Peter’s reference to the prophetic message now leads him to expound on the nature of prophecy and how it is interpreted. It is possible, as has been suggested in the discussion of the previous passage, that the false teachers have raised this issue and have objected to the way the prophetic word is being used to prove the truth of certain Christian teachings. It is in answer to these objections that Peter now explains the nature of prophecy. In this verse an individualistic approach to the interpretation of prophecy is rejected.

The expression First of all you must understand this marks out the statement that follows as very important and deserving of special attention. Similar phrases are used in other parts of the New Testament, such as Luke 12.39 (“But know this”), Gal 3.7 (“So you see”), and 2 Tim 3.1 (“But understand this”). In many languages the mention of “first” demands a “second,” but since there is no “second,” then the sense of importance needs to be substituted for “first”; for example, “The most important thing is that you understand….” It is not clear whether the information about to be shared is new or already known to the readers.

What is the meaning of the statement no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation? Scripture most certainly refers to the Old Testament, and prophecy to particular parts of the Old Testament, primarily those parts that foretell future events. However, it is possible to take prophecy here and in verse 21 with the meaning “message from God,” in which case prophecy of scripture can be translated “the message of God contained in the Scriptures,” or possibly “a message announced by one of God’s messengers, which is contained in the Scriptures.”

Interpretation is a Greek word that occurs only here in the New Testament. Both the noun and the related verb are used for the explanation of riddles, puzzles, dreams, parables, and difficult passages of scripture. The Greek word translated is a matter of in this context can also be translated “belongs to” or “comes under the scope of.” But who is referred to in the expression one’s own interpretation? As we will see, the answer to this question is decisive in determining the meaning of the whole statement, as the following possibilities show:

1. If one’s own is understood as referring to any person, then the statement can mean that no one can explain or interpret a prophecy of scripture with the use of his or her own powers alone. This meaning is echoed in some translations such as Good News Translation “no one can explain by himself a prophecy in the Scriptures,” Phillips “no prophecy of scripture can be interpreted by a single human mind,” and An American Translation “no prophecy of scripture can be understood through one’s own powers.” This connects the interpretation to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as stated in verse 21.

2. The statement can mean that what is being denied is private individual interpretation of prophecy; in this case what is being indirectly affirmed is the importance of the church or the Christian community. This is echoed in some translations as well; for example, Jerusalem Bible “the interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the individual.”

3. If, however, one’s own is taken to refer to the prophet himself, then the statement would mean that the interpretation of scripture is not dependent on the prophet’s own ideas or efforts. Again, this is echoed in some translations; for example, New International Version “no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.”

Of these three alternatives, the first two seem preferable, with the second having a slight preference over the first. Taken as a whole, then, the statement is not suggesting that personal reading, reflection and interpretation of scripture is wrong. Rather the statement most probably asserts that the prophetic message should not be interpreted according to a person’s whims and fancies. This is of course directed at the false teachers referred to in the next two chapters, who are diluting Christian teaching and twisting it to suit their own fanciful ideas.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:
• The most important thing is that you understand that no one is able through his own ability (or, power) to explain a prophecy of God (or, a message announced by one of God’s spokesmen) which is contained in the Scriptures.

Or:
• … that you understand that one’s own interpretation of prophecy in the Scriptures is not the most important.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Second Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .