(2 Peter 1:16-18)

1. God is a communicating God. He reveals Himself to all people, of all times, in every place through Natural Revelation, that is nature and the universe (see Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1). He also reveals Himself through Special Revelation: through His Son, Jesus (John 1:18; Hebrews 1:2); and through the written Word of God Psalms 19:7-11; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
2. Peter is trying to remind these believers of the truth they knew and which they had staked their lives upon. He is warning them against new and novel doctrines which the false teachers were introducing. This is a warning relevant to all believers of all time periods. There is a body of biblical truth which must be communicated from generation to generation of Christians. We need to be on the look-out for new and novel doctrines, especially those who claim to have discovered “forgotten” truths or “neglected” truths. Often these are attempts to introduce some form of legalism into our lives or a pseudo-spirituality based upon an errant interpretation of the law. (along with 2 Peter 1:12-21, see Paul 1 Cor. 15:1-8).
3. These believers could be confident in their faith because it was based upon eyewitness testimony of the Apostles (vv. 16-18) and upon the written prophetic Word of God (vv. 19-21), not cleverly invented stories as with the false teachers (2:3).
4. Peter was an eyewitness to the life and ministry of Jesus, as were the other Apostles (1 John 1:1-3; John 1:4; Luke 1:2, etc.). He specifically mentions being with Jesus at the transfiguration which was a preview of the glory Jesus will have at the Second Advent, and event which the false teacher questioned and denied.
5. “Therefore, upon the testimony of the apostles who were eyewitnesses, upon the words of the prophets who were divinely inspired, rest our saving knowledge of Christ and our hope of His glorious return.” (Wm. Erdman)