2 Peter 1:16

2 Peter 1:16

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.

a. NLT: For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: For, skilfully devised fables not having followed out, we did make known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but eye-witnesses having become of his majesty -- [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: For we were not following cleverly devised stories when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (grandeur, authority of sovereign power). [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables…”

a. For [Strong: 1063. gar gar a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.

b. [we have] not [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

c. followed [Strong: 1811. exakoloutheo ex-ak-ol-oo-theh'-o from 1537 and 190; to follow out, i.e. (figuratively) to imitate, obey, yield to:--follow.]

d. cunningly devised [Strong: 4679 sophizo sof-id'-zo from 4680; to render wise; in a sinister acceptation, to form "sophisms", i.e. continue plausible error:--cunningly devised, make wise.] [Gesenius: to make wise, teach, to become wise, to have understanding, to invent, play the sophist, to devise cleverly or cunningly.]

c. fables [Strong: 3454 muthos moo'-thos perhaps from the same as 3453 (through the idea of tuition); a tale, i.e. fiction ("myth"):--fable.] [Gesenius:  a speech, word, saying, a narrative, story, a true narrative, a fiction, a fable, an invention, a falsehood.]

1). The Apostle Paul warned us that the time will come when their will be leaders in the church and those in the pews who will not uphold sound doctrine, but would come to believe fables instead of the truth.

a). 2 Timothy 4:1-4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2. “…when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

a. [when we] made known [Strong: 1107. gnorizo gno-rid'-zo from a derivative of 1097; to make known; subjectively, to know:--certify, declare, make known, give to understand, do to wit, wot.] [Gesenius: to make known, to become known, be recognized, to know, to gain knowledge of, have thorough knowledge of, in earlier Greek it means "to gain a knowledge of" or "have thorough knowledge of".]

b. [unto] you [Strong: 5213. humin hoo-min' irregular dative case of 5210; to (with or by) you:--ye, you, your(-selves).]

c. the [Strong: 3588. [ten] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ten] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

d. power [1411 * dynamis][Gesenius: strength power, ability, inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth, power for performing miracles, moral power and excellence of soul, the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth, power and resources arising from numbers, power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts.]

e. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

f. coming [3952 * parousia][Gesenius: presence, the coming, arrival, advent, the future visible return from heaven of Jesus, to raise the dead, hold the last judgment, and set up formally and gloriously the kingdom of God.]

g. [of] our [Strong:  2257. hemon hay-mone' genitive case plural of 1473; of (or from) us:--our (company), us, we.]

h. Lord [Strong: 2962. kurios koo'-ree-os from kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- God, Lord, master, Sir.]

i. Jesus [Strong: 2424. Iesous ee-ay-sooce' of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

j. Christ [Strong: 5547. Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

1). As we will see, what Peter is referring to is the vision that he and James and John had on the Mount of the Transfiguration. After the vision as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus told all three of them, James John and Peter not to tell anyone the vision until after Jesus had risen from the dead, which they obeyed.

a). Matthew 17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

2). The only one of the three that is recorded that told of the vision is Peter in the present passage. The three recorded accounts in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, were written by men that did not witness the vision. Because of Peter’s inspired words here in 2 Peter 1:16, we can be assured that all three of the men, James, John and Peter faithfully told of the vision after the resurrection of Christ.

3. “…but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

a. but [Strong: 235. alla al-lah' neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

b. were [Strong: 1096. ginomai ghin'-om-ahee a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

c. eyewitnesses [Strong: 2030. epoptes ep-op'-tace from 1909 and a presumed derivative of 3700; a looker-on:--eye-witness.] [Gesenius: an overseer, inspector, spectator, eye witness of anything.]

d. [Strong: 3588. [tes] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tes] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

e. [of] his [Strong: 1565. ekeinos ek-i'-nos from 1563; that one (or (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed:--he, it, the other (same), selfsame, that (same, very), X their, X them, they, this, those.]

f. majesty [Strong: 3168. megaleiotes meg-al-i-ot'-ace from 3167; superbness, i.e. glory or splendor:--magnificence, majesty, mighty power.] [Gesenius: greatness, magnificence, of the majesty of God, of the visible splendour of the divine majesty as it appeared in the transfiguration of Christ.]

1). Again, what they witnessed was a vision of the glorified Christ and what he will appear as when he comes back in the second coming. They beheld his glorious majesty.