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cumcision- the Jews- was com–
mitted.
Simon Peter wrote two general
epistles as well as most probabiy
being the prime mover in the gos–
pel of Mark. He had a great role in
preserving and protecting tbe gos–
pel. He never forgot the things
Jesus said and did.
Take the transfiguration. Peter
and the two brothers, James and
John, were tbe only disciples privi–
leged to witness an actual foretaste
of the kingdom of God (see Mat–
thew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9). Did
Peter forget it?
By no means. He alludes to it in
both of bis epistles. Notice
1
Peter
5:1: "The elders wbo are among
you
1
exhort,
1
who am a fellow
elder and
a witness
of tbe suffer–
ings of Christ, and
also a partaker
of the g/ory
that will be revealed."
Peter saw in vision tbe glory of the
kingdom of God.
Much later, just before bis mar–
tyrdom, Peter penned his final mes–
sage to the churches. He wrote:
"For we did not follow cunningly
devised fables wben we rnade
known to you
the power and com–
ing
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but
were eyewitnesses of His majes–
ty.
·...
when we were with Him on
the holy mountain"
(II
Pet. 1:16,
18). This is a clear reference to tbe
transfiguration. Peter had pre–
served the true gospel tradition-in
writing! He did not follow fables to
tarnish the gospel.
Now we look at another witness
to the transfiguration.
The Apostle John
John knew Jesus as few people did.
Almost all human beings eitber
have or have had a best friend or a
closest buddy-someone witb
whom they have shared a side of
themselves seldom seen by others.
Though Jesus loved all men, he was
especially close to John. This warm
relationship is revealed in bis own
gospel account.
Jobn was "the disciple whom
Jesus loved." He was part of a
small inner circle. Jesus took only
Peter, James and John witb bim to
pray just before bis arrest by the
Jewish authorities. He was like a
member of Jesus' family. Christ
committed the care of bis mother
to John.
28
John spent more time witb Jesus
tban most of tbe otbers. He was
fully aware of both Jesus' deeds
and bis teacbings. He recorded
information essential to Christian
belief. "And truly Jesus did many
other signs
in the presence of
His
disciples, which are not written in
this book; but these are written that
you may believe tbat Jesus is tbe
Christ [the Messiah or Anointed
One], the Son of God, and that
believing you may have life in His
name" (John 20:30-31).
Tbe books of the Bible were
written ror a purpose. God does
nothing in vain.
John's gospel is bis
personal tes–
timony
to the life and teachings of
Jesus of Nazareth. He wrote: "This
is the disciple
who testifies of these
things,
and wrote these things; and
we know that bis testimony is true"
(John 21:24).
Why would it be false? John
knew Jesus as no one else did. He
spent much time with Christ. He
was
in on
every important occur–
rence. Truly he was a privileged
disciple, but for a vital puri>ose.
(God is no respecter of persons.)
John was to write
/ater
in the first
century than inost. He was to com–
plete the apostolic testimony. The
final gospel was bis. Tbe final book
of tbe New Testament would come
from bis pen. He needed special
tutoring.
Not a Secret Gospel
Just as tbe otber apostles, John
continued tbe work of Jesus'
public
preaching and teaching. For the
most part, Jesus' teaching was not
something done in a corner. John
records what Jesus bad said to the
High Priest: " 'I spoke openly to
the world.
1
always taught in syna–
gogues and in the temple, wbere
the Jews always meet,
and in secret
l
have said nothing.
Why do you
ask Me? Ask those who have heard
Me what I said to them. Indeed
they know what I said'" (John
18:20-21).
But in sorne circles today the
mytb persists tbat "we cannot
know either what Jesus said or did.
He taught a secret gospel. The gos–
pels are mere inventions of the ear-
1y cburch."
What ignorance!
Even in the early hours and
days of the Jerusalem church
people knew what had happened.
lt
was public knowledge!
Notice
what Peter said in the very first
sermon on the day of Pentecost,
A.D. 31. "Men of Israel, hear
these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a
Man attested by God to you by
miracles, wonders, and signs
which God did through Him
in
your midst, as you yourselves
also know"
(Acts 2:22). Did they .
contradict Peter's words? No,
3,000 of them repented on that
very day. Read the whole chap–
ter.
We
JI
more than 20 years later
Paul was before King Herod Agrip–
pa the
II.
He said.in bis defense:
"For tbe king, before whom I also
speak freely,
knows these things;
for
1
am convinced that none of
these things escapes his attention,
since this thing was not done in a
corner" (Acts 26:26).
Why the Gospel Record ls True!
Here's our point! Confident appeal
could be made to the knowledge of
the hearers. Distortions of the facts
would have been challenged. Wrote
Professor F.F. Bruce in his book
The New Testament Documents:
"And it was not only friendly eye–
witnesses that the early preachers
had to reckon with; there were also
others less w.ell disposed who were
also conversant with the main facts
of the ministry and death of Jesus.
The disciples could not afford to
risk inaccuracies (not to speak of
willful manipulation of the facts),
which would at once be exposed by
those who would be only too glad to
do so.... Had there been any ten–
dency to depart from the facts in
any material respect, the possible
presence of hostile witnesses in the
audience would have served as a
further corrective" (page 16).
Returning to the testimony of
John . He wrote the following many
decades after tbe church began:
"That which
we have seen and
heard
we declare to you ..."
(l
John 1:3). And again in his gospel:
"And he who has seen has testified,
and his testimony is true; and he
knows that he is telling the truth,
so that you may believe" (John
19:35).
This was firsthand knowledge.
This
was-and
is-truth! And it has
been preserved for us today. , o
The
PLAIN TRUTH