The Interpretation Of Prophecy
THE INTERPRETATION OF PROPHECY
2 PETER 1:19–2:3
Scripture isn’t the product of human imagination; God took up writers and caused them to write down what he wanted people to know.
Today there is an emphasis on religious experience. In so far as this is produced by the Spirit, it is valid and not to be despised. But even Peter let his experience on the Mount of Transfiguration step into second place behind the prophetic Scriptures, which for him included the Pentateuch and the historical books from Joshua to 2 Kings, apart from Ruth. “We have the prophetic word made more sure” (1:19): the Greek is ambiguous. It may mean as in the ESV, “we have something more sure, the prophetic word.” Peter does not ask his readers to look away from the prophets but rather “to pay attention” (1:19).
There are certain points to be remembered about prophecy. The oriental “lamp” illuminated only the immediate surroundings. Prophecy is given not so that we should know the details of the future, but so that we may understand the future when it becomes the present. Then no prophecy “is of any private interpretation.” Since prophecy came from the Holy Spirit, it must be interpreted by the Holy Spirit. The church is far from infallible, but an interpretation rejected by spiritual people after due thought and prayer is not likely to be correct. It also means, however, that since prophecy is a unity because it all comes from the same Spirit, we have no right to take a passage and interpret it in isolation from the rest. A great weakness in biblical exposition, and not merely in our interpretation of prophecy, comes from our frequent ignoring of this principle. The prophets “were carried along [impelled] by the Holy Spirit” (1:21). Peter is not denying the personal contribution of the prophets to their message, but that it was in any way something thought out and shaped by them.
Yet there have been “false prophets” (2:1), just as there are false teachers. Much in the later prophetic writing is devoted to false prophets; see especially Jeremiah 23:9-40. The characteristics of the false teachers are that in one way or another they disown their Master, they are immoral, and they exploit their hearers. The proportions of these vary from false teacher to false teacher, but they are always present. Peter is not thinking of those who do not claim to be Christians.