Eyewitnesses of His Majesty (2 Peter 1:16)

2023-02-04

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)

Peter said this as being one of the Twelve. Those apostles were “eyewitnesses of his majesty.” The New Testament was written by the apostles and those closely associated with them. This is one reason why the New Testament is treated with reverence above other ancient writings. The Twelve were chosen by the Lord Himself. Other apostles (1 Corinthians 15:5-7) saw Jesus alive from the dead as well. The apostle Paul was not of those who saw the risen Lord before His ascension; on the contrary, he saw Jesus after His ascension, first on the road to Damascus and then in the third heaven, at a minimum.

These apostles were put on the same level as the Old Testament prophets.

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone (Ephesians 2:20)

That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour (2 Peter 3:2)

Here, the words “apostles” and “prophets” are being used in the sense of being official offices, not as the generic sense of “missionaries” and “preachers” like in other cases. With these words paired together, “apostles” and “prophets” can be referred to in this way: New Testament and Old Testament.

The Scriptures are our foundation. Ephesians 2:20 says that the Old and New Testaments are our foundation. According to 2 Peter 3:2, we are told to be mindful of the words and commands of the prophets and apostles, which, in summary, is the entire Word of God found in both testaments. Paul was the last apostle. With no new apostles there are no new authoritative scriptures.