Our Holy Father Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch.
Fast-free week.
2 Peter 3:1-18; Mark 13:24-31.
Read 2 Peter 3:1-18
In 2 Peter 3:16, we read that the “ignorant and unstable twist [the Scriptures] to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.” This warning highlights the necessity of proper interpretation, as misunderstanding Scripture can lead not only to error but to spiritual ruin. Throughout history, many heresies have arisen from personal misinterpretations divorced from the authentic teaching of the Church. This is why seeking the true apostolic interpretation—preserved and handed down through the Church—is essential.
The Church precedes the New Testament Scripture; it is the Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that wrote, compiled, and preserved and affirmed the canon of the Bible. As 2 Peter 1:20-21affirms, “First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” This verse reinforces that Scripture was never meant to be interpreted in isolation but within the living tradition of the Church.
Moreover, Christ established His Church upon the apostles, giving them authority to teach and interpret divine revelation (cf. Matthew 16:18-19). The apostolic tradition safeguards the faithful from error and provides the true meaning of Scripture. As 2 Peter 3:17 warns, we must “beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability.” Thus, by humbly submitting to the Church’s teaching, we remain rooted in the truth and protected from the distortions that lead to, as St. Peter says ‘destruction’.