2 Peter 1:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We know the Father's testimony to the sonship of our Lord Jesus Christ in three instances. One was at the Baptism (Mt 3:17). Another was before the Passion, when it was said: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again" (Jn 12:28). The third was on Mount Tabor (Mt 17:5).

The blessed Apostle Peter, with two other disciples of the Lord Christ, James and John, was on the mountain with the Lord Himself. He heard the voice that came from heaven: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him" (Mt 17:5). The Apostle, handing down his recollections, speaks of this in his epistle, and then adds: "And we have the prophetic word made more sure." This voice sounded from heaven, and this is the prophetic word made more sure.

He who received is not less than He from whom He received. He is said to have received honor and glory through the participation of the flesh.

It was brought then for the third time. The first time was at the Baptism. The second was when the Son cried out to the Father: "Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory which I had with You before the world was" (Jn 17:5).

There were some who said that the Second Epistle of Peter, in which the epistles of Paul are praised, did not belong to Peter.

But if they had wished to consider the words of this same epistle, they could have thought quite otherwise.

For it is written in it: when such a voice was brought to Him from the majestic glory, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

It is also added, "And this voice, brought from heaven, we heard, being with Him on the holy mountain" (2 Pet. 1:18).

Therefore let them read the Gospel, and they will at once know that when this voice from heaven came, the Apostle Peter was standing on the mountain with the Lord.

Consequently, this very epistle was written by the one who heard that voice from the Lord on the mountain.

Since the saint mentioned the fathers who say the same thing, let us also pass over all who lived after him and consider what the saints before him said about the glory of God.

This glory is seen mystically and ineffably only by the initiated, and first of all by the eyewitnesses and Apostles of the one God and Father of our Jesus Christ.

Through Him “every fatherhood is named” in the fullness of the Holy Church (Eph 3:15). Before the Apostles stands again their chief, Peter, who says: “We did not follow cunningly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Pet 1:16).

"For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when such a voice came to Him from the majestic glory: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And we heard this voice brought from heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain."

From the multitude of events that witness to the divine majesty of Jesus Christ and to the unquestionable truth of the Gospel teaching given by the Apostle, Saint Peter points to one event, the Lord's Transfiguration on Tabor.

"For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when such a voice came to Him from the majestic glory: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

For He, and so forth: the history of the Lord's Transfiguration on Mount Tabor is briefly indicated. The Evangelists Matthew (Mt. 17:1 and following), Mark (Mk. 9:2 and following), and Luke (Lk. 9:28 and following) narrate it in detail.

The Apostle points to this event as one of the examples in which the Lord's majesty was revealed. It is one of the most striking examples.

All this is not a dream, not a vision, not an invention of idle imagination. It is the truth, which three Apostles, three eyewitnesses, saw, heard, and handled.

With special force and expressiveness, the Apostle points here to the voice from heaven. He insistently repeats that they themselves heard this voice. See the note to Mt. 17:5-6 and parallels.

Having set forth the ladder of Christian perfection, the holy Apostle Peter persuades us to ascend it (2 Pet. 1:10-20).

"Be even more diligent to make your calling," that is, your Christian calling, "and election," that is, election unto salvation, "sure." This means to justify them in deed and secure them for yourselves.

"For if you do these things, you will never stumble," despite the difficulty and narrowness of the path to salvation. On the contrary, "an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ."

My concern, the Apostle seems further to suggest, and my salvation, is whether you will walk by the ladder of Christian perfection traced out for you.

Having expressed the desire that the Epistle should have indisputable force and significance in determining the truth for all times, the Apostle Peter also indicates the grounds for accepting his words as unquestionably important.

The first ground is that he was one of the first heralds of the coming of Jesus Christ. The second ground is that he, like the other Apostles, did not close his eyes and listen to some fables from someone else.

These fables were like those taught by the Gnostics concerning the divine fullness, the pleroma, and the powers issuing from it, the aeons.

Instead, they themselves were eyewitnesses of the manifestation of the Lord's glory during the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ.

Come, you who love the teaching of truth. Today your love is rewarded and satisfied by the most perfect teaching of the highest Truth. Come also, you who are inattentive to teaching, or dissatisfied with the imperfection and unworthiness of those who impart it. Stir up your attention. Today you may hear a Teacher whose dignity is without example, and whose teaching must certainly be just as excellent. From Tabor is heard the preaching not of a teacher of the Church, not of an Apostle, not of a Prophet, and not even of an Angel, but of God the Father Himself. “Behold, a voice from the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him’” (Mt 17:5).

The teachers of the Church distinguish two kinds of saving teaching: dogmas and commandments. A dogma is a truth revealed by God, which we must believe for our salvation. A commandment is a command or rule given by God, which we must fulfill for our salvation.

The heavenly preaching on Tabor presents this very composition of teaching. “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”: here is the dogma. “Hear Him”: here is the commandment.

Concerning the dogma, there had already been divine preaching earlier, at the Jordan. There too a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). That was preaching to the first preacher of the New Testament, John the Baptist. At that time hardly anyone but he sufficiently understood it. He himself began to preach what he had heard from heaven when he said of Jesus, “He who comes from above is above all” (Jn 3:31). Again he said, “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand” (Jn 3:35). But John's preaching soon ceased, together with his freedom and his life. Therefore it was useful for the confirmation of faith, and beneficial for our ignorance and little faith, that the dogma concerning the Only-begotten Son of God was preached anew from heaven on Tabor. It was preached to the three foremost Apostles, as three sufficient witnesses according to the law, being prepared to become universal preachers of the faith. For although at that very time they were commanded to “tell the vision to no one” from Tabor “until the Son of Man is risen from the dead” (Mt 17:9), nevertheless, when the limit of this prohibition had passed, they possessed this vision as one of the unshakable supports of their testimony. They bore witness to the Godhead, power, and glory of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Peter writes in his letter before death: “We made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, having been eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honor and glory from God the Father, when such a voice came to Him from the majestic glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain” (2 Pet 1:16-18).

With reverence and joy, brethren, let us think on the holiness and firmness of faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Let us do so with unceasing gratitude to God, who revealed and confirmed it. “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). To prepare the world to receive Him, “God, who at many times and in many ways spoke of old to the fathers by the prophets” (Heb 1:1), foretold His appearing beforehand. He also presented images of His future appearing in the forefathers and in “the law, having a shadow of the good things to come” (Heb 10:1). When He actually appeared in the world, He appeared in human nature. Then miracles manifesting divine power were used to reveal what lay hidden beneath this veil. But miracles, while showing the presence of divine power, do not decisively reveal the divine essence in the person of the miracle-worker. They can also be performed by men, according to God's will and power. What more, then, had to be done to reveal the true Son of God in the person of Jesus? Should He proclaim Himself? He did not hesitate to do this, as when He said, “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30). His word was firm in itself, as the word of Truth itself, and it was confirmed by His miracles. Yet He also acknowledged that, for human assurance, testimony about Himself was insufficient: “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true” (Jn 5:31). Do you see, then, by what overflowing measure this insufficiency is supplied? God the Father, who according to the Apostle's explanation “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Tim 6:16), moved from His unknown height. He bowed the heavens. He clothed His unapproachable light in a bright cloud accessible to contemplation. He contracted His infinite knowledge and the revelation of the Infinite into the likeness of a human voice. He Himself preached the Godhead, consubstantial with Himself, of Jesus who bore the form of a servant. He called Him His “beloved Son,” for in sacred language the “beloved” son means the “only-begotten” son (Gen 22:2, 12, 16; Judg 11:34; Jer 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zech 12:10). The Only-begotten Son can be none other than “consubstantial” with His Father.

Let us turn from the dogma to the commandment.

At the Theophany at the Jordan, only the dogma concerning the Son of God, consubstantial with the Father, was proclaimed. In the vision on Tabor, the commandment was added to this dogma: “Hear Him.” That is, you must both hear the teaching of the incarnate Son of God and enter into active obedience to Him, and constantly abide in this obedience.

At the Jordan it was already unnecessary to proclaim the commandment of obedience for John, and still too early for others. For John it was no longer needed, because he was already fulfilling this commandment when, out of obedience, he baptized Jesus. He overcame his own conviction, according to which he wished to be baptized by Him, and not to baptize Him. For others it was still too early, because at the Jordan Christ had appeared only in His person, toward whom attention and faith had to be awakened. He had not yet revealed His teaching, which demanded obedience.

On Tabor the commandment of obedience was proclaimed partly, perhaps, in accord with the special need of the witnesses of the vision on Tabor. For shortly before this, Peter, first among the chiefs in faith, had confessed Jesus to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). Yet he did not show readiness to overcome his own convictions by submission to the word of Christ. When “Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise on the third day,” then “Peter began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Be merciful to Yourself, Lord; this shall not happen to You’” (Mt 16:21-22). Although this open contradiction of the mystery of faith was immediately cut short by the Lord's stern rebuke, Peter's inner disposition may have required further healing. Probably Moses and Elijah continued this healing when, conversing with Jesus on Tabor, they “spoke of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Lk 9:31). That is, they spoke with Him of His impending sufferings and death on the Cross. For them this was a conversation of contemplation and prayer. For Peter it was the continuation of that teaching about the Cross which he had dared to oppose. Probably the pre-heavenly Physician Himself completed this healing by the power of His word: “Hear Him.” That is, submit to the teaching of the incarnate Son of God, even if it seems contradictory to your natural reasoning. Submit even if it resounds to you with suffering and the Cross, amid your striving for blessedness and glory.

Whatever the case may have been with the Apostle Peter and his two fellow participants in the vision on Tabor, this is certain. Both the dogma and the commandment preached on Tabor were preached not for them alone, but for all of us. Divine Truth does not speak from heaven to earth for three men, but for the salvation of the whole human race. “The voice of the Lord is in strength; the voice of the Lord is in majesty” (Ps 29:4). It is not limited by place and is not cut off by time. With the same authority and power with which it thundered on Tabor for the three disciples of Christ, it now proceeds from the Gospel for all disciples of Christ. While it commands with all-subduing authority, by its all-effective power it also gives the ability to fulfill what is commanded. Let us think, then, brethren, that by this same authority and power God the Father Himself introduces us also into obedience to His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Will anyone dare not submit to this divine authority? Who will not desire to receive the gift of obedience from this saving power? “Hear Him.” How can one fail to hear Him always and in all things? Will anyone really not hear?

The incarnate Son of God says, “Believe in God, and believe in Me” (Jn 14:1). “Hear Him,” and make this faith the initial moving power of your life.

“Jesus began,” and has not ceased, “to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Mt 4:17). “Hear Him,” and hasten on the path of repentance to reach the near kingdom of heaven, before justice, also near, closes the doors of mercy.

From a mountain not as high as Tabor, but for that very reason more accessible to all, the Lord Jesus teaches the nations. For the varied multitude of disciples, He indicates various paths to blessedness, which nevertheless unite into the one common way of salvation. “Blessed,” He says, “are the poor in spirit; blessed are those who mourn; blessed are the meek; blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; blessed are the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers.” Finally, “blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake” and “for My sake” (Mt 5:3-11), that is, those faithful unto suffering and death. “Hear” the divine Teacher. If at first glance it seems difficult to pass through so many stages of ascent to blessedness, at least enter some of the paths indicated. Enter those nearer to you, or those corresponding to your present state. Only enter without fail, and continue to walk without laziness. Insofar as you feel yourself to be in a state of sin, keep to the path of mourning. It may be hard and difficult to travel at the beginning, but as you continue it will certainly become pleasant. Stretch onward along the path of continual hunger for righteousness, not human righteousness, but God's, granted by Jesus Christ, “who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor 1:30). You who imagine yourselves to be not insignificant in something, hasten to the path of poverty of spirit and knowledge of your own nothingness. You who are tempted by your own or another's inclination to anger and discord, strive with particular effort toward the paths of meekness and love of peace. Struggle for purity of heart no less than for purity of outward deeds, for the all-pure eye of God looks upon the heart. Do not turn away from the way of the Cross, hearing the Lord say, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mt 16:24). Do not contradict the word of your cross, as Peter vainly contradicted the word of Christ's Cross. Do we not find high satisfaction if we can endure a difficult struggle for a man whom we honor and love? From this, ascending from the lesser to the greater, the surest conclusion is this: if we willingly bear the Cross for Christ, we shall find blessedness in the very struggle, before the blessedness given for the struggle. Let us not refuse, then, to take up our cross. Let us be crucified to the flesh, mortifying its desires. Let us be crucified to the world, not being deceived by its brilliance and glory. Let us be crucified to our self-love, striving always to act, speak, think, and live for Christ, that Christ may live in us.