Saturday 16 September 2017

Psalm: Psalm 82

Background

These verses are very much words of testimony. Peter is tellinghow, rather than being simple fishermen, their lives had beentransformed. He is emphasising the fact that the message he givesis not a mythological message made of up of legends or tales toldby those who did not have the whole story. Rather his message isone which comes from having actually been there on the mountain (Matthew 17:1-8), when they saw Jesustransformed from the teacher and friend they had known, intosomething more ("we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty") - theChrist, the Son of God. They had heard the voice of God himselfdeclaring this, and as such had had their lives transformed. Thestyle of his writing is, according to Harvey (in his Companionto the New Testament), that which might be expected of aneducated Hellenistic Jew. And it is clear from both these versesand the ones we have read this week, that the Church had alreadydeveloped something of a conventional rigidity, which if followed,would lead to a blessed state in the future.

In Peter's mind the significance of the Transfiguration, whichhe has quoted to the people, is not in the experience itself but inthe voice of God declaring that Jesus is God's son.

To Ponder

• Do we sometimes spend our time down on the ground of our faithwithout going up and meeting Christ on the mountain? What mightmeeting Christ on the mountain mean for you?

• Is the Church today becoming as rigid as it would seem that thechurch to which Peter is writing had become? If so, what needs tochange?

• What significance do Peter's letters have for you today in helpyou in fulfilling your discipleship?