Based on a True Story

“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” (v16).

“Based on a true story.” How many times have you watched a movie that started with some sort of claim that it was “inspired by actual events”? The problem is that Hollywood tends to play fast and loose with the facts. By the time the story hits the screen at a theater near you, the motion picture has little in common with the story that inspired it. Pete reassures us that he and the boys haven’t jacked around with history. This is based on a true story. They aren’t making this stuff up. 

And why would they? The story of Jesus is already tough to swallow. God becomes a man when He’s born to a teenage girl and a blue-collar carpenter in a backwater village in first century Palestine. He grows up to claim He’s the long-promised Messiah through some of most radical teaching the world has ever heard. And if that’s not enough, Jesus performs one miracle after another. Healing the sick. Feeding the hungry. Raising the dead. He saves His best for last when He Himself walks out of the graveyard after being dead for three days. There’s no reason to sweeten this story. It’s crazy enough already!

Right out of the chute, Pete lets us know that they haven’t fallen for “cleverly devised myths” (v16). He uses a Greek word here (sophizo) that means to invent, skillfully craft or cunningly create. Nobody has manufactured the story of Jesus. No PR firm has put their creative spin on who He is and what He’s done. Pete’s not part of some elaborate conspiracy to dupe the public into following this dude he calls the Christ. What he and the other apostles have been telling the world are not “myths.” The Greek term muthos describes a fable, a legend or some manufactured narrative invented to explain something unknown. As a matter of fact, Pete’s buddy Paul made it clear that if we believe in Jesus, we’re supposed to steer clear of “irreverent, silly myths (Gr. muthos)” (1Tim 4:7).

This is incredibly important considering the context. The apostle is writing this letter for the expressed purpose of shutting up and shutting down a team of false teachers who’ve infiltrated the churches in northeast Asia Minor (2Pet 2:1). Pete knew the false teachers would try to discredit his letter. They would accuse him of making all this stuff up. Can I be blunt? Thank you. Jesus isn’t Santa Claus. He’s not the Easter Bunny. He’s not the Tooth Fairy. Jesus Christ is a real, historical figure. Historians like Josephus who didn’t think He was Messiah wrote about Him. There’s no question about the existence of this radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. And if Pete and the boys were spinning tales about Christ, wouldn’t they make themselves look a little better? If I’m Peter, I’m leaving out all that stuff about Jesus calling me Satan. There’s no way I’m including the whole denying my Savior three times at His darkest hour. That’s because Pete’s story isn’t about Pete. It’s all about Jesus. He’s the Hero of the story. As a matter of fact, He’s the Hero of the entire Bible!! This is based on a true story. Peter’s not making this stuff up.

At this point, Pete narrows the “we” down from the Twelve to Jesus’ inner circle of James, John and himself. When you check out the following two verses, you see that he’s talking about the Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-8; Mk 9:2-8; Lk 9:28-36). Peter, James and John were there for Jesus’ miraculous mountaintop meet up with Moses and Elijah. Talk about a summit meeting! When they talk about what happened on the mountain, they talk of “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v16). Because of the grammar in the original Greek, we probably should translate this as “the powerful coming” or “the coming in power.” Could he talking about Jesus’ second coming? Pete talked about it in his prequel (1Pet 1:3-7, 13; 4:13). Not this time. Check out Jesus’ own words about His Transfiguration in Mark’s Gospel. “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power” (Mk 9:1). A lot of folks have huge problems with this verse in Mark because all of Jesus’ crew died before He returned. But what if He was talking about the amazing sneak preview on the mountaintop with Moses and Elijah? Don’t forget that Mark’s Gospel is almost certainly Peter’s version of Jesus’ life told through Barnabas’ cousin. In other words, Pete’s talking specifically here about what he and the Sons of Thunder saw with their own eyes that day. This is based on a true story. He’s not making this stuff up.

While they are there on the mountain, God pulls back the curtain to give the boys a sneak preview of Christ’s divine glory. Pete says they saw it all with their own eyes. “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (v16). So what exactly went down that day? According to Mark, Jesus “led them up a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them, and His clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could ever bleach them” (Mk 9:2-3). Sure sounds like they “were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” But that’s not all. Then Moses and Elijah show up in their own dazzling duds to talk to Jesus (Lk 9:30-31). What was the subject of the discussion? “His departure” (Lk 9:31). His death on a cross. His exodos. The very same Greek word Pete uses when talking about his own impending death back in verse 15. If that’s not wild enough, then Father God makes His own appearance in a thick cloud that covers the summit. “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him” (Mk 9:7). Jesus’ Dad gives His Son the greatest “that’s my boy” the universe has ever heard! When the smoke clears and they open their eyes, “they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only” (Mk 9:8). Let’s review. Sparkling appearance. Moses and Elijah. The voice of God. All three of these to confirm that the Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee is indeed the one and only Son of God. Messiah. The God Man. This is based on a true story. Pete’s not making this stuff up.

So why is this such a big deal? A lot of folks get hung up on the crazy stories in the Old Testament. Talking snakes. Worldwide floods. Fire from the sky. I gotta admit, some of it has hard to wrap your head around. But Pete points us back to Christ. He wants us to know what he saw and what he heard firsthand. Jesus claimed to divine. He said He was the Hero whom God had promised to send. He taught like no one else. He performed mind-blowing miracles. He predicted His death. He predicted His resurrection. And it happened just as He said it would. Peter and Jesus’ other followers were so blown away by what they had seen that they traveled the world telling everyone about Him. They were willing to risk their lives for what they saw and heard. That doesn’t happen over “cleverly devised myths.” I don’t know about you, but I’m not putting my life on the line over a fairy tale. 

This is based on a true story. Pete’s not making this stuff up.