Know: Acknowledge that Scripture is God’s authoritative source for knowledge of God’s will and for our salvation through Jesus Christ.
Feel: Find the objective revelation of Christ in Scripture to provide a better source of faith and hope than any personal, subjective experience that he or she may have.
Do: Give priority to the place of Scripture in the life, as he or she would to a light shining in a dark place.
Learning Outline:
Know: A More Reliable Prophetic Word
A Peter described the prophetic Word as being more reliable than what?
B What makes the prophetic Word so objective and reliable, like a light in the dark?
Feel: The Risks of Subjective Experiences
A How did Peter express his confidence in his own personal experience with Jesus?
B What are the dangers in relying on our own personal sensory experiences?
Do: Trust God and His Word.
A Why should we trust God’s Word more than our own subjective experiences?
B What does Peter say that we must understand “above all”? What is the nature of the process of revelation and inspiration described in verse 21?
Summary: Peter cites his own sensory experiences with Jesus as a reliable basis for his accounts of Jesus’ power and coming. But he then declares that God’s prophetic Word is more certain than are these subjective personal experiences, because it has its origin in the Holy Spirit.
Learning Cycle
Bible Text: 2 Peter 1:16
Just for Teachers: Peter directly counters the skepticism regarding the genuineness and authority of his teaching, not only in his own day but also in ours. He has not been sharing with believers cleverly invented stories; he has been sharing his own real-life experiences. One might expect that this claim would authenticate the genuineness of his testimony as the author of the letter; however, for skeptics it has had just the opposite effect. They argue that the author tries too hard to prove who he is. They see this attempt as evidence that Peter is not the author but, rather, that the letter was written by someone else. Those skeptical of Peter’s authorship fail to see themselves in 2 Peter 3:3 as scoffers who are following their own evil desires and denying the truth of God’s Word. How are we often like these skeptics, failing to see the applicability of Scripture to our own situations?
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: 2 Peter 1:20, 21
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: As humans, we tend to place confidence in our experiences and in the evidence of our senses. This tendency we deem to be dependable, even rational and scientific. Observation is the basis for empirical science. Yet, we can be fooled by our senses. After appealing to the value of sensory experience as evidence for the truth of his gospel message, Peter steps up the test for truth by declaring that there is a more reliable basis for determining reality and truth, namely, the prophetic Word of God. It has its origin not in the will of humans but in the moving of the Holy Spirit on the minds of His agents.
Just for Teachers: We live in a very scientific age; yet cynicism abounds regarding the possibility for determining truth by objective methods. The means by which truth was supposed to be determined in the modern period was the empirical method—eliminating uncontrolled variables, such as the supernatural—so that all aspects of a matter could be accounted for under strict testing conditions with many observers over time in order to produce an assured result. In many areas, including religion, no consensus was produced over an extended period of time, so cynicism developed regarding the possibility of any assured result from this method. Consequently, postmodernism came in, denying any absolute truth or any metanarratives that fully explained something. Personal experience became the basis for truth, with all truth being subjective and relative to one’s experience. How does Peter’s message address this tension?
Opening Activity and Discussion: Ask the class to read together 2 Peter 1:16–18 and Matthew 16:27–17:8. Discuss the evidences Peter cites for the veracity of his claims regarding Jesus. Why was he justified in citing his own experience as evidence that he was not cleverly inventing stories? How could Peter distinguish between this experience and something he may have merely imagined?
STEP 2—Explore
Bible Commentary
I. An Even More Reliable Testimony (Review 2 Peter 1:19 with your class.)
Despite the reliability of his eyewitness testimony, Peter now argues for a still more reliable testimony, one that cannot fail. The evidence presented to our senses can lead us astray, as it sometimes does. Scripture repeatedly warns against allowing our senses to deceive us (Matt. 7:15; 24:24; 2 Cor. 11:13, 14; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; Rev. 13:13, 14).
Many illusionists make their livings doing tricks that fool the mind, but Satan is the master sorcerer. He works his deceptive signs and wonders, usually through individuals who have subscribed to his sophistries. Peter, conscious of the dangers of following the evidence of our senses, recommends a safer source for learning truth. God’s Word is the only source of truth that is entirely safe and reliable. We “ will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises” in our hearts (2 Pet. 1:19, NIV).
Consider This: “The day” is a reference to the anticipated “day of the Lord” (2 Pet. 3:10, NIV) or “the day of God” (2 Pet. 3:12), also called “the day of judgment” (2 Pet. 2:9, 3:7) and “the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:12, NKJV). It is the Second Coming. “The morning star” is a reference to Jesus Himself (NIV). He declares in Revelation 22:16, “I am . . . the bright Morning Star” (NIV). The “morning star” derives its name from being the brightest “star” in the morning sky, the last light of the night to fade as the day dawns. Astronomers identify the planet Venus as the morning star, but Jesus takes this title to Himself. The Morning Star will fully rise in our hearts when “the day dawns.” What are we doing to prepare for the rise of the true Morning Star in our hearts?
II. The Origin of the Prophetic Word (Review together 2 Peter 1:20, 21.)
Peter begins 2 Peter 1:20 with the words, “Above all, you must understand . . .” (NIV). There is nothing that his readers need to understand more clearly than the basis for confidence in the prophetic Word of God. It did not originate in the human will. Rather, “prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21, NIV). Peter argues here for an incarnational revelation in which the divine message was entrusted to human agents as a means of revealing God’s thoughts through the work of the Holy Spirit. The initiative and message are God’s; He is responsible for the content and its preservation.
Regarding the human element in Scripture, Ellen G. White explains, “The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God’s mode of thought and expression. It is that of humanity. God, as a writer, is not represented. Men will often say such an expression is not like God. But God has not put Himself in words, in logic, in rhetoric, on trial in the Bible. The writers of the Bible were God’s penmen, not His pen.”—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 21. She adds this clarification: “It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man’s words or his expressions but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind and will; thus the utterances of the man are the word of God.”—Page 21.
Consider This: How confident can we be of the divine element in the production of the message of Scripture?
Discussion Questions
What do we learn from our experiences with God and His promises? In what ways do they confirm our trust in Him? Why can we—and indeed, must we—always trust God over our senses?
What is it about the prophetic Word that makes it so trustworthy? How does the record of the fulfillment of prophecy help to build our confidence in the reliability of God’s Word?
STEP 3—Apply
Thought Questions:
In what ways might we sometimes behave as though we don’t trust the record of Scripture? How can we counter this temptation?
If no prophecy of Scripture came about by a prophet’s own interpretation, what would be a safe methodology for deriving God’s intended meaning from Scripture?
Activity: Have the class read together 2 Timothy 3:14–16. Discuss the basis for Timothy’s understanding of Scripture, according to Paul, and the value of a correct understanding of Scripture for all believers.
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: We tend to speak glibly about the importance of belief in salvation. But we need more than just an intellectual belief or assent to certain truths or realities. James 2:19 tells us that even the demons believe in God but that belief does not save them. Belief, James says, needs to be accompanied by commensurate actions (James 2:14–17). A better term than “belief ” is “trust.” Trust implies not only an intellectual acceptance of certain realities but also a readiness to commit to action based on the conviction that God knows what is best. He has revealed His will for our lives in His Word, and He will empower us to accomplish His will as we commit ourselves to it.
Activity: Have the class draw up a list of biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled and the evidences of their fulfillment. Discuss the confidence in Scripture that we can have—and can share with others—as a result of seeing the evidence that God knows all things, including the distant future, and that we can trust Him and His plan for our lives.
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Key Texts: 2 Peter 1:16–21
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Summary: Peter cites his own sensory experiences with Jesus as a reliable basis for his accounts of Jesus’ power and coming. But he then declares that God’s prophetic Word is more certain than are these subjective personal experiences, because it has its origin in the Holy Spirit.
Learning Cycle
Bible Text: 2 Peter 1:16
Just for Teachers: Peter directly counters the skepticism regarding the genuineness and authority of his teaching, not only in his own day but also in ours. He has not been sharing with believers cleverly invented stories; he has been sharing his own real-life experiences. One might expect that this claim would authenticate the genuineness of his testimony as the author of the letter; however, for skeptics it has had just the opposite effect. They argue that the author tries too hard to prove who he is. They see this attempt as evidence that Peter is not the author but, rather, that the letter was written by someone else. Those skeptical of Peter’s authorship fail to see themselves in 2 Peter 3:3 as scoffers who are following their own evil desires and denying the truth of God’s Word. How are we often like these skeptics, failing to see the applicability of Scripture to our own situations?
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: 2 Peter 1:20, 21
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: As humans, we tend to place confidence in our experiences and in the evidence of our senses. This tendency we deem to be dependable, even rational and scientific. Observation is the basis for empirical science. Yet, we can be fooled by our senses. After appealing to the value of sensory experience as evidence for the truth of his gospel message, Peter steps up the test for truth by declaring that there is a more reliable basis for determining reality and truth, namely, the prophetic Word of God. It has its origin not in the will of humans but in the moving of the Holy Spirit on the minds of His agents.
Just for Teachers: We live in a very scientific age; yet cynicism abounds regarding the possibility for determining truth by objective methods. The means by which truth was supposed to be determined in the modern period was the empirical method—eliminating uncontrolled variables, such as the supernatural—so that all aspects of a matter could be accounted for under strict testing conditions with many observers over time in order to produce an assured result. In many areas, including religion, no consensus was produced over an extended period of time, so cynicism developed regarding the possibility of any assured result from this method. Consequently, postmodernism came in, denying any absolute truth or any metanarratives that fully explained something. Personal experience became the basis for truth, with all truth being subjective and relative to one’s experience. How does Peter’s message address this tension?
Opening Activity and Discussion: Ask the class to read together 2 Peter 1:16–18 and Matthew 16:27–17:8. Discuss the evidences Peter cites for the veracity of his claims regarding Jesus. Why was he justified in citing his own experience as evidence that he was not cleverly inventing stories? How could Peter distinguish between this experience and something he may have merely imagined?
STEP 2—Explore
Bible Commentary
I. An Even More Reliable Testimony (Review 2 Peter 1:19 with your class.)
Despite the reliability of his eyewitness testimony, Peter now argues for a still more reliable testimony, one that cannot fail. The evidence presented to our senses can lead us astray, as it sometimes does. Scripture repeatedly warns against allowing our senses to deceive us (Matt. 7:15; 24:24; 2 Cor. 11:13, 14; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; Rev. 13:13, 14).
Many illusionists make their livings doing tricks that fool the mind, but Satan is the master sorcerer. He works his deceptive signs and wonders, usually through individuals who have subscribed to his sophistries. Peter, conscious of the dangers of following the evidence of our senses, recommends a safer source for learning truth. God’s Word is the only source of truth that is entirely safe and reliable. We “ will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises” in our hearts (2 Pet. 1:19, NIV).
Consider This: “The day” is a reference to the anticipated “day of the Lord” (2 Pet. 3:10, NIV) or “the day of God” (2 Pet. 3:12), also called “the day of judgment” (2 Pet. 2:9, 3:7) and “the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:12, NKJV). It is the Second Coming. “The morning star” is a reference to Jesus Himself (NIV). He declares in Revelation 22:16, “I am . . . the bright Morning Star” (NIV). The “morning star” derives its name from being the brightest “star” in the morning sky, the last light of the night to fade as the day dawns. Astronomers identify the planet Venus as the morning star, but Jesus takes this title to Himself. The Morning Star will fully rise in our hearts when “the day dawns.” What are we doing to prepare for the rise of the true Morning Star in our hearts?
II. The Origin of the Prophetic Word (Review together 2 Peter 1:20, 21.)
Peter begins 2 Peter 1:20 with the words, “Above all, you must understand . . .” (NIV). There is nothing that his readers need to understand more clearly than the basis for confidence in the prophetic Word of God. It did not originate in the human will. Rather, “prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21, NIV). Peter argues here for an incarnational revelation in which the divine message was entrusted to human agents as a means of revealing God’s thoughts through the work of the Holy Spirit. The initiative and message are God’s; He is responsible for the content and its preservation.
Regarding the human element in Scripture, Ellen G. White explains, “The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God’s mode of thought and expression. It is that of humanity. God, as a writer, is not represented. Men will often say such an expression is not like God. But God has not put Himself in words, in logic, in rhetoric, on trial in the Bible. The writers of the Bible were God’s penmen, not His pen.”—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 21. She adds this clarification: “It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man’s words or his expressions but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind and will; thus the utterances of the man are the word of God.”—Page 21.
Consider This: How confident can we be of the divine element in the production of the message of Scripture?
Discussion Questions
STEP 3—Apply
Thought Questions:
Activity: Have the class read together 2 Timothy 3:14–16. Discuss the basis for Timothy’s understanding of Scripture, according to Paul, and the value of a correct understanding of Scripture for all believers.
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: We tend to speak glibly about the importance of belief in salvation. But we need more than just an intellectual belief or assent to certain truths or realities. James 2:19 tells us that even the demons believe in God but that belief does not save them. Belief, James says, needs to be accompanied by commensurate actions (James 2:14–17). A better term than “belief ” is “trust.” Trust implies not only an intellectual acceptance of certain realities but also a readiness to commit to action based on the conviction that God knows what is best. He has revealed His will for our lives in His Word, and He will empower us to accomplish His will as we commit ourselves to it.
Activity: Have the class draw up a list of biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled and the evidences of their fulfillment. Discuss the confidence in Scripture that we can have—and can share with others—as a result of seeing the evidence that God knows all things, including the distant future, and that we can trust Him and His plan for our lives.