One thing I noticed when reading 1st and 2nd Peter is the frequent references to the Bible. I counted about 20 times. As I thought about organizing this material on the Bible I decided to use the six interrogatives.
Answering the Who question I found this: God spoke His Word, and the prophets and apostles spoke and wrote God’s Word. It’s not clear what the answer would be to the Where question, but it’s safe to say there are many places where the giving forth of God’s word took place.
The When question is somewhat answered in that it speaks of God’s Word producing the heavens and the earth, and presently preserving them. The prophets spoke or wrote before the time of Christ, the apostles, after the time of Christ.
The Who question is answered with God speaking forth His Word and then giving His Word through the prophets and apostles. Those who heard the Word of God were both believers and unbelievers, because it speaks of being born again by the Word of God, so they heard it before they believed.
Peter describes many qualities that answer the What question. The Word of God is living, enduring (that is, imperishable, it stands forever), a light shining in darkness, pure spiritual milk, certain or trustworthy.
How was the Word of God given? God spoke. Prophets spoke as they were carried along or guided by the Holy Spirit. What they said didn’t originate with them. It was from God. At times it was directly related to what they were experiencing, such as the transfiguration of Jesus. In our next visit I will deal with the Why question.
