2 Pet. 1:14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me.
So that with the constant reminder of the same things they would not think they were being condemned for idleness, and not be grieved, the apostle added: "though you know and are established in the present truth." And in explanation of the reason for the constant reminder, he added that he knows that the dissolution of his body will soon follow.
2 Pet. 1:15. But I will endeavor that you may be able after my departure to always bring these things to remembrance.
Some understand this with a rearrangement of the words as follows: "I will endeavor even after my departure to bring you always to remembrance," that is, to remember daily and continuously, and from this they derive the idea that the saints even after death remember those who remain here and pray for the living. The truth of this is daily perceived by those who invoke the divine grace of the saints. Thus some understand it; but others understand it differently. The latter read and understand this verse simply: I will endeavor that even after my departure you always remember this, that is, we continually repeat the same things to you in order to make it a habit for you, so that through constant and unchanging assimilation of this you may be freed from the charge of disobedience and ignorance, and that even after my death you may keep this testament firmly and unchangeably.
2 Pet. 1:16. For we did not follow cleverly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
Demanding strict attention from the believers to his proclamation and insisting on this at length, even though they already know and have heard it more than once, the apostle now says: it is not in vain that I dwell on this, but because I recognize the full importance of it. Why so? Because when we proclaimed to you the power and coming of the Lord, we did not employ human wisdom toward you, nor did we beguile your hearing with eloquence, as the pagans and heretics do. For the pagans beguile with beauty and poems, and the heretics with fabrications (probably they were already beginning to appear even then). Nothing of the sort can be suspected of us. For we delivered the teaching to you in plain, unadorned speech, as Paul also says to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 2:4, 13), and we delivered what we saw with our own eyes when we ascended the holy mountain together with Him. The apostle speaks of the glory of the Only-Begotten, which was revealed to the apostles at the Transfiguration, and of the voice of the Father, which they heard descending upon the Lord from heaven from the Father. And since we learned from the very events themselves what was foretold by the prophets, we also regard their prophecy as most certain. For the words were confirmed by the events. Therefore you also do well to heed the prophecy, that is, the predictions of the prophets, although the prophets in their time spoke not entirely clearly.
2 Pet. 1:17. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when from the magnificent glory there was borne to Him such a voice: This is My beloved Son, in Whom is My good pleasure.
2 Pet. 1:18. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mountain.
Not because there is any prophecy about a voice of the Father that came down from heaven, but because from this voice of the Father from heaven, which testified to the sonship of Jesus Christ, we became convinced that everything revealed through the prophets indisputably pertains to Him of whom the Father testifies. And we know the Father's testimony concerning the sonship of our Lord Jesus Christ to be threefold: one at the Baptism (Matt. 3:17), another before the sufferings, when it was said: "and I have glorified it, and will glorify it again" (Jn. 12:28). And the third on Mount Tabor (Matt. 17:5).
2 Pet. 1:19. And we have the prophetic word made more sure; and you do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Attending, he says, to the predictions of the prophets, you will not be deceived in your hope. For in due time they will be justified by the very events, which the apostle called "day," continuing the figurative speech, for right there he spoke of the lamp, of the dark place, which is the night. So when, he says, the "day" comes, that is, the manifestation of events, then "the morning star will rise in your hearts," that is, the coming of Christ, foretold by the prophets, and as the true light will illuminate your hearts.
2 Pet. 1:20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is subject to one's own interpretation.
2 Pet. 1:21. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
The prophets understood what and about what the prophetic Spirit was suggesting to them, yet not so clearly and precisely as everything was fulfilled in its particulars. Therefore they also "desired to see" the fulfillment, as the Lord said (Lk. 10:24). The Apostle explains why the prophets did not interpret their own utterances, and at the same time shows the difference between true prophecy and demonic and fabricated prophecy, such as is accepted among heretics. "For prophecy never came by the will of man" (2 Pet. 1:21), this means: the prophets received prophecy from God, but not as they willed, but as the Spirit of God acted; they were conscious of and comprehended the prophetic word sent down to them, but they did not provide an explanation of it. That the prophets during the action of the Spirit of God upon them were conscious that a word was being sent down to them from the Spirit of God is evident from the fact that they submitted voluntarily, and what they wished they spoke, and what they did not wish they kept silent about. With false prophets it is not so. They during the action did not possess consciousness, but driven into a frenzy, like drunkards, they did not know what was happening to them. The holy prophets, although they understood, had no need to explain their predictions, both because they were serving others, namely us, and so that the coming of the Lord might be hidden and not be subjected to plots by the ungodly. These plots could have been avoided by the Lord's power; but probably the accomplished incarnation would have appeared illusory if such avoidance had occurred several times by extraordinary means. That this is true is evident from the example of the New Testament prophets, who prophesied and explained themselves, though not all of them. For nothing of the sort need be feared in the New Testament. And that the prophets did not prophesy in a state of frenzy is also evident from the following. The prophets of the Old and New Testaments prophesied by one Spirit. And the Apostle Paul says: "If anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent" (1 Cor. 14:30). From this it is clear that the prophets prophesied voluntarily, remaining in their natural state. Therefore, when another inspired person arose, the one who had been speaking before was commanded to be silent, which no one will find among those who are possessed. For how will one keep silent who does not himself know what he is doing? That the Holy Spirit acts in the prophets is spoken of by the same Apostle Paul: "To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom... to another prophecy" (1 Cor. 12:8, 10).