SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:16
¶ Porque nosotros no os hemos dado a conocer la potencia y la venida de nuestro Seor Jess, el Cristo, siguiendo fbulas por arte compuestas; sino como habiendo visto con nuestros propios ojos su majestad.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Peter 1:16
Verse 16. Cunningly devised fables] sesofismenoiv muqoiv. I think, with Macknight and others, from the apostle's using epoptai, eye witnesses, or rather beholders, in the end of the verse, it is probable that he means those cunningly devised fables among the heathens, concerning the appearance of their gods on earth in human form. And to gain the greater credit to these fables, the priests and statesmen instituted what they called the mysteries of the gods, in which the fabulous appearance of the gods was represented in mystic shows. But one particular show none but the fully initiated were permitted to behold; hence they were entitled epoptai, beholders. This show was probably some resplendent image of the god, imitating life, which, by its glory, dazzled the eyes of the beholders, while their ears were ravished by hymns sung in its praise; to this it was natural enough for St. Peter to allude, when speaking about the transfiguration of Christ. Here the indescribably resplendent majesty of the great God was manifested, as far as it could be, in conjunction with that human body in which the fullness of the Divinity dwelt. And we, says the apostle, were epoptai, beholders, thv ekeinou megaleiothtov, of his own majesty. Here was no trick, no feigned show; we saw him in his glory whom thousands saw before and afterwards; and we have made known to you the power and coming, parousian, the appearance and presence, of our Lord Jesus; and we call you to feel the exceeding greatness of this power in your conversion, and the glory of this appearance in his revelation by the power of his Spirit to your souls. These things we have witnessed, and these things ye have experienced: and therefore we can confidently say that neither you nor we have followed cunningly devised fables, but that blessed Gospel which is the power of God to the salvation of every one that believes.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables , etc.] Such as Jewish fables, cautioned against ( Titus 1:14) which their traditionary and oral law, their Talmud, and other writings, mention; as concerning the temporal kingdom of the Messiah, the sumptuous feast, and carnal pleasures and entertainments, of that state, with many other things; some of which indeed are not very cunningly put together, but weak enough: or Gentile fables concerning the theogony and exploits of their deities; and which may be meant by fables and endless genealogies in ( 1 Timothy 1:4), and especially reference may be had to the metamorphoses of their gods, and their fables relating to them, devised by Ovid, and others, since the apostle is about to speak of the metamorphosis, or transfiguration of Christ; and also other fables with which their poets and histories abound; and likewise the prophecies of the Sibyls, and the oracles at Delphos, and elsewhere: or the fabulous accounts of the followers of Simon Magus concerning God, angels, the creation of the world, and the several Aeones; or the more artful composures of the false teachers, set off with all the cunning, sophistry, wit, and eloquence they were masters of. Now in order to set forth the nature, excellency, and certainty of the doctrine the apostle taught, especially that part of it which respected the coming of Christ; and to show that it was worth his while to put them in mind of it, and theirs to remember it; he observes, that he and his fellow apostles did not proceed in their account of it on such a foundation, but upon an evidence which they had received, both with their eyes and ears, and also on a word of prophecy surer than that: when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ ; not his first coming, though that, and the benefits arising from it, were the subject of their ministry; and that was attended with divine power, which appeared in the incarnation of Christ itself, which was owing to the power of the Highest; and was seen in his doctrine and ministry, which were with great authority; and in the miracles which he wrought, which proved him to have power equal with God, his Father; and in the work of redemption, which he came about and finished; in doing which he made an end of sin, and saved his people from it, redeemed them from the curse of the law, overcame the world, destroyed Satan, and abolished death; and especially in his resurrection from the dead, when he was declared to be the Son of God with power: but notwithstanding his first coming was in great humility, in much meanness and imbecility, he grew up as a tender plant, and was encompassed with infirmities, and at last was crucified through weakness. This therefore was to be understood of an after coming of his, which the apostle had wrote of, and made known in his former epistle, ( 1 Peter 1:7,13 4:5) and which he puts them in mind of in this, ( <610301> Peter 3:1-4,10,12,13), nor is the word parousia , used of any other coming of Christ, and this will be with power; and it designs his more near coming to take vengeance on the Jewish nation, and deliver his people from the afflictions and persecution they laboured under, and which was with great power; (see Matthew 14:3,30 Mark 9:1), or more remote, namely, at the last day, when there will be a great display of power in raising the dead, gathering all nations before him, separating them one from another, passing the final sentence on each, and executing the same in the utter destruction of the wicked, and the complete glorification of the saints. But were eyewitnesses of his majesty ; meaning, not of the glory of his divine nature by faith, and with the eyes of their understanding, while others only considered him as a mere man; nor of the miracles he wrought, in which there was a display of his glory and majesty, of all which the apostles were eyewitnesses; but of that glory and greatness which were upon him, when he was transfigured on the mount before them; then his face was as the sun, and such a glory on his whole body, that it darted through his clothes, and made them glitter like light, and as white as snow, and so as no fuller on earth could whiten them; at which time also Moses and Elijah appeared in glorious forms: and now this was a prelude and pledge of his power and coming, of his kingdom coming with power, and of his coming in his own, and his Father's glory, and in the glory of the holy angels. This was a proof that notwithstanding his meanness in his incarnate state, yet he was glorified, and would be glorified again; and this was a confirmation of it to the apostles, and might be to others: (see Matthew 16:27,28 17:1 Mark 8:38 9:1 Luke 9:26-28).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-21 - The gospel is no weak thing, but comes in power, Ro 1:16. The law set before us our wretched state by sin, but there it leaves us. I discovers our disease, but does not make known the cure. It is the sight of Jesus crucified, in the gospel, that heals the soul. Try to dissuade the covetous worlding from his greediness, one ounce of gol weighs down all reasons. Offer to stay a furious man from anger by arguments, he has not patience to hear them. Try to detain the licentious, one smile is stronger with him than all reason. But com with the gospel, and urge them with the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed to save their souls from hell, and to satisfy for their sins, an this is that powerful pleading which makes good men confess that their hearts burn within them, and bad men, even an Agrippa, to say they ar almost persuaded to be Christians, Ac 26:28. God is well pleased with Christ, and with us in him. This is the Messiah who was promised through whom all who believe in him shall be accepted and saved. The truth and reality of the gospel also are foretold by the prophets an penmenof the Old Testament, who spake and wrote under influence, an according to the direction of the Spirit of God. How firm and sure should our faith be, who have such a firm and sure word to rest upon When the light of the Scripture is darted into the blind mind and dar understanding, by the Holy Spirit of God, it is like the day-break tha advances, and diffuses itself through the whole soul, till it make perfect day. As the Scripture is the revelation of the mind and will of God, every man ought to search it, to understand the sense and meaning The Christian knows that book to be the word of God, in which he taste a sweetness, and feels a power, and sees a glory, truly divine. And the prophecies already fulfilled in the person and salvation of Christ, an in the great concerns of the church and the world, form an unanswerabl proof of the truth of Christianity. The Holy Ghost inspired holy men to speak and write. He so assisted and directed them in delivering what they had received from him, that they clearly expressed what they mad known. So that the Scriptures are to be accounted the words of the Holy Ghost, and all the plainness and simplicity, all the power and all the propriety of the words and expressions, come from God. Mix faith with what you find in the Scriptures, and esteem and reverence the Bible a a book written by holy men, taught by the Holy Ghost __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ου 3756 γαρ 1063 σεσοφισμενοις 4679 5772 μυθοις 3454 εξακολουθησαντες 1811 5660 εγνωρισαμεν 1107 5656 υμιν 5213 την 3588 του 3588 κυριου 2962 ημων 2257 ιησου 2424 χριστου 5547 δυναμιν 1411 και 2532 παρουσιαν 3952 αλλ 235 εποπται 2030 γενηθεντες 1096 5679 της 3588 εκεινου 1565 μεγαλειοτητος 3168
Vincent's NT Word Studies
16. We have not followed (ou exakolouqhsantev). A strong compound, used only here and ch. ii. 2, 15. The ejx gives the force of following out; in pursuance of; closely.
Cunningly devised (sesofismenoiv). Only here and 2 Tim. iii. 15, in which latter passage it has a good sense, to make thee wise. Here, in a bad sense, artfully framed by human cleverness (sofia). Compare feigned words, ch. ii. 3.
Fables (muqoiv). This word, which occurs only here and in the Pastoral Epistles, is transcribed in the word myth. The reference here may be to the Jewish myths, rabbinical embellishments of Old-Testament history; or to the heathen myths about the descent of the gods to earth, which might be suggested by his remembrance of the transfiguration; or to the Gnostic speculations about aeons or emanations, which rose from the eternal abyss, the source of all spiritual existence, and were named Mind, Wisdom, Power, Truth, etc.
Coming (parousian). Or presence. Compare ch. iii. 4. Another word, ajpokaluyiv, revelation, is used in 1 Pet. i. 7, 13; iv. 13, to describe the appearing of Christ.
Eye-witnesses (epoptai). See on behold, 1 Pet. ii. 12. Only here in New Testament. Compare the different word in Luke i. 2, aujtoptai, eye-witnesses.
Majesty (megaleiothtov). Used in only two passages besides this: Luke ix. 43, of the mighty power (Rev., majesty) of God, as manifested in the healing of the epileptic child; and Acts xix. 27, of the magnificence of Diana.
