And yet you seem so literate. Hm. Regardless,
When Peter wrote that prophecy is not of private interpretation, he used a Koine Greek work "ginetai", which tells us that Peter is speaking of where prophecy comes from, and not how we go about interpreting prophecy.
So when someone claims Peter is teaching us that we are not to use private interpretations to understand prophecies, this shows that they do not know the real meaning of the passage.
To be sure, it's somewhat obscured in some translations, though not all.
You asked for context:
2 Peter 1:15-2:3 KJV
15) Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
16) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17) For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18) And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
1) But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2) And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3) And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
We haven't followed fables, we actually saw Jesus transfigured, we actually heard the voice from the cloud.
Be even so, more so, we have the prophecies. But it doesn't matter what we heard or saw, because we have the prophecies, more certain, because they came from God. Not fables.
And we need to heed the prophecies, because the prophets didn't just make them up, or write what they thought. No, it was holy men of God, that is, men set apart for His use, whom He carried along by His Holy Spirit to write what God said.
But there were false teachers also, just as there will be among you. False teachers among you, bringing in damnable heresies.
The context here is of the surpremecy of prophecy over personal experience, because prophecy is not person experience, it didn't come from just the prophet, it came from God.
But we have to be careful, because there are many people, even "among you", and they will have many followers.
Peter is saying, there is personal experience, even ours, which was real. And there are false teachers, who are going to turn you into cash cows. But stick with the more sure word of prophecy. Stick to what is written. Not your perceptions, and beware the false teachers.
Here is a great example of the very passage being misused is the very passage that refute the doctrine.
Much love!
