Trifecta

In horserace gambling, a trifecta is when a betting person guesses the first three winners in the correct order. Such a person would walk away with a great winning.

Peter spoke of a trifecta in the context of false teachers. Those who practice this trifecta will not become prey to false teachers.

“Beloved, this is the second letter I am writing to you – in both letters, I have ventured to remind you of the need for an enlightened mind that remembers the foretold words of the holy prophets and the commandment of our Lord and Savior [spoken] by the apostles.” (2 Pet 3:1–2)

Peter’s trifecta for protecting oneself against false teachers was an enlightened mind that remembered the foretold words and the commandment of the Lord Jesus.

Enlightened Mind + Foretold Words + Lord’s Command = A Winner

The word “enlightened” is a poor translation of the word eilikrini, a combination of elios “sun” and krino “examination.” Imagine living in a time when the most powerful lights in the nighttime were oil-lit lamps or torches. No incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, or LED lights. In such times, the best way to examine something (e.g., a rug or clothing) was to wait for the sun to rise and examine it in the sunlight, eilikrini. The first protection against the influence of false teachers is an enlightened (or a sunlight-examined) mind. This is why Christians must study and sharpen their minds. An idol mind is a devil’s workshop. Only a sun-lightened or Son-lightened mind can escape false teachers’ corruptions.

The second protection is the foretold words of the prophets that sharpened the minds. Peter referred to the Old Testament by these words since the Hebrews considered the entire Old Testament prophetic. They didn’t call it the Old Testament but Tanakh for Torah “Law or Instructions,” Nevi’im “Prophets,” and Ketuvim “the writings.” Torah included Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Nevi’im comprised four Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuels, and Kings) and four Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve [which we call Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi – these twelve were writing in a single scroll and thus they are counted as one]). Ketuvim included the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles. Enlightened minds that remembered the Tanak avoided the snares of the false teachers. This is why we must regularly read, recite, study, meditate on, and memorize the Old Testament.

The third protection is the command [entoli] of the Lord and Savior [spoken] by the apostles, i.e., the New Testament. Peter called it collectively the command [entoli], singular, of the Lord and Savior. Paul did the same: “If anyone this to be a prophet or spiritual, s/he knows what I am writing is the commandment [entoli] of the Lord” (1 Cor 14:37). When Peter wrote this letter, around A.D. 64–67, most (if not all) of the NT would have been written. Whatever the apostles taught or wrote was the command [entoli] of the Lord and the third protection against false teachers.

Enlightened Mind + Old Testament + New Testament = A Winner

When we have a clear, thoughtful, or enlightened mind that remembers the teachings of the Old and New Testaments, we can avoid false teachers’ snares. That was why God gave us his words through the prophets (the OT) and the Lord via the apostles (the NT). This trifecta will protect us, provided we meditate on God’s words night and day.