2 Peter 1:17

For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) For he received.—Literally, For having received. The sentence is unfinished, owing to the long dependent clause, “when there came . . . well pleased.” The natural ending would be, “He had us as His attendants to hear it,” or something of that kind.

Honour and glory.—Both refer to the voice from heaven. To make “honour” refer to the voice, and “glory” to the light shining from Christ’s body, about which nothing has been said, is forced and unnatural.

When there came such a voice to him.—Better, in that a voice was borne to Him speaking thus. The expression “a voice was borne to Him” is peculiar, and occurs nowhere else. The Greek for “the grace that is to be brought to you” (1Peter 1:13) is parallel to it, and is another small coincidence worth noting. Note also that the writer has not slavishly followed any of the three accounts of the Transfiguration, which a forger might be expected to do. A genuine witness, knowing that he is on firm ground can afford to take his own line; a “claimant” must carefully learn and follow the lines of others.

From the excellent glory.—Rather, by the excellent glory—another unique expression. The preposition “by” almost compels us to reject the interpretation that either the bright cloud or heaven itself is meant. It is rather a periphrasis for God. In Deuteronomy 33:26. God is called by the LXX., “the Excellent of the sky.”

This is my beloved Son, . . .—The Greek is almost the same as in St. Matthew’s account (Matthew 17:5); but “hear him” is omitted, and for “in Whom” we here have, “unto Whom” which can scarcely be brought into the English sentence. The meaning is “unto Whom my good pleasure came and on Whom it abides.” (Comp. Matthew 12:18, and Clem., Hom. III. liii.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:16-21 The gospel is no weak thing, but comes in power, Ro 1:16. The law sets before us our wretched state by sin, but there it leaves us. It discovers our disease, but does not make known the cure. It is the sight of Jesus crucified, in the gospel, that heals the soul. Try to dissuade the covetous worlding from his greediness, one ounce of gold weighs down all reasons. Offer to stay a furious man from anger by arguments, he has not patience to hear them. Try to detain the licentious, one smile is stronger with him than all reason. But come with the gospel, and urge them with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, shed to save their souls from hell, and to satisfy for their sins, and this is that powerful pleading which makes good men confess that their hearts burn within them, and bad men, even an Agrippa, to say they are almost persuaded to be Christians, Ac 26:28. God is well pleased with Christ, and with us in him. This is the Messiah who was promised, through whom all who believe in him shall be accepted and saved. The truth and reality of the gospel also are foretold by the prophets and penmenof the Old Testament, who spake and wrote under influence, and according to the direction of the Spirit of God. How firm and sure should our faith be, who have such a firm and sure word to rest upon! When the light of the Scripture is darted into the blind mind and dark understanding, by the Holy Spirit of God, it is like the day-break that advances, and diffuses itself through the whole soul, till it makes perfect day. As the Scripture is the revelation of the mind and will of God, every man ought to search it, to understand the sense and meaning. The Christian knows that book to be the word of God, in which he tastes a sweetness, and feels a power, and sees a glory, truly divine. And the prophecies already fulfilled in the person and salvation of Christ, and in the great concerns of the church and the world, form an unanswerable proof of the truth of Christianity. The Holy Ghost inspired holy men to speak and write. He so assisted and directed them in delivering what they had received from him, that they clearly expressed what they made known. So that the Scriptures are to be accounted the words of the Holy Ghost, and all the plainness and simplicity, all the power and all the propriety of the words and expressions, come from God. Mix faith with what you find in the Scriptures, and esteem and reverence the Bible as a book written by holy men, taught by the Holy Ghost.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For he received from God the Father honour and glory - He was honored by God in being thus addressed.

When there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory - The magnificent splendor; the bright cloud which overshadowed them, Matthew 17:5.

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased - See the notes at Matthew 17:5; Matthew 3:17. This demonstrated that he was the Messiah. Those who heard that voice could not doubt this; they never did afterwards doubt.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. received … honour—in the voice that spake to Him.

glory—in the light which shone around Him.

came—Greek, "was borne": the same phrase occurs only in 1Pe 1:13; one of several instances showing that the argument against the authenticity of this Second Epistle, from its dissimilarity of style as compared with First Peter, is not well founded.

such a voice—as he proceeds to describe.

from the excellent glory—rather as Greek, "by (that is, uttered by) the magnificent glory (that is, by God: as His glorious manifested presence is often called by the Hebrews "the Glory," compare "His Excellency," De 33:26; Ps 21:5)."

in whom—Greek, "in regard to whom" (accusative case); but Mt 17:5, "in whom" (dative case) centers and rests My good pleasure. Peter also omits, as not required by his purpose, "hear Him," showing his independence in his inspired testimony.

I am—Greek aorist, past time, "My good pleasure rested from eternity."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Either honour and glory for glorious honour; or

glory may relate to that lustre which appeared in the body of Christ at his transfiguration, Matthew 17:2, and

honour to the voice which came to him from his Father, and the honourable testimony thereby given him.

From the excellent glory; either from heaven, or from the glorious God, the Father of Christ, who, by this voice, did in a special manner manifest his glorious presence.

This is my beloved Son; i.e. This is the Messiah so often promised, and therefore all that was spoken of the Messiah in the law and the prophets centres in him.

In whom I am well pleased: this implies not only that Christ is peculiarly the Beloved of the Father, but that all they that are adopted to God by faith in Christ, are beloved, and graciously accepted, in and through him, Matthew 3:17 John 17:26 Ephesians 1:6.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For he received from God the Father honour and glory,.... Not as an inferior from a superior, for he was equal in glory with the Father, and was, and is, the brightness of his Father's glory; nor essentially, having the same glory as his Father, and to which nothing can be added; but declaratively, God the Father testifying of his glory, declaring the honour that belonged to him, as the Son of God, at the same time that an external glory was put on him, and received by him, as the son of man:

when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory; from the bright cloud which overshadowed Jesus, Moses, and Elijah and was a symbol of the glory and presence of God, as the cloud in the tabernacle and temple were, Exodus 40:35, or from heaven, the habitation of the holiness and glory of God, and where he displays the glory of his being and perfections; or from himself, who is the God and Father of glory, and is glorious in himself, in all his attributes and works. So "glory", with the Cabalistic Jews, signifies the Shechinah, or divine presence (d); and every number in the Cabalistic tree is called by the name of "glory"; the second number, which is "wisdom", is called "the first glory"; and the third number, "understanding", is called , "the supreme", or "chief glory" (e): so the first path, which is the supreme crown, is sometimes called the first glory, as the Father is here the most excellent glory; and the second path, which is the understanding enlightening, the second glory (f). And this voice was not that at his baptism; for though that was from heaven, and from God the Father, and expressed the same words as here; yet it was not on a mount, nor from a cloud, nor was it heard by the apostles, who, as yet, were not with Christ, nor called by him; nor that of which mention is made in John 12:28, for though that also was from God the Father, and from heaven, and which declaratively gave honour and glory to Christ, yet did not express the words here mentioned; but that voice which came from the cloud, when Christ was transfigured on the mount, and which was heard by his three disciples, Peter, James, and John, when the following words were articulately pronounced, "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased": See Gill on Matthew 17:5. The Vulgate Latin version adds here, as there, "hear ye him".

(d) Guido. Dictionar. Syr. Chald. p. 92. (e) Lex. Cabalist. p. 464. (f) Sepher Jetzirah, p. 1. 4.

Geneva Study Bible

For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

2 Peter 1:17. λαβὼν γὰρ … δόξαν] γάρ: “that is;” explanation of the immediately preceding: ἐπόπται γενηθέντες. The participle does not require any such supplement as ἦν or ἐτύγχανε, nor is it put instead of the finite verb. For the principal thought is, not that Christ was transfigured, but that Peter was a witness of this transfiguration, which was typical of the δύναμις καὶ παρουσία of Christ. The finite verb belonging to the participle λαβών is wanting. Its absence is most naturally accounted for by supposing, that the addition of φωνῆς ἐνεχθείσης κ.τ.λ. caused the author to forget to notice that he had not written ἔλαβε γάρ. How after writing λαβών he intended to proceed, cannot be definitely said; what is wanting, however, must be supplied from that which goes before, not from what follows. Winer, p. 330 [E. T. 442], incorrectly supplies the necessary complement from 2 Peter 1:18, since he says that Peter should have continued: ἡμᾶς εἶχε ταύτην τὴν φωνὴν ἀκούσαντας, or in a similar manner. But it is still more arbitrary to borrow the supplement from 2 Peter 1:19 (as is done by Dietlein and Schott).

παρὰ θεοῦ πατρός] πατήρ is applied here to God in His relation to Christ, with reference to the subsequent ὁ υἱός μου.

τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν] “Honour and glory,” as in Romans 2:7; Romans 2:10; δόξα denotes not the brightness of Christ’s body at the transfiguration (Hornejus, Gerhard, etc. Steinfass would understand both expressions of the shining figure of Christ). Hofmann is unwarranted in finding in λαβὼν κ.τ.λ. a confirmation of his opinion that it is the resurrection and ascension that are here referred to, inasmuch as God first conferred honour and glory upon Christ, by raising Him from the dead and exalting Him. To this it may be said that by every act of God which testified to His glory, Christ received τιμὴ καὶ δόξα, i.e. “honour and praise.”

φωνῆς ἐνεχθείσης αὐτῷ τοιᾶσδε] states through what Christ received “honour and praise:” the expression φωνὴ φέρεταί τινι, here only; Luke 9:35-36, φωνὴ γίγνεται; so also Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22 (cf. John 12:28; John 12:30); αὐτῷ: the dative of direction, not: in honorem ejus (Pott).

ὑπὸ τῆς μεγαλοπρεποῦς δόξης] ὑπό is neither equivalent to “accompanied by” (Wahl), nor to “from … out of” (Winer, 5th ed. p. 442 f.): the preposition, even where in local relations it inclines to these significations, always maintains firmly its original meaning: “under;” here, as generally in passives, it signifies “by;” thus, too, Winer, 6th ed. p. 330 [E. T. 462], 7th, 346: “when this voice was borne to Him by the sublime Majesty.” ἡ μεγαλοπρεπὴς (ἅπ. λεγ.) δόξα means neither heaven nor the bright cloud (Matthew 17:5);[50] it is rather a designation of God Himself (Gerhard, de Wette-Brückner, Wiesinger, Fronmüller, Hofmann); similarly as, in Matthew 26:64, God is called by the abstract expression Ἡ ΔΎΝΑΜΙς. With ΜΕΓΑΛΟΠΡΕΠΉς, cf. Deuteronomy 33:26, LXX.

ΟὟΤΌς ἘΣΤΙΝ Ὁ ΥἹΌς ΜΟΥ Ὁ ἈΓΑΠΗΤΌς] So in Matthew; only with the addition ΑὐΤΟῦ ἈΚΟΎΕΤΕ, and instead of ΕἸς ὍΝ: “ἘΝ ᾯ” In Mark 9:7 and Luke 9:35 (where, instead of ἈΓΑΠΗΤΌς, there is “ἘΚΛΕΛΕΓΜΈΝΟς”), the words ΕἸς ὋΝ ἘΓῺ ΕὐΔΌΚΗΣΑ are entirely wanting. The reading adopted by Tisch. 7: Ὁ ΥἹΌς ΜΟΥ Ὁ ἈΓΑΠΗΤΌς ΜΟΥ ΟὟΤΌς ἘΣΤΙ, corresponds to none of the accounts in the Gospels; cf. with it the O. T. quotation from Isaiah 42:1 in Matthew (Matthew 12:18): Ὁ ΠΑῖς ΜΟΥ … Ὁ ἈΓΑΠΗΤΌς ΜΟΥ, ΕἸς ὋΝ ΕὐΔΌΚΗΣΕΝ Ἡ ΨΥΧΉ ΜΟΥ.

The construction of ΕὐΔΟΚΕῖΝ with ΕἸς does not occur elsewhere in the N. T.; there is no warrant for the assertion that ΕἸς points “to the historical development of the plan of salvation”(!) (Dietlein).

[50] Schott, indeed, interprets ὑπό correctly, but yet thinks that τῆς μεγαλ. δόξης means the cloud; “not indeed the cloud in itself, but as the manifestation which God gave of Himself”(!).

Expositor's Greek Testament

2 Peter 1:17. λαβὼν. It is well-nigh impossible to say what is the case agreement of the participle here. It is at least certain that the subject is Jesus. Dietlein, Schott, Ewald, and Mayor agree that the writer intended to go on, ἐβεβαίωσεν τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον for which he substitutes καὶ ἔχομεν βεβαιότερον, after the parenthetic 18th verse. παρὰ Θεοῦ πατρός. See Hort’s note, 1 Peter 1:2. The usage (without the article) indicates the growth of a special Christian terminology. The two words are treated as one proper name. τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν. A frequent combination, cf. Psalm 8:6, Job 40:10, 1 Peter 1:7, Romans 2:7; Romans 2:10, 1 Timothy 1:17, Hebrews 2:7; Hebrews 2:9. τιμή is the personal honour and esteem in which Jesus is held by the Father, cf. Hort’s note on 1 Peter 1:7. “Honour in the voice which spoke to Him; glory in the light which shone from Him” (Alford). φωνῆς … τοιᾶσδε. This is the only instance of τοιόσδε in N.T. = “to the following effect”. ὑπὸ τῆς μεγαλοπρεποῦς δόξης. Retaining reading ὑπὸ, we may regard μεγ. δόξα as a vehicle of expression. The voice expresses its significance. It is not a mere accompanying phenomenon of the voice. cf. the instrumental dative in 2 Peter 1:21 after ἠνέχθη. μεγ. δόξης corresponds to “the bright cloud” (νεφέλη φωτεινὴ) of the Synoptics. οὐρανός is used in 2 Peter 1:18 to describe the source from which the voice came; “the sky,” cf. 2 Peter 3:12-13. εἰς ὃν ἐγὼ εὐδόκησα. Moulton (Proleg. p. 63) points out that tendency in N.T. is for εἰς to encroach on the domain of ἐν. cf. John 1:18, ὁ ὤν εἰς τὸν κόλπον (ib. p. 235).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. For he received from God the Father honour and glory] The Greek construction is participial, For having received …, the structure of the sentence being interrupted by the parenthetical clause which follows, and not resumed. The English version may be admitted, though it conceals this fact, as a fair solution of the difficulty. “Honour and glory.” The two words are naturally joined together as in Romans 2:7; Romans 2:10; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 2:7; Hebrews 2:9; Revelation 4:9; Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:12. If we are to press the distinctive force of each, the “honour” may be thought of as referring to the attesting voice at the Transfiguration, the “glory” to the light which enveloped the person of the Christ, like the Shechinah cloud of 1 Kings 8:10-11; Isaiah 6:1; Isaiah 6:4; Matthew 17:1-5; Mark 9:2-7; Luke 9:28-36.

when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory] Literally, when such a voice as this was borne to Him. The choice of the verb instead of the more usual word for “came,” connects itself with the use of the same verb in St Luke’s account of the Pentecostal gift (Acts 2:2), and the Apostle’s own use of it in 2 Peter 1:21 in connexion with the gift of prophecy. The word for “excellent” (more literally, magnificent, or majestic, as describing the transcendent brightness of the Shechinahcloud), not found elsewhere in the New Testament, is, perhaps, an echo from the LXX. of Deuteronomy 33:26, where God is described as “the excellent (or majestic) One of the firmament.” The corresponding noun appears in the LXX. of Psalm 21:5, where the English version has “majesty.” The Greek preposition has the force of “by” rather than “from” the glory, the person of the Father being identified with the Glory which was the token of His presence.

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased] The words are given, with one slight variation not perceptible in the English, as we find them in Matthew 17:5. It is obvious, assuming the genuineness of the Epistle, that we have here a testimony of great value to the truth of the Gospel records. As there is no reference to any written record of the words, and, we may add, as St Peter omits the words “Hear ye Him,” which St Matthew adds, the testimony has distinctly the character of independence. Had the Epistle been the spurious work of a pseudonymous writer, it is at least probable that they would have been given in the precise form in which they are found in one or other of the Gospels. St Mark and St Luke, it may be noted, omit the words “in whom I am well pleased.” The tense used in the Greek of these words is past, and not present, implying that the “delight” with which the Father contemplated the Son had been from eternity. The whole passage has a special interest, as pointing to the place which the Transfiguration occupied in the spiritual education of the three disciples who witnessed it. The Apostle looked back upon it, in his old age, as having stamped on his mind ineffaceably the conviction that the glory on which he had then looked was the pledge and earnest of that hereafter to be revealed. Comp. the probable reference to the same event in John 1:14.

Bengel's Gnomen

2 Peter 1:17. Λαβὼν, having received) The participle is put for the indicative. He received, by the testimony of His Father.—τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν, honour and glory) divine. The word glory is immediately after repeated.—φωνῆς ἐνεχθεισης, when a voice was borne) This is emphatically repeated in the next verse.—αὐτῷ) to Him alone.—τῆς μεγαλοπρεποῦς δόξης, the magnificent Glory) So God Himself is termed.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - For he received from God the Father honour and glory. The construction here is interrupted; the literal translation is, "Having received," etc., and there is no verb to complete the sense. Winer supposes that the apostle had intended to continue with some such words as, "He had us for witnesses," or, "He was declared to be the beloved Son of God," and that the construction was interrupted by the direct quotation of the words spoken by the voice from heaven ('Grammar,' 3:45, b). (For a similar anacoluthon, see in the Greek 2 Corinthians 5:6.) "Honour" seems to refer to the testimony of the voice from heaven; "glory," to the splendour of the Lord's transfigured Person. When there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory; more literally, when such a voice was borne to him. The same verb is used in Acts 2:2 of "the rushing mighty wind" which announced the coming of the Holy Ghost; and in 1 Peter 1:13 of "the grace which is being brought." It is repeated in the next verse. It seems intended to assert emphatically the real objective character of the voice. It was not a vision, a dream; the voice was borne from heaven; the apostles heard it with their ears. The preposition ὑπό must be rendered "by," not "from." The "excellent" (rather, "majestic," or "magnificent") glory was the Shechinah, the visible manifestation of the presence of God, which had appeared in ancient times on Mount Sinai, and in the tabernacle and temple above the mercy-seat. God was there; it was he who spoke. For the word rendered "excellent" (μεγαλοπρεπής) compare the Septuagint Version of Deuteronomy 33:26, ὁ μεγαλοπρεπὴς τοῦ στερεώματος, literally, "the Majestic One of the firmament;" where our Authorized Version gives a more exact translation of the Hebrew, "in his excellency on the sky" (see also the 'Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians,' chapter 9, where the occurrence of the same remarkable words, μεγαλοπρεπὴς δόξα, suggests that Clement must have been acquainted with this Epistle). This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Our translation makes these words correspond exactly with the report given by St. Matthew in his account of the Transfiguration, except that "hear ye him" is added there. In the Greek there are some slight variations. According to one ancient manuscript (the Vatican), the order of the words is different, and there is a second pen, "This is my Son, my Beloved." All uncial manuscripts have here, instead of the ἐν ω΅ι of St. Matthew's Gospel, εἰς ο{ν ἐγὼ εὐδόκησα. The difference cannot be represented in our translation. The construction is pregnant, and the meaning is that from all eternity the εὐδοκία, the good pleasure, of God the Father was directed towards the Divine Son, and still abideth on him. The same truth seems to be implied in the aorist εὐδόκησα (comp. John 17:24, "Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world"). An imitator of the second century would certainly have made this quotation to correspond exactly with the words as given in one of the synoptic Gospels. 2 Peter 1:17

Vincent's Word Studies

When there came (ἐνεχθείσης)

Lit., having been borne. Compare come (Rev., 2 Peter 1:18); moved (2 Peter 1:21); and rushing wind, lit., a wind borne along (Acts 2:2).

From (ὑπὸ)

Lit., by.

Excellent (μεγαλοπρεποῦς)

Or sublime. Only here in New Testament. In Septuagint (Deuteronomy 33:26), as an epithet of God, excellency. The phrase excellent glory refers to the bright cloud which overshadowed the company on the transfiguration mount, like the shekinah above the mercy-seat.