What is the More
Sure Word of Prophecy?
(Thoughts on 2 Pet. 1:19a)
By Jonathan Mitchell

In 2 Pet. chapter 1, we have a short paragraph that leads to the subject of this study. The KJV calls this "a more sure word of prophecy." We offer my translation of these few verses:

16. For we did (or: You see, we do) not experientially or intimately make known to you the power and presence (or: ability and [the] being alongside; parousia) of our Lord, Jesus Christ, by following forth in (or: by) wisely-made myths (or: in being made wise by myths or fables; or: with fables modified by wisdom; or: to cleverly crafted stories), but rather, [from] becoming (or: being made to be; being birthed) eyewitnesses (onlookers; spectators) of that One's magnificence (or: of that greatness):

17. for you see, from the side of (or: [standing] beside) Father God, [He was] receiving honor (value; preciousness) and glory (or: an assumed appearance; a reputation) from a Voice being carried to Him by the fitting greatness and majesty of glory (or: assumed appearance) and from the manifestation which called forth praise (or: = of a Sound or Shout being swept along under the magnificent grandeur of the Sh'khinah Presence) such as follows: "My Son, My Beloved One, is This One [other MSS: This One is existing being My Son, My Beloved One] into the midst of Whom I Myself placed delight [other MSS: within Whom I was well pleased, and find approval; in union with Whom I have good thoughts]."

18. And we ourselves, being together with Him within the set-apart (or: holy; sacred) mountain, heard this Voice being carried out of heaven (or: swept along from the midst of [the] atmosphere and sky).

19. And so, we continue having (or: constantly hold) the Idea which was spoken ahead of time in and as Light (or: the prior-enlightening Logos, Blueprint, Thought and Reason; or: the Prophetic Word) more confirmed (validated; established; certain), by which (or: in which) you folks continue doing beautifully (performing ideally; producing finely), while continuously holding toward (= paying close attention to) [it] as to a lamp continually shining within a parched place - until which [time or occasion] the Day may shine through and a light bearer [= a morning star] may rise within your hearts (or: constantly heeding, as to a lamp progressively making things appear in a dark, dingy or dirty place, until that Day can dawn, and a light-bringer can arise in union with your core and innermost being)...

Peter is referencing the incident when he, Jacob and John went with Jesus into a high mountain:

"And then, all of a sudden, He was transformed (transfigured; changed in external form and appearance) and His face radiated light, like a lamp, and shone like the sun. His outer garments also turned white - bright as the light!" (Mat. 17:2ff; cf 2 Cor. 3:18)

Let us examine vs. 19a, here, which better represents the Greek text, making more sense than the KJV. Now I have followed the examples of the Concordant Literal NT, and the New World Translation, which place the adjective, "more confirmed (validated; established; certain)," as following the articulated noun clause, given in the parenthetical expansion as "the Prophetic Word." The Greek word that is commonly rendered, "prophecy," is prophetikos, which is actually an adjective modifying the term, "Word.

" The root of this adjective, phe, is a form of the Greek phos, "light." The prefix pro- means "ahead of time; prior; before," and thus this was Light that was given before, or ahead of time. To give a more literal picture of that which Peter was speaking, I first rendered the phrase, "the Idea (Logos) which was spoken ahead of time in and as Light."

The Idea which was spoken ahead of time in and as Light was indeed the Prophetic Word given in the Torah, the Writings and the Prophets (i.e., the OT), and all those things were fulfilled in Christ. We read in Lu. 24:27 where Jesus,

"beginning from Moses, and then from all the prophets, He continued to fully interpret and explain to (or: for) them the things pertaining to (or: the references about) Himself within all the Scriptures."

Prior to this, He had foretold to His disciples the coming destruction of Jerusalem, in Lu. 21:20-21. Then, in vs. 22 He informed them,

"because these are days of executing justice (or: from deciding the case, with a view to the maintenance of right: whether vindication or retribution) - of bringing about what is fair and right and of establishing what accords with the Way pointed out - with a view to have fulfilled ALL the things having been written (or: for ALL that is written to be fulfilled)!"

But the direct Word of the Lord which Peter, Jacob and John had heard on the Mount of Transfiguration was the "prior-enlightening Thought, Reason and Blueprint (Logos)" which was more confirmed (validated; established; certain) by that personal experience. They were personal witnesses of the prior-enlightening Idea and Blueprint of which the New Covenant would be composed, with Jesus Himself being the Head and Origin of this new creation.

It was Peter's testimony of both the promise and the fulfillment of these things that was the instrument

"by which (or: in which) you folks continue doing beautifully (performing ideally; producing finely)."

It was and is the Good News that is "as to a lamp continually shining within a parched place" which was the source of their ability to "perform ideally and produce finely." The "Idea" which had in prior times been proclaimed by the OT was now manifested in the Messiah and proclaimed by His Words; for,

"Long ago (or: In the old days), in many parts (or: with fragments; by divided portions; = bit by bit) and in (or: with; by) much-traveled ways consisting of many turns and directions, God, having spoken to (or: in talking with; when discoursing by; making vocal utterances for) the fathers - in (in union with; centered in; = through; in [the words of]) the prophets - upon [the] last of these days spoke to (or: speaks for and concerning; discourses in; makes conversation with) us in a Son..." (Heb. 1:1-2a). In "continuously holding toward (= paying close attention to)" these things - just like "abiding in the Vine" (Jn. 15:1ff) - they were empowered to "continue doing beautifully."

Just like Moses received the pattern for the Tabernacle when he was in Mount Sinai, so Peter, Jacob (aka James) and John were given the Pattern of the New Temple, when they were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus, manifesting the glory of God (or: God's assumed appearance), was, and is, the

"the prior-enlightening Logos, or, Blueprint,"

for the Temple of God, of which His followers then become fellow-laborers with God, in building it (1 Cor. 3:9).

These three men had seen representatives of the Law and the Prophets (the OT) in the presence of Moses and Elijah being with Jesus. But the Voice from the Cloud (a manifestation of the presence of God) told them to listen to Jesus. That mountain experience pointed back to the OT, and at the same time ahead, to Jesus and the New Creation, figured now by Mount Zion (Heb. 12:22-24). Jesus is the Prophetic Logos, the Prophetic Blueprint.

Jonathan

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