Brief notes on my rendering of 2 Peter 1:12-21
Prophecy Is More Important Than Eyewitnesses
12 Therefore, I will not be negligent to remind youp about these things, though youp know [about them] and are firmly established in the present truth.
[Reminders are needed because we get sidetracked. The devil is the father of lies, and we need to be focused, exposed, and reminded of the truth. Sin can distort truth. Compare Romans 1:25, Psalm 119:10, and Jeremiah 17:9. Avoidance of sin is knowing truth and choosing to follow the truth. We might become stubborn and calloused. Our lives are filled with many interruptions, temptations, and worries that tend to blur reality of God’s ways, beliefs, worldview, rules, and lifestyle. The word for “stir up” in verse 13 is διεγείρω diegeírō (G1326). It means to awaken. See 1 Corinthians 11:24, Hebrews 12:1-2, Psalm 119:11, and Psalm 39:4].
13 Yes, I think it proper, as long as I am in this tent of flesh, to stir up yourp memory.
14 I know that I must shortly lay aside this tent of flesh, just as our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me.
[“Tent” is the physical body of humans. The inner person is the real person. We live in houses, and the soul lives in our body. Compare 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 and 1 Peter 2:11 (sin waring against the soul). We don’t know the time of our death in most cases, but the Lord Jesus had informed Peter of his. We should always be ready to give an answer for what we believe (1 Peter 3:15), be pressing on to finish our ministry (all believers have a gift from the Holy Spirit and some way of using it), and our faithfulness until death (Revelation 2:10 and Luke 9:62)].
15 I’m going to put forth some effort, so that after I die, youp will have these things always with youp.
[The word “die” is the Greek word ἔξοδος éxodos (G1841). It is used here and also in Luke 9:31 and Hebrews 11:22. A picture of death for the believer is departing (leaving) the slavery of sin and death for heaven just as Israel left Egypt in the Exodus].
16 For we have not followed craftily made-up stories when we made known to youp the power and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of his splendor.
17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when so great a voice came from the majestic glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” [Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7, and Luke 9:35]
18 We heard this voice, which came from heaven, when we were with him on the holy mountain,
[This event is the Transfiguration, which was a foreglimpse of the coming Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Millennium). See Matthew 17:1-13].
19 Yet we have [something] more substantiated—the prophetic word. Youp would do well to pay close attention to it as [youp would] to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the daystar arises in yourp hearts.
[Peter is a faithful witness of this event. An even greater and more substantiated witness is the Scriptures. Substantiated is the Greek word βέβαιος bébaios (G949). It means unshaken, constant, reliable, and valid. Compare Isaiah 55:10-11 and Hebrews 2:1-4].
20 What is most important is that no prophecy of the Scripture is of one’s own interpretation.
[This is understood as what this Scripture means, not what this Scripture means to me. We can make applications like that but not interpretation].
21 For a prophecy never came by the human will, but holy people of God spoke while being prompted by the Holy Spirit.
[Most of the prophets were male but there were prophetesses also. See Exodus 15:20, Luke 2:36-38, Acts 2:17-18, Acts 21:9, and Judges 4:4].