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. 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,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
2 Peter 1:16-18 (ESV)
It is not uncommon today to hear people claim that the stories of Jesus found in the gospels are myths devised by later generations of Jesus’ followers. They generally admit that Jesus existed, was a great ethical teacher, and was crucified on a Roman cross. But the miracles attributed to Him, including His resurrection, were later additions made by Jesus’ followers to enhance His image.
But this is not a recent phenomenon. It was true even when 2 Peter was written. This letter addresses false teachers who introduced destructive heresies, including a rejection of Jesus (2 Pet. 2:1). They likely claimed many of the stories about Jesus were “cleverly devised myths.”
The Importance of Experience
Peter responded to this by claiming to have been an eyewitness to Jesus’ majesty. And he pointed specifically to Jesus’ transformation on the “holy mountain” (Matt. 17:1-9). Peter saw the glorified Jesus and heard God declare Jesus to be His beloved Son. Peter knew that the stories about Jesus were not just invented myths. They were all true. He was there for them. And he had heard what God had said about Jesus.
I have not had the same experiences as Peter. I cannot claim to have been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration nor to have personally heard Him speak or seen Him heal the lame and blind. That is something I have to accept by faith. But I have experienced the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in my own life. And that, like Peter’s experience on the mountain, is sufficient for me to believe that the stories of Jesus are more than cleverly devised myths. That He is who the gospels proclaim Him to be, my Savior and Lord.
Note: The author and dating of 2 Peter are disputed today, with many claiming an author other than the apostle Peter and a date toward the end of the first century or early second century. But the early church generally accepted it as an authentic writing of Peter and included it in the canon. And I am content to accept their judgment in this matter.
