Beyond Myths and Fables: 2 Peter 1:16-18
Every culture throughout history has had their myths, fables, and legends to teach important lessons about how the world came into being, to explain the mysteries of the natural world, what is important in life, and to shape the values and beliefs of individuals so they would reflect the values and beliefs of the culture. The stories that are told in every culture throughout history are filled with heroes, gods, fantastical creatures, and monsters that are used to teach. Let me give you an example. The Chinese have a creation story that is centered on a creator named Pangu. Listen to the story.
In the beginning there was darkness everywhere, and Chaos ruled. Within the darkness there formed an egg, and inside the egg the giant Pangu came into being. For aeons, safely inside the egg, Pangu slept and grew. When he had grown to gigantic size he stretched his huge limbs and in so doing broke the egg. The lighter parts of the egg floated upwards to form the heavens and the denser parts sank downwards, to become the earth. And so was formed earth and sky, Yin and Yang.
After 18,000 years Pangu died and his skull became the top of the sky, his breath became the cloud and the winds, and his voice the thunder. One of Pangu’s eyes became the sun and his other eye became the moon. His body became five big mountains and his blood was transformed into the roaring waters.
The story of Pangu is very different from the story of creation that we read about in the first two chapters of Genesis. There are creation stories from cultures all across the globe. This week, I’ve read creation stories from the Mayans, Koreans, Nigerians, the Hindus of India, Native American tribes like the Hopi, Cherokee, and Choctaw, and ancient Egypt just to name a few.
Mythological stories have also been used in every culture to teach moral lessons. Every American knows the story of Thor even though the story of Thor originated in Scandinavian and Germanic cultures. You probably didn’t learn about Thor from a Norse mythology class, but from the Marvel movie franchise that has brought in more than $2.5 billion through the years. Odin was the chief of the gods, but his son Thor was the most popular of the gods in Norse mythology. You can’t mention Thor without mentioning his hammer, Mjolnir, which he used to defeat the giants and protect both gods and humans. Thor is brave, strong, persistent, and he is fiercely loyal to his kingdom and his people. He shows empathy and compassion towards others. The myth of Thor was used and is still being used to teach those same values or character qualities to young people to this day.
Our lesson this morning is not about mythology, but about the truest truth that has ever existed. Many Bible teachers believe the false teachers were working to discredit the return of Jesus by characterizing it as nothing more than a myth. Let’s read our Scripture for this morning and then we can talk more.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18 ESV)
Peter let it be known that he and the other apostles were not sharing myths about Jesus, but instead, they were “eyewitnesses of his majesty.” The word translated “myths” in verse 16 is the Greek word “μῦθος” (mythos). In some of your Bibles this word is translated as “fables” or “stories.” The ancient Roman world, the world in which Peter’s readers lived, was filled with myths about the origin and nature of life.
By the time the great Greek conqueror, Alexander the Great died in 323 B.C., he had conquered what, at that time, was the known world. His kingdom spread from Greece to India and with the spread of Greek culture came the spread of Greek mythology. After Alexander’s death, the Roman Republic, which became the Roman Empire spread beyond the borders of Alexander’s rule. The Romans adopted so much of Greek art, philosophy, literature, and myth. The Romans gave their own names to the Greek gods: Zeus became Jupiter, Aphrodite became Venus, and Poseidon became Neptune. Even though they changed the names of the Greek gods, the stories remained very similar.
We can get an idea of how Greco-Roman mythology captivated the people’s imaginations and devotion in worship by looking at Acts 17, when Paul visited Athens, which was under Roman rule. Turn to Acts 17:22-23 with me.
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship-- and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. (Acts 17:22-23 NIV)
Paul used the people’s devotion to false gods to teach them about the One True and Living God. If you were to visit Athens today, most all of the ruins you would see were at one time temples to gods. The city was filled with temples dedicated to the gods. With each of the gods and goddesses came the stories, the myths behind the gods. There was no escaping the influence of the myths on society. It was vitally important to Peter, Paul, and all of those who were sharing the good news about Jesus to let everyone know Jesus was no myth. Jim Shaddix and Daniel Akin write about what Peter is sharing in our Scripture for today.
This text is a reminder that our faith isn’t rooted in fairy tales and fiction. While the source of most world religions can’t be traced to historical facts, Christianity is lashed to the eyewitness testimony of those who had a complete knowledge of the historical Jesus. Peter and the other apostles didn’t have to fabricate stories about Jesus; they had actually seen him and done life with him. (Shaddix and Akin. 2 Peter and Jude. pg. 42)
In a couple of weeks we will finally turn the page in our study of Peter’s second letter and begin taking a look at the false teachers who were working to undermine the spread of the gospel. You will be amazed to learn that the false teachers in Peter’s day were very similar to the false teachers in our own day. False teachers are deceptive. False teachers twist the truth of the gospel. False teachers misuse people for their own gain. Peter and the other apostles shared the truth of what they had experienced while they were with Jesus. Take a look at verses 16-18 with me once again.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18 ESV)
In these verses Peter shares what he had seen with his own eyes and what he had heard with his own ears. We can learn from verse 16 that the supposed myth being spread by the false teachers was concerning the return of Jesus or what many call the “second coming of Jesus.” We can know that because the word translated “coming” in verse 16 is “παρουσία” (parousia) which means “arrival, presence, or coming.” This word was not originally a religious word. It was a word that was used in secular society which was then adopted by Jesus and His followers. The word was first used to announce the official visit of a ruler or dignitary. It was also used to describe the invasion of a country by an enemy army. This word is used twenty-four times in the New Testament. In sixteen of those twenty-four occurrences, it is used to refer to Jesus’ second coming. The first appearance of the word occurs in Matthew 24, when Jesus was teaching His disciples on the Mount of Olives. Let’s begin reading in verse 3.
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" 4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. (Matthew 24:3-6 NIV)
“When will Jesus return?” That has been a question on the minds of Jesus’ followers throughout the ages. When the return of Jesus didn’t happen as quickly as His followers would have liked, rumors began to spread, scoffers began to sow seeds of doubt, but the apostles never wavered. Evidently there was a rumor going around Thessalonica that Jesus had already returned and they had missed it. Paul writes, in 2 Thessalonians 2,
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us-- whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter-- asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 NIV)
Those who lived in the five provinces of the Roman Empire were not being told that Jesus had already come, but they were being told by the false teachers that His coming was nothing more than a myth. In 2 Peter 3:3-4, we read,
3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4 NIV)
“Don’t listen to those guys. Jesus isn’t coming back. There will be no final day of judgment where you will stand before God and give an account of your life. Eat, drink, and be merry! Live it up and enjoy life!” I can definitely see how removing the promised return of Jesus would change things for the followers of Jesus and those who are not His followers. In Matthew 25, Jesus said,
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33 NIV)
The “sheep” are Jesus’ followers. The sheep are reconciled, made right with God, through Jesus’ sacrifice of His life and they follow in His steps by loving others as He has loved us, forgiving those who have sinned against us, serving the lost and hurting, and proclaiming the good news in word and deed. To the “sheep,” He will say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34 NIV)
The “goats” are those who have rejected the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation that is only found in accepting Jesus’ sinless sacrifice on their behalf. They live life however they choose to live it. They set their own agenda, create their own ethical standards, and determine what they believe is “right” and what is “wrong.” To the “goats,” He will say, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41 NIV)
Remember how Jesus began His sermon? “When the Son of Man comes in his glory…” So, if the Son of Man, if Jesus isn’t really coming back then all of this is nothing more than a myth and we are free to do whatever we want, however we want, and whenever we want. What a deal! But, if Jesus was serious and His return is a literal return that could take place at any moment, then we better take His words seriously and prepare for that day.
J.D. Greear is the pastor at Summit Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was speaking about how times have changed, about how there is not nearly as much talk of Jesus’ return as there was when he was growing up in his hometown church. J.D. says that living with an awareness of Jesus’ return is a game changer for how we live our lives from day-to-day, every single day. Listen to what he wrote,
Wouldn’t you live differently if you knew Jesus were coming back tonight? Wouldn’t it make you ask the questions, ‘Am I ready?’ or ‘Am I living today in a way that I’d be happy to see him tonight?’ At my church we would often end our services with the pastor saying, ‘Maranatha,’ which means, ‘The Lord is coming.’ And we would respond, ‘And it could be today.’ I think we could use more of that attitude. It could be today, and this may be your last chance to repent, last chance to forgive, last chance to share the gospel. (Greear, J.D. 4 Ways Jesus’ Second Coming Changes Us Now. Christianity Today. February 23, 2015)
I agree with J.D. For those of us who are followers of Jesus, His sure return will be a great and glorious day that we can look forward to in the future. Our expectation of that day will translate into our living a life in the present that will glorify and honor Him.
I want us to go back to our Scripture so I can show you something that is very important for you and me to understand. When Peter wrote that he and others were “eyewitnesses of his majesty” and they heard the voice speak, what event did he have in mind? Let’s read verses 16-18 one more time and I want you to try and identify the event Peter has in mind.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18 ESV)
You would think that Peter would share his experience of Jesus following His resurrection from the dead, but that’s not what he did here. Peter had in mind the experience he, James, and John had when they were with Jesus and He was transfigured before their eyes. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell us about the event. Let’s read Matthew’s account found in Matthew 17.
1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-- one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." (Matthew 17:1-9 NIV)
We don’t know whether the transfiguration took place on Mount Tabor or Mount Hermon. Bible teachers are divided between the two. It is what took place on the mountain that is most important. Peter, James, and John saw with their own eyes, they heard the voice of God say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” with their own ears. They were with Jesus when the event took place and it marked them for the rest of their lives. Most Bible teachers see, in the words spoken to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, the fulfillment of Old Testament promises of the coming Messiah. When they heard, “This is my beloved Son,” they would have thought about that great coronation Psalm which was read when a new king was crowned in Israel. Let me read to you from Psalm 2:7-12.
7 The king proclaims the LORD's decree: "The LORD said to me, 'You are my son. Today I have become your Father. 8 Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. 9 You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.'" 10 Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! 11 Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Submit to God's royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities-- for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him! (Psalm 2:7-12 NLT)
The Jewish people recognized that no earthly king ever fulfilled what was written and they began to see Psalm 2 as a Messianic Psalm which would be fulfilled when God’s Messiah, God’s Son arrived one day. Jesus is King of the nations! He came as the Suffering Servant of God, but one day, when He returns, He will come as the Conquering King!
There is great significance in every word that was spoken by God on the Mount of Transfiguration that day. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” I mentioned to you that Jesus came as the Suffering Servant who gave His life for sinners so that we might be reconciled, made right with God. What Jesus did was according to God’s plan from the beginning of time. In Isaiah 42 we find the first of the prophecies concerning the Suffering Servant, prophecies that were made 700 years before Jesus was ever born. Turn there with me and let’s read together.
1 "Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or raise his voice in public. 3 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. 4 He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction." (Isaiah 42:1-4 NLT)
Peter, James, and John witnessed the fulfillment of God’s promised Messiah that day on the Mount of Transfiguration, but not the complete fulfillment. The day is coming when Jesus will return and He will bring justice for the nations, all the nations of the earth, and He will come for His own so they might be where He is. Jesus said,
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:1-6 NIV)
Peter, James, and John would never forget the glorious presence of Jesus they experienced that day when Jesus was transformed before their eyes, but it was His resurrection from the dead that compelled them to spend the rest of their lives sharing the truth of the gospel with all people. It also gave them the assurance that He would return, just as He promised.
We are out of time, but before we go I want you to think about something. The greatest myths in every culture includes a hero who will right all wrongs and save the people from impending doom. By all outward appearances our cultures are very different from one another and yet there is this common thread, this yearning for a savior, a hero who will make things right. Jesus is the yearning fulfilled, the myth which became history, and the King who holds true to His promises. I pray that today you will accept the invitation of our King and commit your life to following Him.
Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
March 23, 2025
