2 Peter 1:16-18 assures Peter’s readers that the message from the Apostles did not come from made—up stories, but from what the Apostles actually saw with their own eyes. Peter personally saw God’s glory and heard God’s voice on the “mountain of transfiguration” where Christ revealed His majesty and God declared that Jesus was His Son.
In 2 Peter 1:16-18, Peter emphasizes the authority of this exhortation, that it came to him directly from Jesus. Peter is passionate about the authority of the Apostles’ message, so he assures his readers, For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (v. 16).
Peter begins this sentence with For, indicating what follows is an explanation of the truth contained in the phrase in verse 15 that refers to “these things”—things that relate to the eight steps to Christian maturity set forth in 2 Peter 1:5-7. The pronoun we refers to the Apostles. The verb did not follow has the idea of accepting something as authoritative. The word tales translates the Greek “mythos,” referring to a fictional story. These fictional stories are described as being cleverly devised meaning they were created in an artful manner. That is NOT what Peter and the Apostles fell for. He is saying he and his fellow Apostles were not swindled by compelling lies. They actually saw Jesus and His power. They knew it for a fact to be true. They know the promise of His return is also true because of what they have seen with their own eyes.
In contrast to the artfully created fictional stories, Peter assures his readers we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This could be a reference to Christ’s incarnation, however, the context indicates that this is a reference to the powerful 2nd Coming of Christ. The word for coming translates the Greek word “parousia,” a word Peter associated with Christ’s return (2 Peter 3:4, 12).
The scoffers of Christ whom Peter will address in the next chapter (2 Peter 3:4) probably viewed the promises about Christ’s return as cleverly devised myths. Peter will warn his readers that these “mockers” will come in the “last days” and make claims that Jesus will not return because they are “following after their own lusts.”
However, the truth of Peter’s message is confirmed, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. When was Peter an eyewitness of the majesty of Christ’s coming kingdom? On the Mountain of Transfiguration where Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses of His majesty (Mark 9:1-2).
Peter now takes us to the Mount of Transfiguration. For (v. 17) indicating Peter is about to explain some eyewitness details of the transfiguration, Peter saw when He received honor and glory from God the Father. Jesus received glory and honor from God the Father when such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”
Here in verse 17, Peter quotes Matthew 17:5. This is part of Matthew 17:1-9, a passage that speaks of Jesus being transfigured before Peter, James and John on the Mount. He quotes the words spoken by God the Father, which God seems to have spoken partly to hush up Peter from prattling about building huts for Elijah, Moses and Jesus and focus attention back where it belonged—on Jesus, calling Him “My beloved Son.”
We can imagine that these words spoken by God from heaven were seared in Peter’s mind; how could they not be? Peter’s point seems to be that he walked the earth with Jesus and saw firsthand that Jesus’s words were confirmed by God Himself. Peter is not making this up, he is testifying of what he knows from what he saw and heard. Peter is saying all this to validate the reality of the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:16). He will spend Chapter 2 warning believers not to heed false prophets who will mock the claim that Jesus will return. He will return, and when He does, He will judge the world and create a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:12-13).
This testimony is reconfirmed by Peter, and (v. 18), signaling there is more information to come, we ourselves, refers to Peter, James, and John (Matthew 16:28 - 17:1), heard this utterance made from heaven ( Matthew 17:5) when we were with Him on the holy mountain, referring to what is known at the Mountain of Transfiguration. The utterance made from heaven Peter refers to is God’s confirmation of Jesus’s deity, when He spoke from heaven saying “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” The words Peter is relaying are therefore the word of God, a point he will emphasize further in the next passage.
2 Peter 1:16-18
Eyewitnesses
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”—
18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
Set to dark mode
2 Peter 1:16-18 meaning
In 2 Peter 1:16-18, Peter emphasizes the authority of this exhortation, that it came to him directly from Jesus. Peter is passionate about the authority of the Apostles’ message, so he assures his readers, For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (v. 16).
Peter begins this sentence with For, indicating what follows is an explanation of the truth contained in the phrase in verse 15 that refers to “these things”—things that relate to the eight steps to Christian maturity set forth in 2 Peter 1:5-7. The pronoun we refers to the Apostles. The verb did not follow has the idea of accepting something as authoritative. The word tales translates the Greek “mythos,” referring to a fictional story. These fictional stories are described as being cleverly devised meaning they were created in an artful manner. That is NOT what Peter and the Apostles fell for. He is saying he and his fellow Apostles were not swindled by compelling lies. They actually saw Jesus and His power. They knew it for a fact to be true. They know the promise of His return is also true because of what they have seen with their own eyes.
In contrast to the artfully created fictional stories, Peter assures his readers we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This could be a reference to Christ’s incarnation, however, the context indicates that this is a reference to the powerful 2nd Coming of Christ. The word for coming translates the Greek word “parousia,” a word Peter associated with Christ’s return (2 Peter 3:4, 12).
The scoffers of Christ whom Peter will address in the next chapter (2 Peter 3:4) probably viewed the promises about Christ’s return as cleverly devised myths. Peter will warn his readers that these “mockers” will come in the “last days” and make claims that Jesus will not return because they are “following after their own lusts.”
However, the truth of Peter’s message is confirmed, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. When was Peter an eyewitness of the majesty of Christ’s coming kingdom? On the Mountain of Transfiguration where Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses of His majesty (Mark 9:1-2).
Peter now takes us to the Mount of Transfiguration. For (v. 17) indicating Peter is about to explain some eyewitness details of the transfiguration, Peter saw when He received honor and glory from God the Father. Jesus received glory and honor from God the Father when such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”
Here in verse 17, Peter quotes Matthew 17:5. This is part of Matthew 17:1-9, a passage that speaks of Jesus being transfigured before Peter, James and John on the Mount. He quotes the words spoken by God the Father, which God seems to have spoken partly to hush up Peter from prattling about building huts for Elijah, Moses and Jesus and focus attention back where it belonged—on Jesus, calling Him “My beloved Son.”
We can imagine that these words spoken by God from heaven were seared in Peter’s mind; how could they not be? Peter’s point seems to be that he walked the earth with Jesus and saw firsthand that Jesus’s words were confirmed by God Himself. Peter is not making this up, he is testifying of what he knows from what he saw and heard. Peter is saying all this to validate the reality of the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:16). He will spend Chapter 2 warning believers not to heed false prophets who will mock the claim that Jesus will return. He will return, and when He does, He will judge the world and create a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:12-13).
This testimony is reconfirmed by Peter, and (v. 18), signaling there is more information to come, we ourselves, refers to Peter, James, and John (Matthew 16:28 - 17:1), heard this utterance made from heaven ( Matthew 17:5) when we were with Him on the holy mountain, referring to what is known at the Mountain of Transfiguration. The utterance made from heaven Peter refers to is God’s confirmation of Jesus’s deity, when He spoke from heaven saying “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” The words Peter is relaying are therefore the word of God, a point he will emphasize further in the next passage.