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.
2 Peter 1:16
Peter contrasts his proclamation with “cunningly devised fables” and asserts that what they proclaimed was anchored in witnessed reality: “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” not fictional stories. The phrase signals a defense against deception and a corrective to competing messages in the Greco-Roman world where mystery cults and philosophical speculations abounded. Peter emphasizes that their proclamation rests on eyewitness testimony—he and others witnessed Jesus’ majesty on the Mount of Transfiguration (paralleling 1:16–18). The historical context includes debates about Jesus’ identity and the nature of his return. By asserting firsthand experience, Peter appeals to communal discernment: if they had seen Jesus’ glory, their faith stands on credible, observable truth rather than speculative theology. This also reinforces the reliability of Scripture as a record of what actually occurred in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Theologically, this verse anchors truth in history and revelation, not mere pious invention. It guards against relativism by claiming objective events: Jesus’ power and His future coming are real, not allegorical. It also highlights the continuity between Jesus’ glory on the Mount and the gospel’s call to repentance and faith. The witness of the apostles—especially their experience of Jesus’ majesty—becomes foundational for Christian confession. This verse undergirds the reliability of Christ-centered proclamation and the authority of apostolic testimony in shaping creeds, preaching, and doctrine. It also reframes “fables” as spiritual deception that seeks to choke the true gospel with attractive but empty stories.
- Ground your faith in verifiable realities: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as witnessed history.
- Be wary of sensationalism or novelty unless it aligns with apostolic teaching.
- Practice discernment through community evaluation: test claims against Scripture and wise mentors.
- Share the gospel with clarity about Jesus’ power and promised return, not just moral pointers.
- Build your spiritual life on solid, tested truths rather than fashionable ideas.
Cross-References: John 1:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:11–12; 1 John 1:1–3; Acts 1:1–3; 1 Corinthians 15:3–8