Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
No prophecy of Scripture came from human will or private judgment, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. This divine origin must be known first in order to heed prophecy rightly. Prophecy is a more sure word than even eyewitness testimony of Christ's majesty and glory, to be heeded as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the day star arises in the heart. No pope, church, teacher, or private person may settle its meaning by private interpretation, for the Holy Spirit who inspired it is its only interpreter. Therefore it must be interpreted by comparing Scripture with Scripture with the aid of that same Spirit, sought through humble study and earnest prayer, and received as God's authoritative voice and sufficient rule of faith and practice.
Meaning and Origin
No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, private judgment, or human will, for holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. It is not to be taken as private independent opinion or as resting on any person's private will and authority to determine its meaning, and each person must search it for themselves rather than rest on human claims or feelings. Because it did not come in old time by the will of man but by the moving of the Spirit, it is a more sure word than even eyewitness testimony of Christ's power and coming, His majesty, and the voice from the excellent glory heard on the holy mount, and is to be heeded as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in the heart. This divine origin must be known first in order to heed prophecy rightly as present truth kept always in remembrance, its certainty resting on eyewitness and not on cunningly devised fables.
The Holy Spirit taught the writers both what truths to record and in what words to express God's will, so the Bible is the expression of God's mind and will and therefore a perfect rule of faith and practice to follow as guide and counselor. The apostles wrote at the dictation and direction of the Holy Spirit, giving Scripture a divine rather than merely human origin. That divine origin makes Scripture the foundation of hope and the light revealing the way to Heaven, and claims that the apostles now contradict what they wrote under the Spirit's dictation are deceptions designed to make people doubt that origin, tearing away hope and putting out the light, yet sufficient light has been given to discover the snare.
The whole Word is inspired and no part is only lightly inspired, so Scripture must not be misinterpreted, misapplied, or treated as merely human. No one should distinguish among its parts by exalting some portions while belittling, dismissing, or removing others, but should exalt the Bible and recognize the wisdom and power in God's Word as a divine book in all its portions. Its inspiration must be maintained religiously and zealously, and in a time when men who claim to be religious are irreligious toward the sacred Scriptures their religion is pretense, for they would turn Scripture into an unreliable production and bring in forgery as the Word of the Lord.
The inspired message came through minds of different development, for the Holy Spirit gave truth to the apostles who expressed it in ways shaped by their different minds. Writers need not use the same wording or present truth in precisely the same way, and such differences need not create contradiction.
Setting in Second Peter
The chapter belongs as a guide for building character and obtaining eternal life, directing that people be guided by Scripture rather than by human opinions or self-rule. Advancement in it comes by making the Bible the textbook and gaining increasing capacity in study of the Word of God, learning and practicing the lessons of Christ. By working on the plan of addition and adding daily to the store of the knowledge of God and of Christ, God works on the plan of multiplication, and gaining this Bible knowledge stores up treasures to impart to others, with success or failure resting on personal choice. It was written by Peter under the Holy Spirit's influence, directed to the church, and is to be read as teaching what is needed to receive the promised heavenly reward.
Its instruction is what those who take the name of Christian must obey in order to honor that name. Obeying it belongs to having the mind thoroughly cultivated and to holding only aspirations and enterprises that pure religion sanctions, and those who obey will be richly blessed. It calls for acting upon light and evidence received with the service of the whole mind and heart, with every capability called for. When preached with earnest prayer for God to reveal Himself, it breaks indecision and moves souls to take their stand to keep the Sabbath in decided victory.
Together with 1 Peter 1 it belongs with the biblical teaching embraced by people who searched the Word of God for themselves and accepted the truth despite opposition. It belongs to Peter's stirring remembrance of present truth and eyewitness testimony to the power and coming of Christ and the more sure word of prophecy. There it stands against false prophets among the people and false teachers who secretly bring damnable heresies, deny the Lord that bought them, lead many to follow pernicious ways by reason of whom the truth is evil spoken of, and through covetousness make merchandise of people with feigned words unto swift destruction.
Sure Prophetic Light
Prophecy is a more sure word than even eyewitness testimony of the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, His majesty, the honor and glory He received from God the Father, and the voice from the excellent glory declaring the beloved Son, This is My beloved Son, heard with Him in the holy mount. Its certainty rests not on cunningly devised fables or invented stories but on eyewitness of His majesty, and because holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and not by private interpretation or the will of man, God Himself has spoken and given His decision and the Word stands fast forever and cannot be invalidated by ingenious criticism. It is precious truth revealed in God's word, like hidden jewels in a field to be bought and possessed, giving no uncertain sound but speaking with definiteness and authority, never hesitatingly or doubtingly.
Prophecy is to be taken heed to as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in the heart, including until understanding dawns and until Christ's coming. The prophetic word is therefore a sure light to heed, whose source is the Holy Spirit who moved holy men to speak and not any person's own interpretation or will. It is present truth to be kept always in remembrance by being put always in remembrance, and repeating its evidences and words of caution stirs up remembrance. Such remembrance fits believers for immortality and for the glory to be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ, requiring carefulness at every step not to give offense to Christ who bought them with His own blood.
The prophecies join events into a chain from eternity past to eternity future. Their fulfillment in history shows where we stand in the course of time and what is still to come, and what remains will be fulfilled in its appointed order. The prophetic declarations concerning the church came through the Holy Spirit and foretold what would occur, and their fulfillment shows that God foresaw the opposition to His work and has not forsaken His church.
Interpreting Scripture Rightly
No prophecy of Scripture is to be treated as a matter of private, independent opinion, but is to be read with an open heart and interpreted by comparing Scripture with Scripture rather than by imposing preconceived ideas upon it or by seeking originality, since further study can show that a first impression was false, for prophecy did not originate in human will but holy people spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Understanding what was thus given through holy people inspired by the Divine Spirit requires the aid of that same Spirit, sought through humble, faithful study and earnest prayer, receiving Scripture as God's authoritative word instead of twisting it to defend human errors or traditions. Where one place holds obscurity, the Holy Ghost, who is never contrary to Himself, explains the same truth more clearly in other places, so that no doubt can remain except to those who are obstinately ignorant, and God in His Word, not any human judge, decides between conflicting interpretations.
Scripture must not be interpreted through human ideas, but its meaning is to be sought by bringing ideas to Scripture and seeing what God says, and this guards against delusion. Scripture and its prophecy call for receiving truth from God and the mind and truth that come from God rather than relying on human judgment. Because its prophecies are not of human origin or private invention but were spoken by holy people moved by the Holy Spirit, Scripture itself — as God's sure word and sure word of prophecy — and not human claims or feelings is the basis for understanding its message.
Each person must therefore search and examine it for themselves rather than rely on teachers' claims or feelings, and must not rest faith on uncertain claims or on human agents who profess to speak for God, but must exercise caution toward purported revelations and test spiritual claims by the Word. No private interpreter may settle its meaning, for the Holy Spirit who inspired it is its only interpreter, and the Bible as the inspired revelation of God's will is a perfect revelation and a sufficient rule of faith and practice, the voice of God speaking through His Word, so that every person by studying its teachings for himself can learn his duty.
Authority and Faithful Obedience
No pope or church, and no person, teacher, church party, prince, or private individual is allowed to fix the meaning of Scripture by private interpretation. The Holy Spirit who inspired Scripture is its only interpreter, and true religion draws its authority from the eternal God alone. Therefore no one is bound to shape religion to suit the tastes of princes, and human teachers are to be believed only so far as what they teach agrees with the Word. God Himself speaks plainly in His Word, for the Word of God is plain in itself, and every person by studying its teachings for himself can learn his duty. Where one place is obscure, the Holy Ghost, who is never contrary to Himself, makes the same truth clearer in other places, so no doubt can remain except to those obstinately ignorant, and God in His Word, not any human judge, decides between conflicting interpretations.
The Bible is the inspired revelation of God's will, the expression of God's mind and will, a perfect revelation and a sufficient and perfect rule of faith and practice. It carries authority as the voice of God speaking through His Word, and God's people are to follow it as their guide and counselor. For the Holy Spirit taught the writers both what truths to record and in what words to express God's will.
Its divine origin makes Scripture the foundation of the Christian's hope and the light that reveals the way to Heaven. Lying spirits personating the apostles contradict what the apostles wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit by denying the divine origin of the Bible, thereby tearing away the foundation of hope and putting out the light to Heaven, yet sufficient light has been given to discover the snare. Because no prophecy comes from private human opinion or human will, the Word of God is sure and stands fast forever and cannot be invalidated by ingenious criticism. Peter did not follow invented stories in making known the power and coming of Jesus Christ, but was an eyewitness of His majesty and heard the Father give Him honor and glory with the voice from heaven declaring Him the beloved Son on the holy mount, while prophecy is an even more sure word to be heeded as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the day star arises in the heart, since holy men spoke as moved by the Holy Ghost. God Himself has thus spoken and given His decision, and those who are saved must stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel against every deception, lying wonder, false Christianity, and attempt by so-called higher critics to set aside the Word.
The first chapter of Second Peter is to be taught so that God's people are fed pure truth without mixture of error and without fables or erroneous theories presented as truth. Those who teach must have a message bearing the Holy Spirit's divine credentials, and no one has a right to give a message not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Watchmen may therefore speak with assurance and authority about the prophetic message, because their confidence rests on Scripture and not on personal opinion. Since prophecies did not originate in human will, private insight, or private explanation, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, the prophetic word is to be received as God's voice. It is to be studied as the inspired Word, a sure guide and reliable light grounded in God's message rather than human invention, and to be applied in practical life.
No prophecy of Scripture came from human will or private judgment, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. This divine origin must be known first in order to heed prophecy rightly. Prophecy is a more sure word than even eyewitness testimony of Christ's majesty and glory, to be heeded as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the day star arises in the heart. No pope, church, teacher, or private person may settle its meaning by private interpretation, for the Holy Spirit who inspired it is its only interpreter. Therefore it must be interpreted by comparing Scripture with Scripture with the aid of that same Spirit, sought through humble study and earnest prayer, and received as God's authoritative voice and sufficient rule of faith and practice.
Meaning and Origin
No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, private judgment, or human will, for holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. It is not to be taken as private independent opinion or as resting on any person's private will and authority to determine its meaning, and each person must search it for themselves rather than rest on human claims or feelings. Because it did not come in old time by the will of man but by the moving of the Spirit, it is a more sure word than even eyewitness testimony of Christ's power and coming, His majesty, and the voice from the excellent glory heard on the holy mount, and is to be heeded as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in the heart. This divine origin must be known first in order to heed prophecy rightly as present truth kept always in remembrance, its certainty resting on eyewitness and not on cunningly devised fables.
The Holy Spirit taught the writers both what truths to record and in what words to express God's will, so the Bible is the expression of God's mind and will and therefore a perfect rule of faith and practice to follow as guide and counselor. The apostles wrote at the dictation and direction of the Holy Spirit, giving Scripture a divine rather than merely human origin. That divine origin makes Scripture the foundation of hope and the light revealing the way to Heaven, and claims that the apostles now contradict what they wrote under the Spirit's dictation are deceptions designed to make people doubt that origin, tearing away hope and putting out the light, yet sufficient light has been given to discover the snare.
The whole Word is inspired and no part is only lightly inspired, so Scripture must not be misinterpreted, misapplied, or treated as merely human. No one should distinguish among its parts by exalting some portions while belittling, dismissing, or removing others, but should exalt the Bible and recognize the wisdom and power in God's Word as a divine book in all its portions. Its inspiration must be maintained religiously and zealously, and in a time when men who claim to be religious are irreligious toward the sacred Scriptures their religion is pretense, for they would turn Scripture into an unreliable production and bring in forgery as the Word of the Lord.
The inspired message came through minds of different development, for the Holy Spirit gave truth to the apostles who expressed it in ways shaped by their different minds. Writers need not use the same wording or present truth in precisely the same way, and such differences need not create contradiction.
Setting in Second Peter
The chapter belongs as a guide for building character and obtaining eternal life, directing that people be guided by Scripture rather than by human opinions or self-rule. Advancement in it comes by making the Bible the textbook and gaining increasing capacity in study of the Word of God, learning and practicing the lessons of Christ. By working on the plan of addition and adding daily to the store of the knowledge of God and of Christ, God works on the plan of multiplication, and gaining this Bible knowledge stores up treasures to impart to others, with success or failure resting on personal choice. It was written by Peter under the Holy Spirit's influence, directed to the church, and is to be read as teaching what is needed to receive the promised heavenly reward.
Its instruction is what those who take the name of Christian must obey in order to honor that name. Obeying it belongs to having the mind thoroughly cultivated and to holding only aspirations and enterprises that pure religion sanctions, and those who obey will be richly blessed. It calls for acting upon light and evidence received with the service of the whole mind and heart, with every capability called for. When preached with earnest prayer for God to reveal Himself, it breaks indecision and moves souls to take their stand to keep the Sabbath in decided victory.
Together with 1 Peter 1 it belongs with the biblical teaching embraced by people who searched the Word of God for themselves and accepted the truth despite opposition. It belongs to Peter's stirring remembrance of present truth and eyewitness testimony to the power and coming of Christ and the more sure word of prophecy. There it stands against false prophets among the people and false teachers who secretly bring damnable heresies, deny the Lord that bought them, lead many to follow pernicious ways by reason of whom the truth is evil spoken of, and through covetousness make merchandise of people with feigned words unto swift destruction.
Sure Prophetic Light
Prophecy is a more sure word than even eyewitness testimony of the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, His majesty, the honor and glory He received from God the Father, and the voice from the excellent glory declaring the beloved Son, This is My beloved Son, heard with Him in the holy mount. Its certainty rests not on cunningly devised fables or invented stories but on eyewitness of His majesty, and because holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and not by private interpretation or the will of man, God Himself has spoken and given His decision and the Word stands fast forever and cannot be invalidated by ingenious criticism. It is precious truth revealed in God's word, like hidden jewels in a field to be bought and possessed, giving no uncertain sound but speaking with definiteness and authority, never hesitatingly or doubtingly.
Prophecy is to be taken heed to as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in the heart, including until understanding dawns and until Christ's coming. The prophetic word is therefore a sure light to heed, whose source is the Holy Spirit who moved holy men to speak and not any person's own interpretation or will. It is present truth to be kept always in remembrance by being put always in remembrance, and repeating its evidences and words of caution stirs up remembrance. Such remembrance fits believers for immortality and for the glory to be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ, requiring carefulness at every step not to give offense to Christ who bought them with His own blood.
The prophecies join events into a chain from eternity past to eternity future. Their fulfillment in history shows where we stand in the course of time and what is still to come, and what remains will be fulfilled in its appointed order. The prophetic declarations concerning the church came through the Holy Spirit and foretold what would occur, and their fulfillment shows that God foresaw the opposition to His work and has not forsaken His church.
Interpreting Scripture Rightly
No prophecy of Scripture is to be treated as a matter of private, independent opinion, but is to be read with an open heart and interpreted by comparing Scripture with Scripture rather than by imposing preconceived ideas upon it or by seeking originality, since further study can show that a first impression was false, for prophecy did not originate in human will but holy people spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Understanding what was thus given through holy people inspired by the Divine Spirit requires the aid of that same Spirit, sought through humble, faithful study and earnest prayer, receiving Scripture as God's authoritative word instead of twisting it to defend human errors or traditions. Where one place holds obscurity, the Holy Ghost, who is never contrary to Himself, explains the same truth more clearly in other places, so that no doubt can remain except to those who are obstinately ignorant, and God in His Word, not any human judge, decides between conflicting interpretations.
Scripture must not be interpreted through human ideas, but its meaning is to be sought by bringing ideas to Scripture and seeing what God says, and this guards against delusion. Scripture and its prophecy call for receiving truth from God and the mind and truth that come from God rather than relying on human judgment. Because its prophecies are not of human origin or private invention but were spoken by holy people moved by the Holy Spirit, Scripture itself — as God's sure word and sure word of prophecy — and not human claims or feelings is the basis for understanding its message.
Each person must therefore search and examine it for themselves rather than rely on teachers' claims or feelings, and must not rest faith on uncertain claims or on human agents who profess to speak for God, but must exercise caution toward purported revelations and test spiritual claims by the Word. No private interpreter may settle its meaning, for the Holy Spirit who inspired it is its only interpreter, and the Bible as the inspired revelation of God's will is a perfect revelation and a sufficient rule of faith and practice, the voice of God speaking through His Word, so that every person by studying its teachings for himself can learn his duty.
Authority and Faithful Obedience
No pope or church, and no person, teacher, church party, prince, or private individual is allowed to fix the meaning of Scripture by private interpretation. The Holy Spirit who inspired Scripture is its only interpreter, and true religion draws its authority from the eternal God alone. Therefore no one is bound to shape religion to suit the tastes of princes, and human teachers are to be believed only so far as what they teach agrees with the Word. God Himself speaks plainly in His Word, for the Word of God is plain in itself, and every person by studying its teachings for himself can learn his duty. Where one place is obscure, the Holy Ghost, who is never contrary to Himself, makes the same truth clearer in other places, so no doubt can remain except to those obstinately ignorant, and God in His Word, not any human judge, decides between conflicting interpretations.
The Bible is the inspired revelation of God's will, the expression of God's mind and will, a perfect revelation and a sufficient and perfect rule of faith and practice. It carries authority as the voice of God speaking through His Word, and God's people are to follow it as their guide and counselor. For the Holy Spirit taught the writers both what truths to record and in what words to express God's will.
Its divine origin makes Scripture the foundation of the Christian's hope and the light that reveals the way to Heaven. Lying spirits personating the apostles contradict what the apostles wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit by denying the divine origin of the Bible, thereby tearing away the foundation of hope and putting out the light to Heaven, yet sufficient light has been given to discover the snare. Because no prophecy comes from private human opinion or human will, the Word of God is sure and stands fast forever and cannot be invalidated by ingenious criticism. Peter did not follow invented stories in making known the power and coming of Jesus Christ, but was an eyewitness of His majesty and heard the Father give Him honor and glory with the voice from heaven declaring Him the beloved Son on the holy mount, while prophecy is an even more sure word to be heeded as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the day star arises in the heart, since holy men spoke as moved by the Holy Ghost. God Himself has thus spoken and given His decision, and those who are saved must stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel against every deception, lying wonder, false Christianity, and attempt by so-called higher critics to set aside the Word.
The first chapter of Second Peter is to be taught so that God's people are fed pure truth without mixture of error and without fables or erroneous theories presented as truth. Those who teach must have a message bearing the Holy Spirit's divine credentials, and no one has a right to give a message not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Watchmen may therefore speak with assurance and authority about the prophetic message, because their confidence rests on Scripture and not on personal opinion. Since prophecies did not originate in human will, private insight, or private explanation, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, the prophetic word is to be received as God's voice. It is to be studied as the inspired Word, a sure guide and reliable light grounded in God's message rather than human invention, and to be applied in practical life.