2Peter 1:16-18 - Kangaroo Court Collapses!

(Jesus Seminar Declared Redundant)

2Peter 1:16-18

16-18 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. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," 18 we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

This is the sort of thing that distinguishes Christianity from most of the other religions of the world. It is historical. It is based in observed, witnessed, falsifiable data that has never been able to be falsified. In this regard, it is more scientific than the theory of evolution.

There is more documentary evidence for the reliability of the Christian Scriptures than for some of what we rely upon for secular history. For example, Caesar’s "Gallic Wars" exists in only a few manuscripts all dating from the 9th century or later. Yet nobody doubts that Caesar pacified Western Europe. There are thousands and thousands of codices, papyri and fragments of the New Testament books, some dating back to the mid-1st Century, all in virtually complete agreement as to words and content, with very minor grammatical variations. Yet liberals and pagans are constantly trying to undermine its veracity and reliability.

No one ever produced the body of Jesus. The Jews never denied it was missing. The Romans never denied it was missing. False rumours - never proven - were put about that the disciples has spirited it away. Other stories were made up to insinuate that Christ never actually died, but was revived later and went to live in Asia, or some such place. None of this nonsense would stand in anything but a kangaroo court. All the historical evidence, all the eyewitness evidence, all the documentary evidence point to the incarnation, death, resurrection and ascension of the Christ, the Eternal Son of Eternal God.

Michael Servetus, a 16th century heretic sometimes associated with the Anabaptist movement - like all the most damnable of heretics - agreed with much of Christian doctrine, but twisted it in one or more essential points. He refused to believe that Christ was the Eternal Son of God. He believed that Jesus became the Son of God. That is rank heresy which, if believed, undermines and ultimately destroys the one true faith. His was a poignant case. He believed what he propagated. He died for it. He was burned to death declaring it. His last words are reported to have been, "Jesus, son of Eternal God have mercy on me!" Sounds wonderful doesn’t it? What a martyr! But he was reaffirming the heresy he had believed and propagated all his life. He didn’t say, "Jesus, Eternal Son of God..." but rather, "Jesus, Son of Eternal God..." These things matter.

So the Christian faith is not amenable to alteration of the facts presented, substantiated, witnessed and recorded in history. There are no "cleverly devised myths," like the Haida stories of whales and giant ravens - or the Babylonian fables of the flood and of creation. Nor yet like the fantastic tales of creation found among the South American peoples such as the Aztecs and Incas. The whole world over there are myths and stories of an obviously fabulous nature that generations of people have believed because their minds were darkened, on account of their claim to be wise - ending in the complete rejection of the one true God.

Jesus came from heaven to seek and to save that which was lost. He was born a man, born under the law, lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father, was crucified, dead and buried. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand (the hand of power) of the Father. The facts are historically sound, and proven by the mouths of two or three, or five hundred witnesses.

The Father Himself spoke in the hearing of the writer of this epistle, testifying to the Eternal Son. The majesty of Christ’s unveiled God-ness was manifested, however briefly, to the living, waking eyes of Peter, James and John by the Father in Glory.

Finally, the Spirit of God testifies to the truth in the hearts of all who believe. He is in us so that we may cry, "Abba, Father!" It is a familial term. It is an intimate term. But let’s not make it a familiar one. If you want to call God "Abba, Father" then remember Who it was that did so by right of eternal Being (not adoption) and how that was manifested in His humanity. It was manifested in suffering, rejection, wounding, marring, abuse, shame, despite - as well as in joy and fulfillment. And if God was thus with His only begotten Son, then what can that mean for His created and adopted children? Will we identify with Him in these? Will we fill up what is lacking? Will we despise the shame for the joy that lays before us?