“For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” – 2 Peter 1:16
What a great confidence we can have in the words of Scripture because the authors were eyewitnesses to what they write about. Peter doesn’t pass along his opinions. He doesn’t share information that was passed down to him verbally from previous generations. He saw with his own eyes and heard with his own ears. This is a precious gift to us!
Moreover, Peter didn’t merely witness the wise teachings of Jesus or the astonishing miracles of Jesus. He didn’t just witness the perfect life and sacrificial death of his friend Jesus. Peter’s lifelong faith, obedience, and willingness to suffer for Jesus was grounded in an experience like no other – the Transfiguration of Jesus. On a mountain, Peter briefly got to Jesus in His glory, the glory He had experienced for all eternity past. Peter saw Jesus momentarily changed and radiating divine glory. He saw Jesus meeting and talking with Moses and Elijah. He heard God speak affirmation, blessing, and family relationship over Jesus.
Peter’s eyewitness experience seeing Jesus as the eternal Son of God powerfully shaped the rest of his life and writing. It motivated Peter’s efforts to share Jesus throughout the ancient world. His experience and his eyewitness testimony still speak powerfully today! When you trust your Bible and believe in Jesus, you aren’t trusting folklore, legend, or myth. You aren’t trusting a superhero story. You’re trusting the recorded testimony of eyewitnesses to the most dramatic and important events in human history. Believe what you read, trust in Jesus, and make Him Lord of your life.