2 Peter 1:16: For We Did Not Follow Cleverly Devised Myths When We Made Known To You The Power And Coming Of Our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 Peter 1:16

[16] 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. (ESV)

The apostles of Jesus Christ were the primary leaders of the church, and active in proclaiming the gospel all over the known world. It was Peter himself, at the Day of Pentecost, who preached the sermon in which 3,000 people became Christians (Acts 2:41). The authority of the apostles comes from the fact that they were called by God and that they were eyewitnesses of the Savior. 

The idea that the apostles would have devised myths to deceive people into following a new religion is absurd. They literally laid down their lives for the message of the gospel. The reward for what they were teaching was torture, persecution, and martyrdom. No one in their right mind would lay down their life for something they know is a cleverly devised myth. Peter himself was martyred for his faith.

Peter, in this verse, is talking about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is making it clear that he is not devising a myth. There is a reason for him starting with this disclaimer. Later in this epistle he will mention the false teachers who are trying to accuse him of following clever myths. This is the very thing that the false teachers themselves were doing. 

Even at that time there were those who were denying aspects of the deity of Jesus Christ, and the certainty of his returning. Peter here is reminding his listeners that they need to believe the word that they have heard from Peter. He is not a charlatan, like the false teachers. He is an eyewitness of the glorious Christ. He speaks as an eyewitness and as an apostle.

There are times when we need to be reminded of the authority of Scripture. Let's hold to the truth given to us by the apostles. Christ will return. We have it under good authority.