Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Peter 1:19

"And we have the word of prophecy [made] more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:" — 2 Peter 1:19 (ASV)

We have also a more sure word of prophecy.—Rather, And we have the prophetic word more sure (so Rheims alone); or, And we have, as something more sure, the prophetic word, as a second proof of the truth of my teaching respecting Christ’s coming. The expression, “the prophetic word,” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. “The Scripture” given below (Note on 2 Peter 3:4), as quoted by Clement of Rome, is quoted again in the so-called Second Epistle of Clement (chapter 11) as “the prophetic word.”

The quotation in both cases is probably from some uncanonical book of prophecies. Here the expression means the whole body of prophecy respecting the subject at hand.

But the meaning of the whole sentence is not quite clear. It may mean:

1. That the Transfiguration has made prophecies more sure, for we who were there have thus witnessed their fulfilment. In this case, however, we would have expected something more than “and” to introduce the statement, such as “and hence,” “and thus,” “whereby,” etc.
2. That in the prophetic word we have something more sure than the voice from heaven. Here a simple “and” is natural enough; and the word of prophecy is suitably compared with the voice from heaven.

But how can the word of prophets be more sure than the voice of God? In itself it cannot be so. However, it may be regarded as more sure in two respects: first, in reference to those who did not hear, but only heard of, the voice from heaven; and second, in reference to the subject at hand.

Concerning the first, for the readers of this Epistle, the many utterances of a long line of prophets, expounded by a school of teachers only second to the prophets themselves, might easily be “more sure” evidence than the narrative of a single writer; and if they heard not Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded by the report of a voice from heaven.

Concerning the second, the Transfiguration, though an earnest of Christ’s future glory, was not so clear a promise of it as the express words of prophecy.

If this latter interpretation is right, we have another mark of authenticity. A forger would be likely to magnify his own advantage in hearing the voice from heaven over the ordinary proofs open to everyone. In any case, the coincidence with 1 Peter 1:10–12 must not be overlooked. (Compare also St. Peter’s speech, Acts 3:20–21).

Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed.—Or, and you do well in giving heed to it—a gentle mode of exhortation, by assuming that the thing urged is being done. The exhortation is quite in harmony with 1 Peter 1:10. We have a similar construction in 2 Peter 2:10, “Do not tremble in speaking evil.”

A light that shineth.—Better, a lamp that shineth. Prophecy, like the Baptist, is a lamp that is lighted and shineth, preparatory to the Light. (See Note on John 5:35.) Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, circa A.D. 170, has (Autolycus II. xiii.) “His word, shining as a lamp in a chamber;” too slight a parallel to this passage to be relied upon as evidence that Theophilus knew our Epistle. (See below, second Note on 2 Peter 1:21.)

In a dark place.—This translation is somewhat doubtful. The word rendered “dark” occurs here only in the New Testament, and its usual meaning is “dry.” From “dry” we pass easily through “rough” to “dirty,” meanings which the word has elsewhere (compare the Latin squalidus); but the passage from “dirty” to “dark” is less easy, and there is a lack of authority for it.

“In a waste place” would perhaps be safer. The image would then be that prophecy is like camp-fires in the desert, which may keep one from going utterly astray, until sunrise frees one from difficulty. The “waste place” is either the wilderness of this world or the tangled life of the imperfect Christian.

Until the day dawn.—Literally, until the day beam through the gloom. Here, again, the meaning may be twofold:

1. Christ’s return in glory to illumine the wilderness of this world, to clear off its obscurities, and show the way through its mazes.
2. The clearer vision of the purified Christian, whose eye is single and his whole body full of light. (Compare 1 John 2:8.)

There should be no comma at “dawn”; “in your hearts” belongs to both “dawn” and “arise,” if to either.

And the day star arise.—An amplification of “until the day dawn.” “Day star” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Christ calls Himself the bright morning star (Revelation 22:16).

In your hearts.—It is difficult to determine to what these words belong. The Greek admits of three constructions:

1. With “take heed”;
2. With “dawn” and “arise”;
3. With “knowing this first.”

The last is not probable. Perhaps “and you do well in giving heed to it in your hearts” is best—i.e., let it influence your lives, not receive a mere intellectual attention.