Why does trying to prove God actually silence him?

One of the biggest confusions of Law and Gospel in our times is the idea that we need to prove the things God claims in the Bible, clear the way for people to understand the Gospel, or win a hearing so that people will listen to it.

And so, all around us, and even in our hearts also, people are trying to drum up evidence and reasons to listen to or believe in Jesus.

A powerful testimony of a life changed. A video clip of a packed and growing community. A logical argument that dismantles some objection or issue.

None of these things are wrong in themselves, but they are encouragements that come after faith, not before the Word, or as preparation for the Word—as if the Word needed our help somehow.

The Transfiguration of Jesus is a shocking story. It was shocking for those who were there—we’re explicitly told the disciples were scared.

But it’s also the clearest place in the Bible where God basically says “shut up” to someone: to Peter.

And that stuck with Peter for life. Here in 2 Peter 1:16-21, many years later, he reflects on what he learned from the experience.

And he tells us three things:

1) When we speak for God, we’re not listening to him
2) God’s Word has power in itself to reveal Jesus’ glory to people
3) Scripture keeps you in the light until Jesus returns

First, When we speak for God, we’re not listening to him

The Transfiguration was a brief moment during the time of Jesus’ humiliation, when he allowed some people to get a glimpse of his glory.

Mark’s Gospel describes it like this in 9:2-4:

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured in front of them, ³ and his clothes became dazzling—extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them. ⁴ Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

But rather than watching, listening, and taking it in, Peter speaks—tries to be helpful—and gets rebuked, vv. 5-7:

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here. Let’s set up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— ⁶ because he did not know what to say, since they were terrified. ⁷ A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him!”

Not everyone who tries to help Jesus by speaking is helping Jesus by speaking.

That’s the mistake Peter makes here. He speaks from his own thoughts, not God’s Word.

Years later, in 2 Peter 1:16, he explains what it means to speak from God’s Word:

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

As well meaning as people might be: When we speak for God, we’re not listening to him

Testifying to the Gospel does not mean constructing human arguments to support it from our own thoughts and reason.

It doesn’t mean sharing your experience of how you became a Christian
—as if that creates faith
—or as if my experience can teach us how God creates faith.

It means telling people the legal declaration that God has justified them in Christ.

“This is my beloved Son;—God said to Peter—listen to him!”

And this is the Word that Peter “made known” to those he is now writing to.

Be discerning, friends.

There are so many well meaning people wanting to speak for Jesus.

But we feel this same temptation Peter did to speaking for God instead of listening to him, when you feel pressure to make his Word work—when you feel you need to soften it, explain it, defend it, or improve it—as if what God has said were not yet enough.

This happens every time we think: “If I just say this a bit better, if I just explain it a bit more carefully, if I just add my story or my reasoning first, then God’s Word might finally be heard.” This is what it looks like to trust our words more than God’s.

But we don’t need to prepare or win a hearing for the Gospel, because…

God’s Word has power in itself to reveal Jesus’ glory to people

Peter explains this in vv. 17-18:

¹⁷ For he received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased!” ¹⁸ We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.

The sight of Jesus’ glory didn’t silence Peter. The experience on the mountain didn’t prepare Peter.

Our outward experiences in this world come to us as Law, they are not God’s Gospel.

Even the incredible experience of seeing Jesus’ glory on the mountain didn’t produce faith in Peter, but fear—a work of the Law.

Even seeing Jesus transfigured is Law not Gospel.

And while the Law’s primary purpose is to create repentance, without the Gospel, all the Law achieves is to produce fear or frustration.

Jesus’ divine glory was on physical display in the transfiguration.

But notice what Peter says:

he received honour and glory… when the voice came to him

God’s Word has power in itself to reveal Jesus’ glory to people

And that Word is that all have been forgiven, justified, made righteous, freely in Christ. Telling people this—in a clear way—is what creates faith.

And it doesn’t just create faith, it sustains faith. That’s Peter’s third point:

Scripture keeps you in the light until Jesus returns

Look at what Peter says in v. 19

¹⁹ We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed,

(a more accurate translation would be “more strongly confirmed”)

and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Scripture is the Word God is publicly proclaiming to you through his called Apostles and prophets.

Men, with a public call from God, publicly proclaiming and writing down his Law so that you know exactly where to hear what God’s saying.

It’s not an accident Peter deliberately talks about Scripture immediately after writing about what God said to him when Jesus was Transfigured.

The important thing—says Peter—is not what I saw and experienced …but what God said to us.

And how can you hear what God’s saying to you? In the words of Scripture.

And—Peter goes on—you can have absolute confidence that what you are hearing is clear and understandable, because it was spoken by the Spirit through these men that God called for this purpose.

That’s how Peter goes on in vv. 20-21:

²⁰ Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, ²¹ because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

This is not a book full of people’s ideas about God. It’s a book full of God’s ideas he wrote down through people.

This is not a book of things God is saying that are too difficult for human beings to understand.

This is a book of things God is saying through human beings so that you can understand them.

The doctrine of Scripture is under attack everywhere today, …in every type of church:
“It’s not really God’s Word.”
“It just contains God’s Word, which you have to dig out.”
“It’s not clear on its own, you need to do something to make it clear.”
“There’s so many different sincere opinions about what the Bible says, and so it necessarily must be the case, that it’s open to a range of interpretations.”

In the face of doubts like this, hear the assurance Peter gives you:

—No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation
—no prophecy ever came by the will of man
—men really did speak from God
—as they really were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

And so we have this Word more strongly confirmed.

until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Scripture keeps you in the light until Jesus returns

Why does trying to prove God actually silence him?

Because God, through his Word, can, does and will do everything that we want to happen in Christ.

This Gospel does not need to be made plausible—only proclaimed.

So, 1) When we speak for God, we’re not listening to him

Peter was an apostle! He was Jesus’ best friend! He was sincere! He wanted to help by sincerely speaking! And yet not every kind of sincere speech helps. He himself remembered this event for years afterwards… and here’s how he interprets it: Listen to God’s Word, which is given to you in Scripture.

Because 2) God’s Word has power in itself to reveal Jesus’ glory to people

You don’t need to prepare people for it. You don’t need to win a hearing for it. You don’t need to clear away the rubble so that people can receive it.

As long as we don’t obscure it, by confusing Law and Gospel—the Word of God contains within itself the power of God.

And know that power is active and working even now:

3) Scripture keeps you in the light until Jesus returns

And so I will end with this assurance about this Word, this Gospel, that Peter gives at the beginning of his letter:

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness

through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

⁴ By these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through [these promises] you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.