2 Peter 1:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The prophets knew what was sent down to them by the prophetic Spirit and what they were prophesying about. Yet they did not know precisely how everything would take place. Therefore, understanding this, they desired to see the fulfillment of the prophecies, as the Lord says.

How, then, do you wish to understand the spiritual word arbitrarily? It was not spoken arbitrarily, but by the inspiration of the Spirit, and it itself forbids arbitrary interpretation. The Spirit spoke Holy Scripture, and only the Spirit can interpret it.

Men inspired by God, the holy Fathers, interpreted it. Therefore everyone who desires to acquire true knowledge of Holy Scripture must read the holy Fathers.

If you limit yourself to reading Holy Scripture alone, then of necessity you must understand and explain it arbitrarily. By the same necessity, it will be impossible for you to avoid errors.

For “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, and cannot understand them, because they must be judged spiritually.” “No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:11, 14).

Before this fulfillment, men, the prophets, could speak of future events only by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If we have a whole series of Old Testament prophecies about Christ, we see their full resolution in the life of Jesus Christ, whose witnesses were the apostles.

The Spirit did not reveal this to them, and they themselves tried to discern when salvation would come. Yet to discern this was beyond human power. Therefore it is said further, in verse 12, that “it was revealed to them,” certainly not by their own reason, “that not to themselves,” nor to their contemporaries, “but to us they ministered the things now preached.”

From this it generally follows that even the prophets themselves, though they knew and understood the prophetic word sent down to them, could not give its interpretation or explanation. They knew neither the time nor the circumstances in which the future they foretold would be accomplished.

And if the prophets themselves could not do this, it is still less possible for their readers. Therefore the pious eunuch, the dignitary of Candace, who was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah, answered the Apostle Philip’s question, “Do you understand what you are reading?” by saying, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:30-31).

Therefore, in the interpretation of prophecies, instruction is required. In general, not everyone who has bought a Bible can explain it. It is possible that a man who undertakes this task, being “ignorant and unstable,” will encounter in the Bible something “hard to understand” and “twist” it, that is, falsely interpret it, “to his own destruction” (2 Pet 3:16).

Why does this happen? According to the Apostle Peter, it is because prophecy, and in general divinely inspired teaching, “was never produced by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” We men, however, are often natural and carnal (1 Cor 9:14-34).

In general, the wisdom of the divine Spirit stands so far above human wisdom that it necessarily appears mysterious to us (Prov 1:2; 1 Cor 13:12).

By “prophecy” here is plainly meant the same prophetic word designated in the preceding verse. Yet it seems to have a narrower meaning here.

It does not mean the prophetic book, or the whole collection of books of the Old Testament Sacred Scripture as the entire word of God.

It means a prophecy, or one or another prophetic saying in the book. For this reason the Apostle here says “prophecy,” whereas in the preceding verse he said “prophetic word.”

This detail may have significance for clarifying the concept of the resolving, or interpretation, of prophecy in this verse.

“Prophecy of the book,” or prophecy contained in a book. By this word the Apostle apparently meant to designate true prophecy, in contrast to the divinatory utterances of false prophecy.

Above he called such utterances cunningly devised myths (2 Pet 1:16).

“It cannot be resolved by oneself.” “It does not come by its own declaration.” To resolve means to explain, to interpret, and more particularly to solve something enigmatic (Mk 4:34).

“By its own declaration.” By whose declaration, or resolution, or solution? Either by the resolution of the enigmatic saying itself, that is, the prophecy of the book.

Or by the resolution of the one to whom the task of resolving is proposed, the man himself who resolves or interprets.

In the first case, the explanation, or declaration, has in view the very content of the prophecy interpreted. In the second, it has in view the interpretation of the interpreter.

In the first case the expression means that what is interpreted cannot be resolved or interpreted by itself. In the latter, it means that the interpreter cannot resolve or interpret what is interpreted by himself.

In both cases, resolving or interpreting prophecy requires a means, or mediator.

This mediator is either God Himself, who inspires the prophet, or the inspired prophet himself.

The meaning of the saying will be this. No prophecy in Scripture can be resolved by anyone on his own, except by God Himself or by the prophet.

If God or the prophet himself does not interpret the prophecy, no one will interpret it. It will remain uninterpreted and unresolved.

God Himself interprets prophecy either directly through the prophet himself, through other prophets, or through the fulfillment of the prophecy in events.

These events can be understood and interpreted by all people who attend to the ways of God’s providence in history.

Regarding the latter, that is, all interpreters of the prophetic word, or of prophecy in general, one must say that for them the means, or mediator, in interpretation can only be the prophetic word itself in its broad sense.

That is, it is the prophetic revelation of God in general, in the word or in Sacred Scripture.

Generally speaking, Sacred Scripture must be interpreted by Sacred Scripture itself, of course under the guidance of the Church of the Old and New Testaments.

The prophetic word in general, like the apostolic word, cannot be handed over to the interpreter’s whim or to the explanation of every reader.

Otherwise there will be no firmness or certainty in opinion and interpretation concerning the most sure word.

The proof of the truth of this position is the Apostle’s further saying about the prophetic word, namely, that the beginning and root of prophecy are in inspiration from the Holy Spirit (v. 21).

Therefore, just as the origin of the prophetic word is from the Holy Spirit, so its interpretation must be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

That is, it must be under the guidance of the very word of God, or Sacred Scripture.

One may even say that the saying under consideration, that no prophecy in Scripture can be resolved by oneself, is in essence not so much about resolving or interpreting prophecy.

It is rather about the origin of prophecy, as is clearly seen from verse 21.

Thus the force of the verse being explained could be expressed as follows. In its origin, prophecy in Scripture is not subject to explanation or resolution by itself.

For prophecy was never uttered by the will of man (v. 21). It was involuntary, inspired by God. Therefore by the Spirit of God it must also be resolved or interpreted.

My concern, the apostle seems further to suggest, and my salvation, is whether you will follow the ladder of Christian perfection traced out for you. This compels me continually to repeat my instructions to you “as long as I am in this bodily tent.” Yet I must soon put it off, according to the Lord’s revelation.

But after my departure, keep my instructions in remembrance. For I did not teach you without proof, “following cunningly devised fables,” but as an eyewitness and witness of the teaching of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, glorified during the Transfiguration on Tabor.

And if even this is not enough, “we have the more sure word of the prophets.” Long beforehand they foretold everything that we saw and heard and taught you.

Learn, then, from the prophetic word and be guided by it, as by a lamp shining in a dark place, “until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” That is. Until you acquire a more perfect knowledge of Christian truth, and until the Light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, kindles your hearts with most perfect love for Him.

“Know this first of all, that no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Thus it is evident that Christians possess undoubted truth. In the Old Testament it was a light shining in darkness. In Christian teaching it shines like the morning star (see Rev 22:16). Its light will later give way to the radiance of the true Sun of righteousness, when the day of Christ comes.

Until that time, no prophecy will be fully disclosed by itself (cf. 1 Pet 1:10-11). Since prophecies were spoken by the action of God, their full disclosure will also be according to the will of God.

Blessed Augustine says, “We walk in the day when compared with unbelievers; but compared with that day when the dead shall rise, we are still in darkness.” From this it is clear that, in explaining Scripture, one must heed the voice of the Church, which is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim 3:15).