Cleverly Devised Myths – not what Peter Preached
Reading: 2 Peter 1:12-21
We moderns, especially modern americans who think history started about 1964, tend to abide by a corollary of history starting in 1964 – anything or anyone that came before that was stupid. Scholars make hay talking about unbridgable difference and making you think you need an expert to help you understand old texts like the Bible. I don’t want to seem anti-intellectual or risk being called a cancer on the church for poking a little fun at this hubris. Good guides to the culture and history of the Bible are good sources, but don’t let your lack of them frighten you away from the Scriptures. The fundamentals of the human condition remain as they ever were. And you do have an expert in reading the scripture – the Holy Spirit.
And this reading from Peter clearly separates what people say about the Gospel from the real Gospel. This link is to athiest Dan Dennett responding to Rick Warren. The net of Dennett’s talk, ironically for someone who is so against design, is that religions are cleverly ermerging responses (awfully close to designs) of man. Religions evolved over time to answer specific questions. Read now how Peter responds to some challenges in the first century – “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” Cleverly devised myths sounds like some brights of the 1st century were talking in a similar vein as Dennett. Ancients weren’t stupid. Or said more in a more biblical and ancient manner, there is nothing new under the sun.
Peter’s witness was not cleverly devised myths but “we were eyewitnesses of his majesty – for when he received honor and glory from the Father…this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased…we heard this voice from heaven.” The transfiguration, the cross, the resurrection. The Apostles were eye witnesses. We have 4 canonical eyewitness testimonies (5 if you include Paul’s Damascus road encounter). None of them teach religion but they preach Christ. It is not laws or rules or religion that saves. It is the power of Christ who has triumphed over the grave. Foolishness to greeks and athiest philosophers and a stumbling block to the Jews and those looking for religious and legal manipulation of God but the power of God for those being saved.
That preaching of Christ is not man made. Man likes philosophy and religion and things of our own clever desgin. But revelation – prophesy – as Peter says, that comes about by men moved by the Holy Spirit speaking from God. God has saved you in Christ and claimed you in the Spirit. You can reject that, but why would you throw away such a gift of love?
