The Fruitful Faith Formula, II.

Contextually, Peter's opening teaching in this letter builds the necessary foundation of knowledge to every significant quality of godliness and faith which Peter will teach in this epistle. Knowledge is itself a challenge to many contemporary Christians. Either their opinion or their personal experience is, in their mind, true "Knowledge," and nothing else matters. Later in this chapter, Peter surfaces both outlooks and rejects both by his own life example. If anyone living at that time - or any time - could claim personal experience as the source of true knowledge and faith, Peter, by his experience with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, would have qualified. However, after reminding us of that experience, Peter immediately assures us that we have "a more sure word of prophecy" than even a Mount of Transfiguration experience. (2 Peter 1:16 KJV) He will further punctuate this chapter in the conclusion with a reminder that nothing in the Christian experience can replace that "more sure word of prophecy," - Scripture which came to exist because the Holy Spirit Moved" the holy men who wrote the Scriptures.