I am late doing this, and herein lies a tale. I am using the hotel internet on an android tab as the laptop will not connect to the very weedy hotel wifi — which costs hugely — and the 4g network in the innesr city is down. Which is difficult as I find it had to paste on a tablet — but the android wordpress app seems to be wirking.

So, keeping it brief, it is clear that Peter, like Paul, knew he would not survive to a natural death. He is wrting as an older man: facing his doom. Sayinv that this faith of ours is no pretty story, no myth, but the source of all meaning.

2 PETER 1:12-21

12Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, 14since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.15And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

16For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” 18We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.

19So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The text here is imporfant. It says no prophecy of scripture — not the local words of preaching and prophecy, for all err and all are prone to error. So we shoulc not put on airs about our tradition or exegesis, but stick close to the text, for that has been tested and approved.

We should not go seeking new knowledve of God or new insights, and we should be very careful about what we think the spirit is saying. If Peter continually went back to the words of Christ and to scripture, so should we. There is no new salvation. There is but Christ. And he was no myth.