Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things"
2Ti 2:7.

Friday, September 4, 2026

The Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

 

2Peter 1
16¶For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Concerning the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ that have been made known by the Apostle Peter and the others included in the pronoun "we", and of whose majesty they were eyewitnesses too - what does it* (i.e. the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ) refer to?

1. Many say it* refers to the single event of transfiguration that happened on the holy mount spoken of later in verse 18.

- Could such a broad statement "we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ"  be a reference to ONE SINGLE SPECIFIC EVENT, the transfiguration?
- Apparently MANY are convinced that it is so.
- Perhaps they are distracted by the echo of the "holy mount" coming from verse 18.

2. Some say it* refers to the second coming of Christ at the end of the gospel age.
- This is even more puzzling... concerning the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostles were the EYEWITNESSES of the majesty of the LORD Jesus Christ.
- The second coming was a long way off; the Apostles couldn't possibly be eyewitnesses of it, could they?

3. Others say it* refers to the first coming and the ministry of redemption accompanying it, displaying both the power and majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(We will just have to ignore those who couldn't care less, and think we are hair-splitting doctrinaires.

What do you say, and why not the other two?

Thank you.
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PJ Walters
When and where did they make it known?

Sing
Pj Walters to that I add, who are they? Who do the pronoun "we" refer to?
Yours is a good question.

PJ Walters
Peter, James, and John are good possibilities.

Sing
1¶Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

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More likely, the "we" is equivalent to "us" here, and the "they" collectively refers to the Apostles.

Sing
When and where did they make known the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? In all places and throughout their ministry in obedience to the command given to them in Mt 28:19-20.

PJ Walters
Good thoughts to ruminate.

Bill Taylor
Well, the three - Peter, James, and John - certainly didn't make the power and coming of the Lord known when they first saw it: Luke 9:36 KJV "And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen." What they made known after His death, resurrection, and ascension was that He had a glorious being shown to them in power when He "came" in that sense for them to be witnesses of. They were not telling cunningly devised fables, but an accurate account according to the power of eyewitnesses to His glory!

Sing
Bill Taylor, thank you for the excellent comment.