during his time on earth. He received honor and glory from God the Father. As we are commanded to honor the Son by confessing him as our Savior, so the Father honors him by declaring him to be his Son.
This voice came from heaven, referred to here as the “excellent glory,” and it adds even greater weight to Christ’s majesty. It came from God, the source of all honor, and from heaven, the place where his glory is fully displayed.
Peter, James, and John heard this voice clearly and understood its meaning. Unlike the crowd in John 12:28–29, who only heard a sound, these disciples grasped the message. God opens the ears and minds of his people to understand what they need to know. Others, like Paul’s companions in Acts 9:7 and Acts 22:9, only heard a sound and did not comprehend it. Blessed are those who not only hear but also understand and believe the truth, and experience the power of God’s voice, like the one who testified of these things. And we have every reason to believe his testimony, because it is laid out with such detail, especially about the voice from heaven.
This voice was heard when they were with Jesus on the holy mountain. The place where God reveals himself in a special way becomes holy—not because it has inherent holiness, but because of God’s gracious presence, just like the ground where he appeared to Moses (Exodus 3:5), or the mountain where the temple was built (Psalm 87:1). Such places are to be regarded as holy while God is specially present, and while people may, according to his word, expect his grace and power.