A recurring theme in Peter’s letter is the certainty that believers can have about the future return of Jesus Christ and how that certainty should impact behaviour in the here and now. Just like knowing that you will write a test at school or have a baby soon prompts you to make certain decisions, the reality of Christ’s return should do the same. In particular, Peter thinks that it should encourage us to make every effort to pursue godliness (2 Peter 1:5). We should be eager to grow in Christian character and virtue because we know that Christ will come back.
In light of the fact that the heretics cast doubt on Christ’s return, Peter provides evidence to support his teaching. The first evidence that he points to is the transfiguration that took place on the mountain. According to Peter this event really did take place. It was not a story invented by the apostles. It was not a myth meant to scare people into obedience. It was reality. They saw Jesus transfigured and heard the voice from heaven.
In itself, of course, the transfiguration does not explicitly point to Christ’s return. However, when understood in context it is valuable evidence that testifies to Christ’s future coming. Firstly, the transfiguration is confirmation that Jesus is God’s Messiah and that God keeps his promises. Before the coming of the Messiah various prophecies were made about him that have been fulfilled: he would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14); he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2); he would proclaim good news to the poor and set the captives free (Isaiah 61:1); he would suffer for the sake of God’s people, giving up his life to spare them from judgment (Isaiah 53:1–12). Since God kept those promises and fulfilled them in the coming of Christ, we can have confidence that Christ will come again in glory.
A second way in which the transfiguration points to Christ’s return is the fact that the apostles were given a glimpse of Christ in glory—the same glory with which he will appear when he comes again. During Christ’s time on earth, the Jews were quite confused by his claims to be the Messiah. They were confused because they expected a Messiah who would come in glory and judgment, not in weakness and suffering. That is why they were so confused by the fact that Christ came to die. They did not realize there would be a first and second coming. The transfiguration, however, provided the apostles with a glimpse of Christ in glory, an affirmation that the Messiah’s glory will one day be revealed to all.
16 Ce n'est pas, en effet, en suivant des fables habilement conçues, que nous vous avons fait connaître la puissance et l'avènement de notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ, mais c'est comme ayant vu sa majesté de nos propres yeux.