2 Peter, Chapter 1, verses 10-19
5 he exhorteth them, by faith, and good works, to make their calling sure, 12 whereof he is careful to remember them, knowing that his death is at hand, 16 and warneth them to be constant in the faith of Christ, who is the true Son of God, by the eyewitness of the apostles beholding his majesty, and by the testimony of the Father and the prophets17
17:1 A high mountain - Probably Mount Tabor. Mar 9:2; Luk 9:28.
17:2 And was transfigured - Or transformed. The indwelling Deity darted out its rays through the veil of the flesh; and that with such transcendent splendour, that he no longer bore the form of a servant. His face shone with Divine majesty, like the sun in its strength; and all his body was so irradiated by it, that his clothes could not conceal its glory, but became white and glittering as the very light, with which he covered himself as with a garment.
17:3 There appeared Moses and Elijah - Here for the full confirmation of their faith in Jesus, Moses, the giver of the law, Elijah, the most zealous of all the prophets, and God speaking from heaven, all bore witness to him.
17:4 Let us make three tents - The words of rapturous surprise.He says three, not six: because the apostles desired to be with their Master.
17:5 Hear ye him - As superior even to Moses and the prophets.See Deu 18:17.
17:7 Be not afraid - And doubtless the same moment he gave them courage and strength.
17:9 Tell the vision to no man - Not to the rest of the disciples, lest they should be grieved and discouraged because they were not admitted to the sight: nor to any other persons, lest it should enrage some the more, and his approaching sufferings shall make others disbelieve it; till the Son of man be risen again - Till the resurrection should make it credible, and confirm their testimony about it.
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1:10 Wherefore - Considering the miserable state of these apostates. Brethren - St. Peter nowhere uses this appellation in either of his epistles, but in this important exhortation.Be the more diligent - By courage, knowledge, temperance, etc To make your calling and election firm - God hath called you by his word and his Spirit; he hath elected you, separated you from the world, through sanctification of the Spirit. O cast not away these inestimable benefits! If ye are thus diligent to make your election firm, ye shall never finally fall.
1:11 For if ye do so, an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom - Ye shall go in full triumph to glory.
1:12 Wherefore - Since everlasting destruction attends your sloth, everlasting glory your diligence, I will not neglect always to remind you of these things - Therefore he wrote another, so soon after the former, epistle. Though ye are established in the present truth - That truth which I am now declaring.
1:13 In this tabernacle - Or tent. How short is our abode in the body! How easily does a believer pass out of it!
1:14 Even as the Lord Jesus showed me - In the manner which had foretold, Joh 21:18, etc It is not improbable, he had also showed him that the time was now drawing nigh.
1:15 That ye may be able - By having this epistle among you.
1:16 These things are worthy to be always had in remembrance For they are not cunningly devised fables - Like those common among the heathens. While we made known to you the power and coming - That is, the powerful coming of Christ in glory. But if whatthey advanced of Christ was not true, if it was of their own invention, then to impose such a lie on the world as it was, in the very nature of things, above all human power to defend, and to do this at the expense of life and all things only to enrage the whole world, Jews and gentiles, against them, was no cunning, but was the greatest folly that men could have been guilty of.But were eyewitnesses of his majesty - At his transfiguration, which was a specimen of his glory at the last day.
1:17 For he received divine honour and inexpressible glory - Shining from heaven above the brightness of the sun.When there came such a voice from the excellent glory - That is, from God the Father. Mat 17:5.
1:18 And we - Peter, James, and John. St. John was still alive. Being with him in the holy mount - Made so by that glorious manifestation, as mount Horeb was of old, Exo 3:4-5.
1:19 And we - St. Peter here speaks in the name of allChristians. Have the word of prophecy - The words of Moses, Isaiah, and all the prophets, are one and the same word, every way consistent with itself. St. Peter does not cite any particular passage, but speaks of their entire testimony. More confirmed - By that display of his glorious majesty. To which word ye do well that ye take heed, as to a lamp which shone in a dark place - Wherein there was neither light nor window. Such anciently was the whole world, except that little spot where this lamp shone. Till the day should dawn - Till the full light of the gospel should break through the darkness. As is the difference between the light of a lamp and that of the day, such is that between the light of the Old Testament and of the New. And the morning star - Jesus Christ, Rev 22:16.Arise in your hearts - Be revealed in you.